KOREA

Korea is the world’s fifth largest producer of road cars, but it’s been a relatively minor player in international motorsport. Until now. Located on the coast in Yeongam, a county in the southwest corner of South Korea, 400km from Seoul, the area is quite rural and many visitors will be staying between one or two hours from the circuit, in towns like Mokpo, Busan and Gwangju.
The relative lack of development in the South Jeolla region means that entertainment might be a bit DIY, Spa-style, but it also means it’s beautiful. The Korean Tourist Board calls this area ‘Korea’s greenest province’, which is a reference to the local economy’s dependence on agricultureand the high levels of rainfall during the June, July and August monsoon season. The area is famous for its seafood, figs and rice, so you should eat well. And the coastline is littered with more than 2,000 islands, most of which are uninhabited and make for a relaxing day trip.


Time zone: GMT +8hrs
International dialing code: +82
Currency: South Korean Won
Exchange rate: 1000 KRW = 0.62 EUR
Police: T: 112
Ambulance: T: 119
Fire: T: 129
Tourist information: T: +82 2 1330
Taxi companies:
Sang-Moo Taxi (Mokpo)
T: +82 61 285 7392
Duck-Jin Taxi (Yeongam-gun)
T: +82 61 473 3500
Taxi (Seoul)
T: +82 4 140150
Circuit address:
Korea International Circuit,
Samho-Eup,
Yeongam-gun,
Jeollanam-do,
South Korea.
Official website: kavo.com

Dog lovers: before you arrive in Korea, write the word ‘gaegogi’ down on a piece of paper. Memorize it. Then, when you’re in a restaurant, make sure you don’t order a dish with that word in the title. That would be bad. Gaegogi means ‘dog meat’. Also avoid ‘bosintang’, which is dog soup. Your pets will never forgive you.