Korea lies adjacent to China and Japan. The northern border of Korea is formed by the Amnokgang (Yalu) and Dumangang (Tumen) rivers, which separate it from Manchuria. A 16-kilometer segment of the Dumangang to the east also serves as a natural border with Russia. The west coast of the Korean Peninsula is bounded by the Korean Bay to the north and the West Sea to the south; the east coast faces the East Sea. Two hundred kilometers separate the peninsula from eastern China.

The shortest distance between Korean and Chinese coasts is 200 kilometers and from the southeastern tip of the peninsula, the nearest point on the Japanese coast is also about 200 kilometers away. Because of its unique geographical location, Chinese culture filtered into Japan through Korea; a common cultural sphere of Buddhism and Confucianism was thus established between the three countries.

The Korean Peninsula extends about 1,000 kilometers southward from the northeast Asian continental landmass. Roughly 300 kilometers in width, climate variations are more pronounced along the south-north axis. Differences in plant vegetation can be seen between the colder north and the warmer south. The peninsula and all of its associated islands lie between 33 06'40"N and 43 00'39"N parallels and 124 11'00"E and 131 52'08"E meridians. The latitudinal location of Korea is similar to that of the Iberian Peninsula and Greece. The entire peninsula corresponds approximately to the north-south span of the state of California. Koreans have developed and use a unique alphabet called Hangeul. It is considered to be one of the most efficient alphabets in the world and has garnered unanimous praise from language experts for its scientific design and excellence.

Korean, like many other Asian people, is descendants of Mongolian Tungus stock. However, they differ from their neighbors, the Japanese and Chinese, in that they are a homogeneous ethnic group with their own language, culture, and customs. Korean people are characterized by their generosity, warmth and kindness.

Korean food contains less meat than most traditional Western or Chinese cuisine, and features a wide variety of fermented foods, assorted vegetable dishes, and rice. It is very nutritious and is becoming more and more popular around the world for its health benefits. Traditionally, Korean table settings are comprised of a number of side dishes. Family and friends gather around the table and share between themselves, sampling every dish. Only boiled rice and guk (soup) are two items that are not shared. These customs represent the true character of Koreans as being people who prefer to do everything together.
(Major Korean Food: Kimchi, Bibimbap, Galbi, Bulgogi, Hanjeongsik)

Hangeul was invented by King Sejong in 1446 with assistance from some scholars to give the people an alphabet that was easy to read and write. Throughout the world, there are some 3,000 spoken languages but roughly only 100 alphabets . Among these, only hangeul was systematically invented without influence from any other language.

Hangeul is a very scientific alphabet and is designated by UNESCO as an important part of the Memory of the World Heritage. As a result of the Korean Wave and Korea 's economic prosperity, desire to learn hangeul and the Korean language is exploding.

Seoul has been the capital of Korea for about 600 years, since the time of the Joseon Dynasty (1). Seoul was referred to as "Han Yang" during the Joseon Dynasty, but after the liberation from Japan in 1945, the newly founded Republic of Korea officially changed its capital city's name to Seoul. Seoul has developed into a bustling metropolis, acting as the hub for political, economic, social, and cultural matters.

The Han River runs through the heart of the city. The river divides the city in two; the northern part of the city is a focal point for culture and history, while the southern part is well known for its business district.

Seoul has hosted many international events including: 1986 Asian Games, 1988 Olympic Games and 2002 Korea/Japan FIFA World Cup. The success of these events has shown people that Korea is truly an international city.