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News & Announcement
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Visit Korea Year 2023-2024 x Starbucks Korea Eco-friendly Campaign
Free Eco-friendly Strbucks Tumbler Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and Starbucks Korea (hereafter Starbucks) joined hands last November to promote the VISIT KOREA YEAR 2023-2024 through an on-going eco-friendly campaign. The main event of the campaign is being held at 10 unique Starbucks locations throughout Korea. Visitors to these select branches can participate in the event by uploading a photo of their Starbucks drink in their personal tumbler or an in-store Starbucks cup to their personal social media. Participants receive a specially made Starbucks tumbler with a design of the VISIT KOREA YEAR 2023-2024 logo and characters. In addition to the main event, over 1,800 Starbucks locations nationwide have VISIT KOREA YEAR 2023-2024 promotional materials for visitors to fall more in love with Korea’s charms. For more information and details regarding participating locations, refer to the official Starbucks website . Campaign video KTO x Starbucks Eco-friendly Travel Campaign * How to participate Step 1. Buy a drink at Starbucks using your personal tumbler or in-store cup (including reusable cups at eco branches) Step 2. Upload a photo of your drink to your personal social media using the event hashtags Required hashtags: #TOP10STARBUCKSSTORES #KGREENFOUNDATION #20232024VISITKOREAYEAR * Participation gift: Limited-edition event Starbucks tumbler (200 per branch, first-come first-serve) • Participating branches End date Region Branch Introduction March 19 Seoul The Bukhansan Space with a panoramic view of Bukhansan Mountain March 26 Seoul Gyeonggi Gangwon Gyeongdong Market Unique retro trip to a theater closed over 60 years ago Byuldabang Urban oasis featuring a grand digital art wall Chuncheon Gubongsan R Reserve store overlooking the outstanding cityscape of Chuncheon April 2 Jeonnam Gyeongbuk Jeju The Yeosu Dolsan DT Experience Yeosu’s sea and night in a unique way Daegu Jongno Old House Enjoy music and coffee in a traditional hanok building Jeju Songdang R Enjoy Jeju’s nature and stones with Starbucks coffee at this reserve store * Event completed: Starbucks Edae R, Starbucks Gyeonggi Yangpyeong DT, Starbucks The Bukhan River R
03/18/2024
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[Winners Announcement] VISITKOREA Member Sign Up Event
Thank you to everyone who participated in the VISITKOREA Member Sign Up Event and congratulations to the winners! * Period: February 20 – March 13, 2024 * Winner announcement: March 15, 2024 * Prize: $50 Gift Card to Amazon.com (50 winners) See below for the event winners: * Winners will have their gift card sent out in March directly to the e-mail address entered during event submission. Important notice: 1) Gift cards will be sent out by the email address “[email protected]” VISITKOREA is not responsible for delivery failure in the case of the email being flagged as spam or being sent to an inactive email account. 2) The Amazon gift card can be used on the Amazon.com website. Prize cannot be exchanged for a different gift or transferred to another person. zha*********[email protected] mua*********[email protected] haj*****[email protected] kee**[email protected] lle*****[email protected] nic************[email protected] yic**[email protected] mar********[email protected] jen*********[email protected] spi*************[email protected] geo******[email protected] ko2*[email protected] yun***[email protected] h*@travelonthebrain.net sof******[email protected] eba****[email protected] epa****[email protected] dm7****[email protected] zim******[email protected] jg.*[email protected] fer*************[email protected] ark*****[email protected] thu********[email protected] rac**************[email protected] oma****[email protected] Kdr*****[email protected] lul********[email protected] sof***[email protected] ijw******[email protected] had********[email protected] yuk****[email protected] mar**********[email protected] ana*********[email protected] fae******[email protected] joy***********[email protected] viv***********[email protected] cor******[email protected] dog*****[email protected] tot*******[email protected] ard*********[email protected] duc******[email protected] lau************[email protected] pin*****[email protected] ky1***[email protected] don**********[email protected] eli**********[email protected] yuk************[email protected] que************[email protected] nel***********[email protected] imy****[email protected]
03/15/2024
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MICHELIN Guide to Seoul & Busan 2024
The internationally renowned Michelin Guide released “The MICHELIN Guide Seoul & Busan 2024” in February of this year. This marks the first time the Michelin Guide for Korea has included a city outside of Seoul since first being released in 2017. Busan was selected due to the port city’s unique dining culture. The MICHELIN Guide Seoul & Busan 2024 features 177 restaurants in Seoul and 43 restaurants in Busan, for a total of 220 premium dining locations. French restaurant Allen and Japanese restaurant Mitou in Seoul both earned their second star, while Mori (Japanese cuisine), Palate (French cuisine), and Fiotto (Italian cuisine) in Busan each earned their first Michelin star. Fiotto also earned a Green Star for their use of ingredients picked directly from the farm. In addition to the restaurants which were able to earn stars, the guide also includes 15 and 6 restaurants in Busan and Seoul respectively that were recognized as Bib Gourmand restaurants, providing delicious food at reasonable prices. These new additions bring the total of Bib Gourmand restaurants to 72, ranging from traditional Korean cuisine to Japanese, Mexican, and Thai, as well as vegan cooking. Foodies planning a trip to Korea should definitely check the Michelin Guide! For a gourmand experience that won’t cost too much, a visit to one of the Bib Gourmand restaurants is a great choice. The MICHELIN Guide Seoul & Busan 2024 ▶ Michelin restaurants in Seoul ▶ Michelin restaurants in Busan
03/11/2024
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Seoul Subway Introduces Real-time Interpretation System
A real-time interpretation system capable of interpreting 13 languages using AI technology has been installed at the Customer Support Center of Myeong-dong Station (Seoul Subway Line 4). The system works by connecting a mic to a see-through touch screen that displays the words spoken and translates them depending on which language the tourist selects. After the tourist asks a question in their own language, their question is translated into Korean and appears on the monitor for the Korean station worker to see and respond to. Now travelers can quickly and easily get answers to all their subway questions, including finding subway routes, the fastest transfer points, and anything else about the subway station. The touch-screen can also be used to look up information on T-locker and T-luggage, storage systems in place for travelers. The system is available in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Malay, Indonesian, Spanish, French, German, Arabic, and Russian (13 languages total). While the system is currently in the testing stage, more machines are planned to be installed at 10 major subway stations, including Jongno 5(oh)-ga Station on Line 1; City Hall Station, Hongik Univ. Station, Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station, and Gangnam Station on Line 2; Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3; Gwanghwamun Station, and Gimpo Airport Station on Line 5; and Itaewon Station and Gongdeok Station on Line 6.
02/29/2024
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2024 Cherry Blossom Forecast
The news everyone has been waiting for, here is the cherry blossom forecast for 2024. This year’s cherry blossoms are expected to bloom one to seven days earlier than average. The earliest cherry blossoms can be seen in Jeju Island around March 24, while Seoul will have to wait until April 3. Usually the cherry blossoms peak approximately one week after blossoming, so you will be able to see cherry blossoms in full bloom in Seogwipo, Jeju after March 31 and in Seoul around April 10. For those preparing a trip to Korea this spring, be sure to plan ahead to see cherry blossoms in full bloom all around the country. More Info 2024 Cherry blossom forecast Jeju Island: March 24 Busan: March 22 Jeonju, Jeonbuk State: March 29 Gangneung, Gangwon State: March 31 Seoul: April 3 Chuncheon, Gangwon State: April 7 Dates subject to change depending on weather conditions. Information courtesy of Weather i
02/23/2024
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Update to VISITKOREA Website/App Privacy Policy
The VISITKOREA Website/App privacy policy will be updated in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act of Korea and relevant laws. The updated privacy policy will go into effect on February 29, 2024. < Changes > Previous Updated View previous privacy policy PRIVACY POLICY VISITKOREA thoroughly protects users' personal information. This Privacy Policy is subject to changes according to the laws of the Republic of Korea and the policy of VISITKOREA. Users can review the most current version of the Privacy Policy at any time. VISITKOREA is a website for global netizens interested in Korean tourism. All personal information from users is collected and used according to VISITKOREA Privacy Policy. VISITKOREA Privacy Policy was in effect since April 12, 2008 and revised on July 28, 2023. 1) Collecting Personal Information VISITKOREA collects personal information provided by social media services when users access VISITKOREA services through social log-in. VISITKOREA may also collect specific information on user's access device and browser information, such as browser settings, IP addresses, search history, time of access, Internet protocol address, cookies, and GPS. Collected information is used in order to manage VISITKOREA, increase the service quality, and make general statistics about VISITKOREA users. 2) Keeping and Disuse of Personal Information While you access VISITKOREA as a member, VISITKOREA uses your collected personal information to provide the following services. - Personalized services - Update current services and develop new services - Analyze user data and provide related services - Provide other services allowed by users such as marketing, etc. VISITKOREA will ask for a consent if personal information needs to be used other than the services listed above. 3) Disclosure of Personal Information VISITKOREA does not expose users' personal information to third parties or other companies unless the user agrees or VISITKOREA is required to do so by law or authorities in the process of legal inspection. 4) Third party Operation VISITKOREA uses third party to maintain VISITKOREA website. VISITKOREA oversees personal information protection of the third party to prevent any disclosure. VISITKOREA will notify the users when the role of the third party changes or a different party takes the role. Entrusted party: Uniess INC. Entrusted Task: Manage VISITKOREA website 5) Use of Cookies VISITKOREA saves users' information and uses cookies on occasion for providing services adapted to the users. Cookies are text files installed in user's hard disk by website's server. Types of cookies include necessary cookies, performance cookies, functionality cookies and advertising cookies. You can accept or refuse to saving cookies by changing your web browser settings. Please note that in the case you refuse to save cookies, you may not be able to fully utilize all the features of this website. - Cookies setting instructions: https://ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/online/cookies/ 6) User Rights VISITKOREA provides rights for users including the following: - Rights to access personal information - Rights to edit personal information - Rights to delete personal information - Rights to limit access to personal information - Rights to move personal information - Rights to refuse the collection of personal information To exercise any of these rights, contact VISITKOREA management or Privacy Policy manager for proper action. However, VISITKOREA has the rights to deny the request if reasonable cause is met or required by law to preserve information. 7) Protection VISITKOREA enforces various methods to protect users’ information including the following: - Limited number of employees in charge of managing personal information - Organize and execute internal management plans to ensure security - Password-protected personal information - Technical countermeasures for hacker and other cyber attacks - Limited access to personal information - Save access log and prevent forgery and alteration - Documents kept in protective storage - Security enforced for protective documents 8) Children As a general rule, VISITKOREA does not collect information of anyone under the age of thirteen. All services provided by VISITKOREA is targeted to the general public. In the case VISITKOREA must collect personal information of anyone under the age of thirteen, an additional consent is required from a legal guardian. 9) Third Party Site and Services VISITKOREA website may include products and services linked to third party website, products or services. Privacy Policy of the third party website may differ from VISITKOREA. Please check the Privacy Policy of the respective party website for details. 10) Privacy Policy Manager and Department If you have opinions or complaints about the VISITKOREA Privacy Policy, contact us at the following address. (Personal Information Protection Act Article 31 (1) Designation of Privacy Officer) Head of Privacy Policy Name: Jeong Seonhee Title: Executive Director of Digital Transformation Department Privacy Policy Management Division Department: Digital Infrastructure Team Name: Seo Seung Yeon Contact: +82-33-738-3527, [email protected] 11) Questions and Suggestions If you have questions or want to update user information collected by VISITKOREA, contact us at the following address. International Digital Marketing Team E-mail: [email protected] 12) Changes in Privacy Policy This Privacy Policy is effective from the date stated, and any changes or deletion due to law and policy will be posted on the website. [2008.04.12 ~ 2023.07.27. Privacy Policy] [2023.07.28 ~ Current Privacy Policy] This revised Privacy Policy of VISITKOREA will be effective from July 28, 2023. View updated privacy policy This Privacy Policy discloses how the Korea Tourism Organization (hereinafter “KTO”) processes your, or the user’s, personal information in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act (hereinafter “Protection Act”) and relevant laws to provide a better understanding of your rights and handle related disputes in a swift and convenient manner. This policy has been in effect since April 12, 2008 and was last updated on February 29, 2024. Further revisions and updates will be notified through the VISITKOREA website and/or app (hereinafter “VISITKOREA”). 01. Purpose of Collection and Use of Personal Information 02. Period of Retention and Use of Personal Information 03. Collected and Processed Personal Information 04. Provision of Personal Information to Third Parties 05. Entrustment of Processing Your Personal Information 06. Destruction of Personal Information 07. Your Rights, Legal Representation, and Exercising Your Rights 08. Safeguards to Protect Personal Information 09. Automatic Collection of Personal Information and Your Rights to Refuse 10. Privacy Officers 11. Access to Personal Information 12. Changes to the Privacy Policy Article 1. Purpose of Collection and Use of Personal Information ① The KTO collects and processes the minimum amount of personal information required for the purposes below. Collected information is not used for any other purposes than what is stated in this Privacy Policy. ② In accordance with Article 32 of the Protection Act, the KTO collects and processes personal information data for the following purposes: Personal Information Data File Name: VISITKOREA Member Information Purpose: Manage and provide VISITKOREA membership services Article 2. Period of Retention and Use of Personal Information ① The KTO processes and retains your personal information according to the Protection Act with your consent upon collecting your personal information. ② Collected personal information is processed and retained as below: Basis for processing and retention: Your consent Retention period: From the day of consent to the time of membership termination Article 3. Collected and Processed Personal Information The KTO collects and processes the following personal information: ① VISITKOREA Membership Registration and Service (Mandatory) Email address, password, gender, date of birth, country/region, social media account for identity verification (applies to social login members) (Optional) Mailing address ② The following information may be automatically generated and collected when using VISITKOREA online services. IP address, cookies, user history, visited pages, location information based on GPS and IP address Article 4. Provision of Personal Information to Third Parties The KTO does not disclose your personal information to third parties except under the following events: ① Where a separate consent has been obtained ② When it is deemed necessary by other regulations or laws Article 5. Entrustment of Processing Your Personal Information ① In accordance with Article 26 of the Protection Act, the KTO thoroughly monitors the entrusted party to safely manage and protect your personal information when processing and to only process your personal information for the entrusted task. ② Your personal information is entrusted as below: Entrusted party: Uniess Inc. Entrusted task: VISITKOREA operation and management ③ Change of the entrusted party or entrusted task will promptly be announced through this Privacy Policy. Article 6. Destruction of Personal Information ① The KTO will promptly dispose of all personal information upon expiration of the retention period, achieving the intended purpose, or in any event the collected personal information is deemed unnecessary. ② In the event when processing your personal information is deemed necessary even after the retention period or achieving the intended purpose due to other laws, your personal information, or its data file, will be moved and kept in a separate database or storage. ③ Personal information is disposed according to the following procedure and method: 1. Procedure Personal information deemed no longer necessary will be relocated to a separate database (or document if obtained in a written form). It will then be stored for a certain period of time established by internal policy or other laws before the complete destruction. 2. Method Personal information recorded and saved electronically will be destroyed and become inaccessible. Personal information recorded in non-electronic forms will be destroyed by shredding or incinerating. Article 7. Your Rights, Legal Representation, and Exercising Your Rights ① You have the right to request KTO to access, modify, delete, or suspend from processing your personal information at any time. * Children under 14 can exercise their rights through a legal representative only. Minor individuals who are 14 years or older can exercise their rights directly or through a legal representative. ② In accordance with Paragraph 1 of Article 41 of the Enforcement Decree of the Personal Information Protection Act, you may exercise your rights to the KTO by submitting a request through email or in writing and the KTO will process it in a timely manner. ③ You may exercise your rights through a legal representative or a person delegated by yourself. To do so, you must submit an Annexed Form No. 11 of the Enforcement Regulations of the Protection Act. ④ Your request to access your personal information or suspend from processing your personal information may be limited or denied in accordance with Paragraph 4 of Article 35 and Paragraph 2 of Article 37 of the Protection Act. ⑤ As for your rights to request to modify or delete your personal information, you may not request to delete if other laws prescribe your personal information should be collected. ⑥ Upon your request to access, modify, delete, or suspend from processing your personal information, the KTO shall verify if it is a request from self or from a legally authorized entity. Article 8. Safeguards to Protect Personal Information The KTO has established administrative, technical and physical measures necessary for ensuring the safety of your personal information according to Article 29 of the Protection Act as follows: 1) Minimize and train personnel The minimum required number of personnel is designated and trained to handle personal information. 2) Establish and enforce internal management system An internal management system is established and planned to ensure safety while processing personal information. 3) Encrypt personal information Personal information is saved and transferred as encrypted data or the equivalent thereof. 4) Technical measures against cyberattacks The KTO uses security programs and regularly performs update maintenance to prevent from leak and damage of personal information due to virus, malware, and cyberattacks. The system server is installed and monitored technically and physically in a controlled area. 5) Limited access to personal information Measures are taken to control access to the personal information database by limiting authorization to access, modify, and terminate personal information from the database. A firewall system is used to restrict unauthorized access to the database. 6) Keep access log and prevent from unauthorized modification Personal information database access records are logged and archived for at least one year. Access logs are protected by a security function to prevent from unauthorized modification, theft, and loss. 7) Safeguard data in a secured storage Documents and data with personal information are stored in a password-secured or locked storage. 8) Restrict unauthorized access Personal information is stored in a physically separated location that is restricted from unauthorized access. Article 9 Automatic Collection of Personal Information and Your Rights to Refuse ① The KTO uses cookies to save and recall user information in order to provide a more personalized service. ② Cookies are very small information files that are sent to your browser and saved on your device by the website’s http server. Purpose of cookies: To provide personalized services based on your preference, visited pages, browsing patterns, search history, security, and more. Cookie settings: You can use the browser option to allow or block cookies. Personalized services may not be available if you block cookies. See cookies used by VISITKOREA Article 10 Privacy Officers The KTO designates privacy officers and working-level staff to protect personal information and handle complaints related to personal information processing as follows: Chief Privacy Officer Name: Ko Bongkil Department/Position: Digital Cooperation Department / Executive Director Privacy Protection Supervisor Department: Digital Infrastructure Team Name: Seo Seung Yeon Contact: +82-33-738-3527, [email protected] Service Staff Department: International Digital Marketing Team Email: [email protected] Article 11 Access to Personal Information In accordance with Article 35 of the Protection Act, you can request to access your personal information to the following person in charge. The KTO will administer to your request as swiftly as possible. Department: International Digital Marketing Team Admin: Kim So-dam Contact: +82-33-738-3494, [email protected] Article 12 Changes to the Privacy Policy ① This Privacy Policy is in effect from February 29, 2024. ② Previous versions of the Privacy Policy can be read from below: [2021.09.08 - 2024.02.29 Privacy Policy] [2008.04.12 - 2021.09.08 Privacy Policy]
02/22/2024
Travel Highlights
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South Korea Workation Guide: Embrace the Digital Nomad Lifestyle
Photo: Digital Nomads working at a cafe in Seoul (Credit: Digital Nomads Korea) " class="picla mT4" data-label-class="caption"/> You dream of traveling, but still need to continue working? You’re no
02/28/2024
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Korea Travel Cheat Sheet: 3 New Transportation Services
The language barrier at subway stations in Seoul has been knocked down! Hailing a taxi in Seoul is as easy as in your home country! All your questions about using a public bicycle are easily answered
01/09/2024
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Do You Know Gimbap? The K-food that Enchanted the World
Korea has plenty of tasty dishes, but if Koreans had to pick one as their soul food, nine times out of ten, it will be gimbap. From childhood memories of their moms preparing it for picnics, to cheap
01/08/2024
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Romance-filled Trip to K-Drama Filming Locations
In 2023, two K-dramas rose to fame on Netflix! They were none other than “King the Land” and “See You in My 19th Life,” romantic dramas that featured all-star casts with interesting storylines. If yo
12/29/2023