South Korea

Followers 5

Entry posted by korver · November 16, 2020

3,145 Views

true earth

South Korea, an East Asian nation of 52 million on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, is bordered by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) to the north, the East Sea (Sea of Japan) to the east, the East China Sea to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west; to the southeast it is separated from the Japanese island of Tsushima by the Korea Strait. South Korea shares one of the world’s most heavily militarized borders with North Korea - and makes up about 45 percent of the Korean Peninsula’s land area. It’s equally known for its green, hilly countryside dotted with cherry trees and centuries-old Buddhist temples, plus its coastal fishing villages, sub-tropical islands and high-tech, modern cities such as Seoul, the capital. Let's take a trip to this iconic Asian country in today's update and visit a few of South Korea's most remarkable sights.

Our tour begins with a view over another one of South Korea's most iconic cities - Busan. Located on a mountainous, hilly strip of land on the country's southern shoreline, this massive modern city has sprawled over the decades and is now an important regional hub in East Asia.

We now move into the heart of the country, where remnants of the country's impressive past can still be seen. The ancient Goryeo Empire once ruled these parts, and their legacy can still be seen in the form of long-ruined temples and palaces, which have continued to fall into a state of disrepair over the years.

Our journey takes us back into the interior of central South Korea, which is where you'll find another one of South Korea's most impressive cities, Daegu. Here we see a typical scene from suburban Daegu, where colorful houses and apartments can be seen for all around.

We venture deep into the heart of rural southern South Korea, and catch a boat for the country's renowned, semi-tropical tourist destination of Jeju Island. The landscape here is quite lush and green, and palm trees can even be seen in places - and despite the hilly landscape, agriculture plays an important role here. Like much of Eastern Asia, rice terraces are an important solution to deal with the mountainous terrain, and quaint villages can be seen all around the landscape.

The second half of the update will now shift to Seoul - South Korea's modern, sprawling capital city of 10 million, located just south of the border with North Korea. One of the city's most defining landmarks sits on a large, forested hill in the heart of the city - the N Seoul Tower. Also known as the Namsan Tower, it was completed in 1971 and over the years has turned into a symbol of the city.

Despite being known for its modern landmarks, Seoul is also known for its historic monuments, temples, and palaces as well. The sprawling complex of Kunjungjon is one of South Korea's most impressive palaces and has turned into a popular tourist destination over the decades as well.

In the 1980s, another famous landmark on Seoul's skyline was constructed - the 63 Building. Opening in 1985, this 899 ft tall skyscraper is well known for its glistening gold glass and towers above the surrounding Han River. Here we see a scene of the skyscraper on a crisp autumn day, which can be an especially beautiful time of the year in Seoul.

Another one of Seoul's most remarkable modern skyscrapers is the towering Lotte World Tower. Standing 1,634 ft tall, it's one of the world's tallest skyscrapers upon opening in 2017.

An overview of Seoul's impressive, sprawling skyline from above.

To conclude our tour, we'll be making one more stop in the heart of Seoul, taking in the sights and sounds of the big city one last time. The impressive Namdaemun gate makes for a fitting end to our journey across this amazing country today.