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South KoreaThe Inside StorySouth Korea is an intriguing country rich in ancient cultureand harmony. Have fun in vibrant Seoul, where neonsigns compete with exquisite temples and palaces, shop induty-free shops and take in the view from the Seoul Towerfrom where you can see the Han River as it winds throughthe city.The mountainous countryside couldn’t contrast morewith Seoul. Here you will find thousands of temples, hometo the country’s Buddhist monks, where you can enjoy acontemplative stay. Temple-hop in the former capital ofthe Silla kingdom, Gyeongju, and admire the beautifullypreserved 80,000 wooden printing blocks of Buddhistscriptures, Tripikata Koreana, in Haeinsa Temple in GayasanNational Park. Take the cable car to a hilltop temple andsoak in the hot springs.Explore ancient villages, take the high-speed train fromSeoul to Busan or peek into North Korea from the BorderUnification Observatory.Storyto tell -PeterWybrowWhy I loveSouth KoreaSouth Korea offers aradical change of paceand mood from ourother destinations. Thecities here are sleek,vibrant, ultra-modernmetropolises boastinginternational cuisineand great shoppingopportunities, allwrapped up ina fascinatinglyunique culture.57-18 BCThree Kingdoms of Silla,Goguryeo and Baekje founded676Silla repels Chineseinvasion and unites muchof Three Kingdoms1392General Yi Seonggyecrowned king, heraldingthe Joseon Dynasty1653Hendrick Hamel shipwreckedon Jeju Island; first westernerto chronicle the JoseonDynasty1945Japanese occupation of Koreaends; Soviet troops occupyNorth, US troops South372-527Kingdoms adoptBuddhism1234Sangjeong Gogeum Yemun,world’s first metal-blockprinted text, is published1396Capital city moves toHanyang – modernday Seoul1895Japan wins Sino-JapaneseWar, ending Chineseinfluence over Korea