July 28–31, 2009, Seoul, Korea

Conference Venue

ISSAC 2009 will be held at Korea Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS).  For more information about KIAS, please look up the KIAS visitor's guide.

Accommodation

As main accommodation, we arranged with the Koreana Hotel.  The hotel is located in the center of Seoul, where you can find many attractions of the city.  The negotiated conference rate is 122,100 Korean Won per night. 
As a more affordable alternative, we arranged with Ulji-Ro CO-OP Residence located at Dongdaemun.  It costs 66,000 Korean Won per night for single and twin (or double) rooms.  Please see here for directions and other information about Ulji-Ro CO-OP Residence.

You can make a reservation for your hotel on the online registration.

Airport to the hotel

The entrance to Korea is mainly through Incheon International Airport.  In order to get to the hotel from the airport, rather than a taxi, take a Limousine bus, which is quite comfortable and convenient.
Limousine Bus
Take the KAL Limousine Bus bound for 'Seoul City Hall' (Route name is 'Seoul City Hall' and the bus stop is '4B' or '11A' on the first floor of the airport).  The bus stops at a few hotels in Seoul.  (Incheon airport -> Seoul Plaza Hotel -> Lotte Hotel -> The Westin Chosun Seoul (Hotel) -> Koreana Hotel -> Seosomun KAL building -> Bestwestern Seoul Garden Hotel -> Incheon airport).
It takes about 80 minutes from the airport to the hotel.  The bus runs every 20 minutes, and the fare is 14,000 Korean Won.  More detailed information is available at the official website of Incheon airport (click 'Airport Bus' in the category of 'Transportation'). You can also print out the maps for Limousine bus route and for bus stop locations at the airport.
Taxi
If you have heavy luggage, we suggest that you take a taxi. There are two different types of taxis: medium-sized and deluxe (black-colored).  A medium-sized taxi costs about 52,000 Korean Won including toll fee (7,400 Korean Won). A deluxe taxi costs about 72,000 Korean won including the toll.  The actual cost depends on the traffic condition.  Print out this and show it to the taxi driver.  Then he should know where you are headed.

Airport to KIAS

Taking a Limousine bus #6002 to Cheongryangri Station, which is the bus's final stop (fare: 8,000 Won) and changing into a taxicab (fare: about 3,000 Won) is often the cheapest mean of transportation to KIAS.  In this case, please print out "Driving Instruction to KIAS (for Taxi)" and show it to your taxi driver.  Tips are rarely given to taxi drivers in Korea.

Koreana Hotel to KIAS

We will run shuttle buses between the hotel and KIAS.

Visa

All visitors to the Republic of Korea must have a valid passport and visa.  Visitors with roundtrip tickets from countries who have a special agreement with Korea may be exempt from the visa requirement, and can stay in Korea visa-free for periods up to 30 days, or 90 days, depending on the type of the agreement.  For details, please visit this website.  When uncertain as to the requirement for entry visa to Korea, please contact the Korean embassy or a consulate as early as possible.  If you are in need of an individual invitation, please contact Ms. Soyoung Kim (soyoung (at) kias dot re dot kr).

Useful Information

Climate
Korea's climate is regarded as a continental climate from a temperate standpoint and a monsoon climate from a precipitation standpoint.  The climate of Korea is characterized by four distinct seasons.  Spring and autumn are rather short, summer is hot and humid, and winter is cold and dry with abundant snowfall.  Please look up this website for more information about Seoul's climate.
Time Difference / Business Hours
Korean time is 9 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+9).  Business hours for banks are generally from 09:30 to 16:30 on weekdays only.  Banks are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.  ATMs are widely available.  Major department stores are open from 10:30 to 19:30, including Sundays, but smaller shops tend to open earlier and close later every day.
Tax and Tipping
A 10% sales tax is added on most goods and services, and usually their prices already include the tax.  Tipping is not a common custom in Korea.  Some tourist restaurants and hotels add a 10% service charge to your bill, in addition to the sales tax.  It is also not necessary to tip a taxi driver unless he assists you with luggage or provides an extra service.
Electricity
In Korea, electrical outlets are operated at 220 volt only, and type CEE 7/17 (See Wikipedia for it.) power plug is used.
Emergency
Emergency call numbers are: 112 for police and 119 for fire/rescue and hospital services.

Useful Links