The basic unit of currency is the won (W). Notes are available in denominations of W1,000, 5,000 and 10,000, and coins are denominated as follows: W10, 50, 100 and 500.

Banking Hours are Monday-Friday 9:30 am-5 pm.

Foreign Currency and Traveller's Cheques can be exchanged at banks in large towns and cities, but can be difficult to change in rural areas. Remember to keep a good supply of cash on hand for weekends (when banks are closed).

Credit Cards are widely accepted in large department stores and hotels, but will not be accepted by many smaller shops in either the cities or in rural areas.

Visitors are allowed to import duty-free, for their personal use, 1 litre of spirits, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 250 grams of pipe tobacco, 100 grams of snuff, 100 grams of brick tobacco (or any combination of the above tobacco within 500 grams limit), 60 millilitres of perfume and gifts up to W300,000.

Watches, cameras, jewellery, precious metals, jewels, and furs that are not declared upon entry will be subject to tax upon departure. Departure tax is W8,000 per person.

Crafts, sculptures, paintings, etc. must be evaluated by the Art and Antiques Assessment Office in Kimpo, Tel. +82 (2) 662-0106, or Tel. +82 (2) 664-8997, before you leave. Items considered to be of cultural value will be retained by South Korea.

The international telephone access code is 82. The area code for Seoul is 02, for Pusan 051, for Kwangju 062, and for Taejon 042. Omit the 0 if calling from abroad. To place an outgoing directly-dialed international call, dial 001 or 002 plus the country code and number. To reach an international operator, dial 0077, and for local directory assistance, dial 114.

In Korea, especially at restaurants other than 4 star establishments, you may want to order your meat to be cooked a little more than you usually would. If you like your steak medium, order it medium well, if rare then order medium rare, etc. Chefs will generally take your meat off the grill a little early if you don’t request this.

The current is either 110 or 220 volts AC, 60 Hz. You'll find plugs with two flat pins (110 volts) or with two round pins (220 volts). Visitors from abroad who wish to operate personal small electronic items, should bring a plug adapter and a transformer.

Throughout the country, call 112 for police and 119 for the fire department or to summon an ambulance.

You can enter Buddhist temples even if a service is under way. Dress modestly covering your shoulders and below the knees. Enter through a side door, leave your shoes by the door and sit down at the side of the hall. Don't sit or stand directly in front of the main Buddha image.

Avoid tap water unless it has been boiled, filtered, or chemically disinfected (e.g. with iodine tablets); only eat fresh fruit and vegetables that’s been cooked or peeled; be wary of dairy products that might contain un-pasteurised milk, and be highly selective when eating food from street vendors. If you develop diarrhoea, be sure to drink plenty of fluids, preferably an oral re-hydration solution containing lots of salt and sugar.

If you are travelling in rural or endemic areas it is extremely important to avoid mosquito bites and to take preventative measures. Malaria symptoms range from fever, chills and sweating, headache, diarrhoea and abdominal pains to a vague feeling of ill-health. Seek medical help immediately if malaria is suspected. Take the following anti-mosquito precautions: wear light-coloured clothing, wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts, use mosquito repellents, avoid perfumes and aftershave, use a mosquito net.

Local laws and legal processes can be very different from those in your home country. A violation of local laws may result in a jail sentence, served in a local prison. Consular assistance cannot override local law, even where local laws may appear harsh or unjust by your home country’s standards.

The Republic of Korea does not recognise dual nationality. This may limit the ability of some country officials to provide consular assistance to those with dual nationality such as an Australian/Republic of Korea dual national who is arrested or detained.

Some criminal laws, including - but not limited to - those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism and child sex tourism, have extraterritorial effect. Anyone who commits such offences outside of their home country may be prosecuted for those offences.

Busan is a relatively safe place, but as seaports go, you should exercise caution in the central area at night.

The Republic of Korea has one of the highest rates of traffic deaths for a developed country. There is a strong presumption that car drivers are at fault in accidents involving injury to pedestrians. Criminal charges and heavy penalties are common in accidents involving injury.

Banks and most businesses close on New Year's Day and the day after (1-2 January), Lunar New Year (three days in January or February; dates vary), Independence Movement Day (1 March), Arbor Day (5 April), Children's Day (5 May), Buddha's Birthday (May; date of celebration varies), Memorial Day (6 June), Constitution Day (17 July), Liberation Day (15 August), Ch'usok, or the Harvest Moon Festival, also known as Korean Thanksgiving (celebrated for three days in September Day (25 December). More on holidays and festivals can be found here.

If you have an onward ticket visitors from almost anywhere - except countries not recognised by South Korea (Cuba, Laos and Cambodia) – you can stay in the country for 30 days without a visa. If you're from Western Europe, Australia or New Zealand, you can get up to 90 days visa-free. Canadians receive a six-month permit and citizens of Italy and Portugal receive 60-day permits. Everyone else has to extend after their first 30 days.

Busan's close proximity to the ocean gives it milder weather than other places in Korea. The best times to travel are spring and autumn, when the weather is usually sunny and warm. Spring brings sunshine and blooming flowers while autumn sets the mountains ablaze with colourful foliage. Beautiful Jeju Island, off Busan’s southern coast, enjoys a nearly sub-tropical climate where people sunbathe and frolic in clear blue water. Busan winters (December to March) are milder than the rest of the country. Rarely does it drop below freezing except in January and February. It can be a good time to visit if you enjoy skiing and snow-draped temples. Try to avoid going in the summer months from late June to August as this is the time for typhoons and heavy monsoons. It can be hot, humid and crowded in the resort areas outside of the city.