BELGIAN ECONOMIC MISSION 10 > 17 June 2017 USEFUL INFORMATION REPUBLIC OF KOREA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS GENERAL INFORMATION 4 1. Required travel documents 6 2. Health and safety 6 3. Flights and luggage 8 4. Name badge 10 5. Secretariats of the mission 10 6. Departure times 11 GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE DEPARTURE 13 1. Currency 14 2. Electricity 14 3. Weather 14 4. Mobile phones 15 5. Business tips 16 GOOD TO KNOW DURING THE MISSION 19 1. Arrival 20 2. Information session in Seoul 20 3. Tipping 20 4. Taxis 21 5. Restaurants 23 6. Medical aid 26 7. Contact details 27 BELGIAN FOREIGN TRADE AGENCY
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GENERAL INFORMATION 5 BELGIAN FOREIGN TRADE AGENCY
REPUBLIC OF KOREA GENERAL INFORMATION 1. Required travel documents To enter the Republic of Korea your Belgian passport must be valid at least until 6 months after your return date. Under the Visa Exemption Agreement between the Republic of Korea and Belgium, Belgian citizens do not require a visa for a short-term visit (up to 3 months) without any remunerative activities such as attending business meetings and conferences. 6 2. Health and safe t y Medical care in the Republic of Korea is usually of a good standard but can be expensive. Staff may not speak English. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation. For more details, please consult the travel advice issued by FPS Foreign Affairs in Dutch or French http://diplomatie.belgium.be. USEFUL INFORMATION
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REPUBLIC OF KOREA GENERAL INFORMATION 3. Flights and luggage On Saturday, 10 June from 12:30 onwards, Mrs. Nancy Vermeulen (M: +32 475 86 90 06) of the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency and Mrs. Chris Vaesen (M: +32 496 26 82 62) of the travel agency BCD will welcome you at the assigned check-in machines of Lufthansa and luggage drop off area at row 4 of Brussels National Airport. Lufthansa recommends doing your check-in online before going to the airport. 8 Luggage with the sticker «Belgian Economic Mission» and the travel agency s label will be identified by Belgian and South Korean authorities and the Grand Hyatt Seoul as being part of the mission. It is in your best interest to have it on all your suitcases for the duration of the mission. You can still obtain one or more stickers at check-in from Mrs. Nancy Vermeulen. Lufthansa allows 2 pieces of maximum 32 kg in business class, 2 pieces of maximum 23 kg in premium economy and 1 piece of 23 kg in economy class of checked luggage. Individual items with total dimensions (length + width + height) exceeding 300 cm cannot be transported as checked baggage, and must be sent as cargo or freight. There are no exceptions to this rule. Regarding handluggage, passengers flying business class are permitted two pieces of carry-on baggage (may not exceed 55x40x23 cm and must weigh no more than 8 kg). Furthermore, another item of carry-on baggage such as a handbag or laptop bag is allowed (may not exceed 30x40x10 cm). Economy Class and Premium Economy Class customers are permitted 1 piece of carry-on baggage (may not exceed 55x40x23 cm and must weigh no more than 8 kg). Furthermore, another item of carry-on baggage such as a handbag or laptop bag is allowed (may not exceed 30x40x10 cm). USEFUL INFORMATION
Overview of the official flights of the mission: DAY TIME SCHEDULE LOCAL TIME ROUTE FLIGHT NUMBER 15:05 16:05 flight duration 01:00 Brussels Frankfurt LH 1013 SATURDAY, 10 JUNE 2017 9 17:45 11:05 (+1) flight duration 10:20 Frankfurt Seoul LH 712 14:45 18:50 flight duration 11:05 Seoul Frankfurt LH 713 SATURDAY, 17 JUNE 2017 21:25 22:20 flight duration 00:55 Frankfurt Brussels LH 1024 BELGIAN FOREIGN TRADE AGENCY
REPUBLIC OF KOREA GENERAL INFORMATION 4. Name ba dge You are requested to wear your personal name badge of the «Belgian Economic Mission» in a visible way, from departure at the airport in Brussels throughout the mission. Without badge and/or a personal invitation for selected activities, access will be denied by the local and Belgian security as the security regulations will be strictly respected and applied. 10 In case you did not receive your name badge before departure, you can still collect it upon arrival in Seoul right before the information session on Sunday, 11 June at the BFTA-registration desk in front of the Namsan I & II room on the second floor of the Grand Hyatt Seoul. After the information session, you can collect your badge at the secretariat of the mission. 5. Sec re tariat of the mission During the mission, a secretariat of the Belgian Economic Mission will be set up at Boardroom 1 of the Business Center on the second floor of the Grand Hyatt Seoul. The secretariat will be operational from June 9 a.m. to June 16 p.m. Here you can receive the latest information, address all your questions and visit in case you have a problem with your badge. USEFUL INFORMATION
6. Depar ture times Please note that departure times of buses and other organized transport will be strictly observed. Kindly respect the departure times mentioned in your programme and be present in the lobby of the hotel 10 minutes prior to departure time. Latecomers will not be waited for. 11 BELGIAN FOREIGN TRADE AGENCY
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GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE DEPARTURE 13 BELGIAN FOREIGN TRADE AGENCY
REPUBLIC OF KOREA GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE DEPARTURE 1. Currency The official currency of the Republic of Korea is the Korean Won (KRW). Exchange rate on 22 April 2017: 1 EUR = 1 215,28 KRW 1000 KRW = 0,8228 EUR There is an ATM at the hotel. Please make sure to unblock your credit and debit cards for usage outside of the EU. 14 2. Electric i t y At the hotel an adaptor is not necessary, as type C and type F plugs are used (220V, 60 Hertz) in the Republic of Korea. 3. Weather The average temperature in June is around 22 C (low 16 C and high 26 C) with 20% chance of rain. It is best to bring light clothes with a light jacket for the evenings. USEFUL INFORMATION
4. Mobile phones Korea has one of the most advanced telecommunications network in the world. The use of mobile phones and Internet is very widely adopted. CDMA cellular systems are widely used in Korea. SK Telecom and KT are providing a SIM card roaming service to allow you to use your GSM subscription in Korea. At the Incheon International Airport, you can rent a special CDMA cellular phone, which accepts your SIM card. Please check the links below for more details. 15 KT roaming service http://www.kt.com/eng/biz/biz_03.jsp SK Telecom roaming service http://www.sktelecom.com/en The following websites give information about which types of smartphone will work in the Republic of Korea. https://thearrivalstore.com/will-my-phone-work-in-korea/ http://willmyphonework.net/ BELGIAN FOREIGN TRADE AGENCY
REPUBLIC OF KOREA GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE DEPARTURE 5. Business tips Make your contact with the Korean language easier Many restaurants have menus in English, and street names are also often written in English. It might be useful to download a proper translating app (Google Translate or other) and/or English-Korean dictionary that you can use offline. 16 Koreans adopted the US system when writing dates: MM/DD/YYYY. An easy way to avoid any confusion is to write the month in letters. They also use AM/PM for hours. Do have a business card ready Business cards are exchanged after initial introductions with new partners. The way you treat someone s business card is indicative of the way you will treat the person so examine any card you receive carefully and never write on someone s business card in that person s presence. Korean business cards have two sides one in English and the other in Korean. On the Korean side, the last name comes first while this is not necessarily the case on the English side. To avoid any confusion, check with your counterpart, which is which. USEFUL INFORMATION
Do develop relationships When doing business in Korea, endeavor to develop a respectful relationship with your Korean counterpart. Do not use Western logic when dealing with your new contacts it will not translate. The first meeting with any potential partner is simply to ascertain whether he is trustworthy or not, so business details tend to be left out for later. Koreans politely bow to each other when they meet and part ways but those with prior experiences would understand it too if Westerners replace this protocol with handshakes. 17 Do show respect to those older than you Due to longstanding Confucian traditions, age is still a key yardstick in how Koreans decide to act towards others. Korean language reserves reverential forms of address for older people. Many Koreans would also feel uncomfortable addressing you by just your first name if you are significantly older than them, and instead will choose to use your family name with Mr. or Ms. and/or professional titles. BELGIAN FOREIGN TRADE AGENCY
REPUBLIC OF KOREA GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE DEPARTURE Don t be late for meetings Contemporary Koreans regard keeping time an important etiquette. It is considered rude if you are late for a business meeting, showing disregard or disinterest, unless you can present a justifiable excuse. Being there early by 5 to 10 minutes, however, is acceptable. Do respect hierarchy 18 Unlike companies in the western nations, the Korean corporations and their positions are very hierarchical in their structure and organization. Contacts are made at the appropriate hierarchical level. This is also true in the public structure. In other words, when fixing a meeting for the first time with a Korean counterpart, do not choose a level under your own. This would make it harder to meet with higher ranked counterparts in subsequent meetings. Don t be surprised to see a protest and avoid mixing with protesters South Koreans fought hard to achieve the democratic society they now enjoy, and are among the top in the world when it comes to exercising their right to protest. Manifestations are frequent but usually conducted in a very orderly and peaceful manner. USEFUL INFORMATION
GOOD TO KNOW DURING THE MISSION 19 BELGIAN FOREIGN TRADE AGENCY
REPUBLIC OF KOREA GOOD TO KNOW DURING THE MISSION 1. Arrival Upon arrival, the time in Seoul is 7 hours ahead (GMT +9) of Brussels. At the airport of Seoul, each participant collects his/her own luggage from the conveyor belt and proceeds through the usual exit to the buses reserved for the delegation at the entrance of the airport. 20 The trip from the airport to the Grand Hyatt Seoul takes between 1h and 1h30, depending on traffic. 2. Information session in Seoul The economic mission officially starts in Seoul with an information session for the entire Belgian delegation on Sunday, 11 June 2017 at 17:00 in the Namsan I & II room on the second floor of the Grand Hyatt Seoul. After the information session, you will receive your personal programme with your B2B meetings and all invitations for official activities. This session will be followed by a welcome cocktail. 3. Tipping Tipping is not required nor expected in Korean restaurants, hotels and taxis. USEFUL INFORMATION
4. Taxis Taxis in Seoul are inexpensive and useful means of transportation. Abundant, it is easy to flag one down on the streets or find one of the many taxi stands located around major tourist destinations. You can easily pay with MasterCard and Visa as well. Most drivers have a very limited knowledge of English. Make sure to bring the address of your meeting location written in Korean. Preferably, you would have the old and the new address in Korean, since addresses changed completely a few years ago and taxi drivers are not always familiar with the new addresses. 21 Note that traffic is quite dense at any time of the day in Seoul, with peaks between 07:00-09:00 and 17:00-20:00. International taxi in Seoul (reservations should be made 24hrs in advance) T: +82 2 1644 2255 www.intltaxi.co.kr Taxi Service for businessmen with English driver in Busan T: +82 51 668 7921 BELGIAN FOREIGN TRADE AGENCY
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REPUBLIC OF KOREA GOOD TO KNOW DURING THE MISSION 5. Restaurants Korean food is not that well known around the world, except for Korean BBQ and «Kimchi». From the traditional grilled meat «bulgogi» to the Korean pancake «buchimgae», there is much more to discover! Be warned: a red sauce does not necessarily mean a tomato-based sauce, but rather a spicy sauce the more red it is, the spicier! The national drinks are «soju», a clear, vodka-like liquor, drunk out of shot glasses and «makkoli», a sweet rice wine. 23 Most meals in Korea are served up family style with a spread of dishes covering a table for each guest to pick from as they choose. Individual plates are nonexistent at some meals. The bill is generally paid directly at the cash desk. BELGIAN FOREIGN TRADE AGENCY
REPUBLIC OF KOREA GOOD TO KNOW DURING THE MISSION Korean cuisine YONGSUSAN Modern Korean Food - 10 minutes by taxi from the hotel A: Seoul, Jung-gu, Taepyungro 1ga, SEOUL Finance Center B1 T: +82 2 771 55 53 용수산서울시중구태평로 1가서울파이낸스센터지하1층 24 GAYARANG Traditional - 5 minutes by taxi from the hotel A: Seoul, Yongsan-gu, Itaewon-dong 239-4 T: +82 2 797 40 00 가야랑서울시용산구이태원동 239-4 HAMILTON HOTEL KOREAN RESTAURANT Korean Grilled beef - 5 minutes by taxi from the hotel A: Seoul, Yongsan-gu, Itaewon-dong 119-25 on the 2nd floor Maple T: +82 2 790 79 77 해밀턴호텔한식당서울시용산구이태원동 119-25 2층 LOTTE HOTEL MUGUNGHWA Traditional and modern Korean Food - 10 minutes by taxi from the hotel A: Seoul, Jung-gu, Sogongdong 1, Main Building 38th Floor T: +82 2 317 70 61 W: http://www.lottehotel.com/seoul/en/dining/resturants.asp?- type=re&seq=6&diningcd=km 롯데호텔한식당무궁화서울시중구소공동 1롯데호텔 38층 USEFUL INFORMATION
N-TOWER KOREAN RESTAURANT HANCOOK (SEOUL TOWER) Korean Buffet - 10 minutes by taxi from the hotel A: Seoul, Yongsan-gu, Yongsandong 2ga, San 1-3 T: +82 2 3455 9292 W: http://www.nseoultower.co.kr/eng/visit/restaurant2.asp 남산타워한식당서울시용산구용산동 2 가산 1-3 번지 Western Cuisine LA CUCINA Italian restaurant in front of Grand Hyatt Seoul A: Seoul Yongsan-gu, 10 Hoenamu-ro 44 gil T: +82 2 794 60 05 라쿠치나서울시용산구회나무로 44 길 10 25 N-GRILL (SEOUL TOWER) French fine dining - 10 minutes by taxi from the hotel A: Seoul, Yongsan-gu, Yongsandong 2ga, San 1-3, 7th floor T: +82 2 3455 9297 W: http://www.nseoultower.co.kr/eng/visit/restaurant.asp 서울타워엔그릴서울시용산구용산동 2 가산 1-3 번지 7 층 PISHON French cuisine - 5 minutes by taxi from the hotel A: Seoul, Yongsan-gu, Itaewon-ro 27-gil 101 T: +82 2 790 04 79 비손서울시용산구이태원로 27 길 101 BELGIAN FOREIGN TRADE AGENCY
REPUBLIC OF KOREA GOOD TO KNOW DURING THE MISSION 6. Medical aid Hospital SOON CHUN HYANG UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL Same district as the Grand Hyatt Seoul - 5 minutes by taxi from the hotel Koreans at front desk have basic English. Doctors have a sufficient English level. A: Seoul, Yongsan-gu, Daesagwan-ro 59 T: +82 2 709 91 58 (Korean) 26 T: +82 2 709 91 19 (English from 09:00-17:00) International clinic located in Soon Chun Hyang T: +82 2 709 91 14 M: +82 11 321 9161 W: http://www.schmc.ac.kr/seoul/international/index.do Pharmacy There is no pharmacy around the hotel, but there is one at the Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital. You can also find basic medicine in any convenience store. Dentist MANHATTAN DENTAL 5 minutes by taxi from the hotel A: Seoul, Yongsan-gu, Itaewon-ro 232, 2nd floor T: +82 2 792 38 37 W: http://www.manhattandental.kr/en/ USEFUL INFORMATION
7. Contact de tails Please refer to the section Contact organizers of the website www.belgianeconomicmission.be, in the app Belgian Economic Mission or in the final chapter of the brochure of the participants. 27 BELGIAN FOREIGN TRADE AGENCY
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Although everything possible was done to provide precise and updated information, neither the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency nor its partners (Brussels Invest & Export, Flanders Investment and Trade, Wallonia Export-Investment Agency) can be held responsible for any error, omission or false declaration. They cannot either be held responsible for the use or interpretation of information contained in this publication which does not involve giving advice. Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged. Belgian Foreign Trade Agency Rue Montoyer 3-1000 Brussels Belgium +32 2 206 35 11 www.abh-ace.be