Gyeongju World Culture Expo is a valuable cultural exposition which has attracted over 16.2 million visitors so far through eight runs since 1998. In particular, previous expos introduced: the harmony of traditional culture and ICT (Information and Communications Technology), Korean culture and global culture, abundant hallyu contents, and is the first cultural expo to showcase the theme of the Silk Road. The expo is expected to welcome visitors with various exhibitions, performances, and hands-on programs.

Ulleungdo is a pentagon-shaped island located 92km away from Dokdo.The island was made from a series of volcanic eruptions. Its highest peak is called Seonginbong Peak, and there is a village along the coastline on the slope. On the north side is a caldera crater which collapsed to create the Nari Basin and the Albong Basin.Level ground is difficult to find here and the shores are mostly cliffs. There are a lot of snow in the winter. About half of the people work in the fishing industry. Corn, potatoes, wheat and beans were cultivated here, but nowadays mountain plants and medicinal herbs are mostly grown instead.There are dongbaek trees and some 650 other plants and trees thriving on the island. The neighboring waters is the junction line between two cold & warm ocean currents, where many squids, saury and pollacks are caught. The Ulleungdo squid is especially famous for their outstanding quality. It has been said that there are no thieves, pollution or snakes on Ulleungdo Island. On the other hand, there are many aromatic trees, wind, beautiful women, water and rocks. This is why it is called the island of The Three Mu (The Chinese character meaning ' have nothing') and Five Da (The Chinese character meaning 'have many of').You can enjoy the scenery by taking a cruise around Ulleungdo, Gwaneumdo Islands, and a natural tunnel. Elephant Rock, Samseonan, and Lion Rock are some of the other tourist attractions praised by tourists.

Geumgwanchong, located in Noseo-dong, Gyeongju, is a tomb from the Silla Kingdom (B.C. 57∼A.D. 935). It is one of the three tombs that belong to the Noseo-dong Tombs in downtown Gyeongju.Geumgwanchong Tomb is regarded as the tomb of a king before or after the reign of King Ji-Jeung during the early 6th century (500~514). It is not known exactly to whom this tomb belongs.It was found in September 1921, when the fief was chopped while a civilian was leveling the ground to widen his building land. The first relic found in this tomb was a gold crown, geumgwan, and so the tomb took its name. Ornaments such as gold belts, earings, bracelets, saddlers and crockery of the Three Kingdoms Era (when Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla were separated, later unified by Silla in 676 AD) were dug up from the tomb. There were numerous relics, with beaded relics alone numbering over 30,000.The original structure of Geumgwanchong was 13m high with a 50m diameter. The relics from this tomb were moved and are now preserved at the Gyeongju National Museum. 

The site of Hwangnyongsa Temple is located in front of the Bunhwangsa Temple in Guhang-dong, Gyeongju. During the Silla Era, the Hwangnyongsa Temple was the nation’s largest temple and housed the bulk of the country’s major Buddhist treasures.Construction of the temple began in 553 on a field near the royal compound of Banwolseong under the commission of King Jinheung. The king originally planned to build a palace, but decided to build a temple instead, after receiving reports that a yellow dragon had been spotted on the building site. The temple was thus named Hwangnyongsa (Temple of Yellow Dragon) and was completed in 569, seventeen years after construction began. The temple murals feature an old pine tree drawn by Artist Solgeo. During the Silla Era, the temple was the center of state-sanctioned Buddhism.Later, when monk Jajang was studying in Tang, he came across a god as he was passing by the Taihe Pond. The god said to him, “the yellow dragon, which is my eldest son, is guarding Hwangnyongsa Temple upon orders of Brahma, the Creator. If you build a nine-story pagoda upon your return to Silla, the neighboring states will surrender and pay tribute, and the royal cause will be stronger. Once the construction of the pagoda is complete, prepare a memorial service for the local gods and pardon any of the country's criminals. If you follow all I have told you, no other state will dare invade Silla.”After this encounter, Jajang returned to Silla and convinced Queen Seondeok to build the nine-story pagoda. Master architect Abiji of the neighboring state Baekje designed the pagoda and the project was built by Yongchun and his 200 men using wood and stone. The night before the columns were to be erected, Architect Abiji of Baekje dreamed of the fall of Baekje and refused to complete the project. With a peal of thunder, an old monk and a man of great strength suddenly appeared from the temple's main hall, erected the columns, and magically disappeared. Abiji was so shocked at the sight that he accepted his country’s future demise as the fate of the gods and once again restarted work on the temple. (From Samgungnyusa, the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms)In the twenty-three years following the completion of the pagoda, Queen Seondeok unified the Three Kingdoms; later, numerous scholars pointed to the pagoda as a contributing factor in the unification. Of the three treasures of Silla (the Jangyukjonsang statue, the nine-story pagoda of Hwangnyongsa Temple, and the Heavenly Belt of King Jinpyeong) two were located at the Hwangnyongsa Temple. The largest bell of Silla was also in Hwangnyongsa, but was taken away during the Mongol invasion. The highest monks of Silla preached at the temple, and many kings came to listen to the Buddhist teachings.During excavation work in July 1969, the massive foundation stones of the sermon hall, auditorium, and pagoda were found. Eight years of archaeological excavations and studies revealed the unique layout of the temple grounds, which consisted of one pagoda and three halls; also found were 40,000 or so ancient artifacts. Though foundation stones and other structures from the bottom of the temple were identified through excavation, there are no historical clues about the temple’s upper design, making the restoration of the temple in its entirety practically impossible. The size of the temple, based on archeological findings, was about 70 acres, roughly 8 times that of the Bulguksa Temple. 

The Royal Tomb of Queen Seondeok (선덕여왕릉), located in Bomun-dong, is a round-shaped tomb with earthen layers, 73 meters in circumference. Aside from the fact that it was constructed using natural stones in double layers, the tomb has no other unique features. As the oldest daughter of King Jinpyeong, Queen Seondeok became the first queen of the Silla Kingdom. During the 16th year of her reign, Bunhwangsa Temple (분황사) and Cheomseongdae Observatory (첨성대) were built. She also ordered the construction of the famous nine-story pagoda of Hwangyongsa Temple, an achievement of Buddhist architecture. While many of her efforts laid the foundation for the unification of Three Kingdoms of Korea, Queen Seondeok’s reign was plagued by rebellion and strife and she died in 647 during a rebellion, 23 years before unification was realized.

Byeongsanseowon is a Confucian school that was established by esteemed Confucian scholars to pay tribute to the memory of Seong-nyong Yu (1542-1607), who was well-respected for his writings and personality. His mortuary tablet is enshrined at this school. Around the time of 1863, Confucian schools enjoyed many freedoms under the Joseon rule, students and scholars of the school were exempt from taxation and other expenses. Byeongsan Seowon was one of 47 places in all of Korea and 2 in Andong not destroyed during the rule of Daewongun [Politician of Joseon Imperial family, 1820 ~ 1898] in 1868.The Nakdong-gang River is situated just in front of the Confucian Academy. Cross the river and the Byeongsan Mountain can be found. By forming a folding screen like shape around the academy, the mountains both protect and add a serene beauty to the area.

Sobaeksan National Park in South Korea is a branch of what could be called the backbone of Korea, Taebaeksan Mountain. In 1987, Sobaeksan Mountain was designated as National Park No.18. Its covers an area of 320.50 square km. The features of Sobaeksan National Park include wild flowers and royal azaleas on Birobong Peak, and the largest yew tree community is found on the northwest slope (1,200-1,350 m above sea level) between Yeonhwabong Peak and Birobong Peak. The west of Mt. Sobaeksan is steep, and streams from Nakdonggang River flow to Jukgyaecheon River, which is often used as a hiking course. Following down from Birobong Peak along Jukgyaecheon River is Seokryun Mine and Choamsa Temple. If you proceed even further, you will get to Seokcheonpokpo Falls and Seonghyeolsa Temple. Many trout live in this valley. A 4-km flat path to the southwest of Birobong Peak leads to Yeonhwabong Peak. There is Sobaeksan Optical Astronomy Observatory (SOAO) on the way to the second Yeonhwabong Peak, and a ridge called Jukryeong is on the south side of the mountain. To the east of the second Yeonhwabong Peak, there is Huibangsa Temple and Birosa Temple, both built during the time of the Silla Kingdom. Huibangpokpo Falls is considered the most beautiful waterfall of Gyeongsangnam-do Province, and is at the entrance of Huibangsa Temple. Featuring beautiful valleys and ridgelines, Sobaeksan National Park is known for its abundant wildlife and breathtaking nature.

Gyerim Forest is located between the Cheomseongdae Observatory and Wolseong Fortress. The forest is thickly populated by ancient zelkova and willow trees rooted on gently sloping hills and along the small stream in the northwest part of the woods. According to legend, the forest is closely associated with myths surrounding the birth of Alji, the founder of the Gyeongju Kim clan. As such, it is designated national Historic Site No. 19.Legend has it that King Talhae heard a rooster crying from deep inside the Sirim Woods. Chancellor Hogong was sent to investigate. Upon arriving, he found a rooster crying underneath a tree on which hung a golden box. Hogong immediately reported his find to the king, who instructed him to bring the golden box into the palace. The king opened the box and found a small child inside, Kim Alji. The forest, which had previously been called ‘Sirim’ or ‘Gurim’, became known as ‘Gyerim’, ('gye’ meaning rooster). The name Gyerim was also used to refer to the Silla kingdom.Alji was adopted as the king’s son, but because the crown was passed on to King Pasa of the Park family, he never ascended the throne. The Kim clan later became the royal bloodline with the coronation of King Naemul some years later.The memorial stone recording the birth of Kim Alji was erected in the third year of King Sunjo's rule in the Joseon Dynasty. Located close to the royal fortress of Silla, the forest is still deeply revered as the mystical birthplace of the first ancestor of the royal Kim clan of Silla. Yellow canola blossoms along the path connecting Daereungwon with Gyerim and Banwolseong only add to the magical ambiance of the forest. 

Located to the east of Mt. Baegamsan, Baegam Hot Springs is a unique opportunity for those seeking a relaxing alternative to Seoul’s busy lifestyle. The facility’s 48℃ alkaline water contains a great deal of lithium, and has been historically remembered long since the time of Shilla dynasty. Baegam Hot Springs takes up a large portion of Hot Springs town and boasts numerous convenient facilities, including lodging places. Baegam Hot Springs’ soft and transparent water is known for its therapeutic effects against neuralgia, chronic arthritis, and arterial sclerosis. Nearby highlights are Mt. Baegamsan –famous for its pine forest and clear sand- and Gusan Beach, visitors can enjoy hiking and sea-bath at one stop.