"Neglected for Royal Ascendance"Jeongneung Royal Tomb (정릉) is the tomb of Queen Consort Sindeok, the second wife of King Taejo (1392-1398), founder of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). However, this tomb was not well-maintained compared to other royal tombs because of a power struggle. The queen consort had many children, which naturally induced a battle for the throne. Usually the son of the first wife is the successor of the throne, but Queen Consort Sindeok was determined to have one of her sons ascend the throne instead. However, the successor, King Taejong, killed all her sons and developed an extreme abhorrence towards the queen consort. When she died, King Taejong issued an order to not maintain and preserve her tomb. Therefore, the tomb is rather unkempt and the layout and composition is different from other royal tombs.Upon entering the red gate, the sacrificial building can be seen in front of the tomb along with a pavilion and tombstone. Stone sculptures of sheep and tigers watch over the tomb. A major difference between this tomb and other royal tombs is exhibited in the path from the red gate to the sacrificial building. Usually the path is a straight line, but at Jeongneung Royal Tomb, it is crooked and bent. Furthermore, the color of the sacrificial building is dull and faded.Even though the tomb symbolizes the turmoil and wrath of political struggles, many couples and families come to Jeongneung Royal Tomb for a stroll because of its peacefulness and natural surroundings.

Hyanggyo refers to the educational institutions of the Joseon Dynasty. Much like the national junior and high schools of today, a hyanggyo is where the children of local officials were educated and where ritual services were held in memory of Confucius. The Yangcheon Hyanggyo Confucian School is the only such school in Seoul. Built in the 12th year of King Taejong of Joseon (1411), the school was entirely renovated in 1981. There are eight buildings in the premise, including the Daeseongjeon, Myeongryundang, Jeonsacheong, Dongjae, Seojae, Naesammun, and Waesammun. Today, a national ritual service for Confucius is held here twice a year: one in the spring and one in the fall. Also, various programs are offered to teach Chinese characters, calligraphy, or Oriental painting to regular citizens, as well as elementary, junior, and high school students. This way, the institution is educating the youth and preserving tradition at the same time.Size of facilities: Daeseongjeon 54㎡, Myeongryundang 77.91㎡, Jeonsacheong 11.52㎡, Naesammun 11.97㎡, Oesammun 18.63㎡, Dongjae 29.52㎡, Seojae 29.52㎡Construction period: 12th year of King Taejong’s reign during the Joseon Dynasty (1411)

Sangumburi (산굼부리) is a crater with a circumference of over 2 km, and has been designated as a Natural Monument. It is located on the southeast side of Jeju-si, and is a flat crater, about 650 meters wide, 100 meters deep, and 2,070 meters in circumference. If you look at the crater from above up, it looks like a man-made circular stadium. There is a variety of plant-life in the crater. On the north side, Nandaeseong vegetation such as red-thorn trees, and magnolia trees grow, along with the rare winter strawberries. On the south side of the crater, Ondaerim vegetation such as evergreens, maples, and mountain strawberry trees cover the area. Because so many different kinds of trees and plants grow in such a limited space, it attracts the attention of researchers as well.

Beomnyunsa Temple, located at the foot of the Munsusan Mountain in Yongin, Gyeoggi-do, consists of the Hall of Sakyamoni, the Hall of Paradise, the Hall of Kwan-yin, the Hall of Josa, Samsunggak Shrine, Beomjonggak Shrine, Yosachae, and a place of mediation for Buddhist nuns.The sizable 130-pyeong Hall of Sakyamoni was built in an open form of the Chinese character "亞" ("ah") in a Southern Buddhist style. The hall, made of indigenous red pine tree from Baekdusan Mountain, contains a 53-tonne stone Sakyamoni Statue (three times bigger in size than the Buddhist statue in Seokguram Grotto) and a 33-tonne stone Munsu Bohyeon Buddhist Saint Statue. On the left wall are 104 Sinjungnim (guardians of Buddhist law) as well as a Dongjin Boan Buddhist Saint Statue. There are also 1250 Buddhist saint statues, symbolizing the devotion of Buddhist followers.The temple also holds a three-story stone pagoda from the late Unified Silla Era, and is registered as Cultural Asset No. 145.As of March 2009, the temple also began offering a temple stay program.

Operated by the Korea Ginseng Corporation, the Korea Ginseng Factory makes high quality Korean ginseng. Visitors can learn all about Korean ginseng, the process of making red ginseng from ginseng and how to spot a good ginseng when shopping. The Ginseng Museum (about 250 pyeong, 826.45 ㎡) will allow visitors a chance to learn about the history of ginseng, method of cultivating ginseng, processing ginseng, ginseng industry, company’s history and more. After the tour, visitors will be well educated on the very particular, meticulous, and strickly managed production methods of red ginseng.

Bears Town Resort lies on the outskirts of Seoul. The ski slopes of this large leisure resort have been officially approved by the International Ski Federation. Bears Town Resort is a great destination for beginners; ski lessons are available, there are broad beginner slopes, and the comprehensive rental system allows you to rent all the equipment you need. Those skiers who are more experienced, however, will be able to enjoy the FIS approved 88 Challenger Slope. Bears Town Resort has a total of ten ski slopes and eight ski lifts, which can transport up to 15,200 skiers per hour. The resort also has numerous sledding hills.Getting to Bears Town Resort from Seoul couldn’t be easier, as the resort provides a free shuttle bus (reservations required). For more information, please visit the resort’s homepage.

Located in Piseo-ri, Mangun-myeon in Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do Province, Muan International Airport serves as a transportation hub for both domestic flights and as an alternative hub for international flights in and out of Gwangju Airport. Construction of Muan Airport started in 1999; the airport opened for business in November 2007. Nearby the airport are a series of beautiful coastlines spanning a distance of approximately 220 kilometers. Officials hope that the airport will continue to become a key transportation hub of the southwest as the area’s international leisure and tourism industry develop through the promotion of the F1 Grand Prix, the construction of Muan Business City, and the designation of the Free Trade Zone.

Gyeryongsan National Park stretches across Daejeon, Gongju, and Nonsan. This spectacular mountain is 845.1m above sea level and was made a national park in 1968. The origin of the word Gyeryong ('Gye' meaning 'chicken,' and 'Yong' meaning 'dragon') comes from the fact that the ridgeline looks like a dragon wearing a chicken's crest on its head. The topographical features are what make this mountain stand out and its mysterious folklore is what makes it so interesting. There are 15 summits on this mountain, of which Cheonhwangbong (845.1m) is the main. Several others include the peaks of Sambulbong, Sinseongbong, and Gwaneumbong. This mountain is famous for its many interesting sites, with its fantastic rock structures, on the west side the Yongmun Waterfall, to the east Eunseon Waterfall, and to the south Amyongchu and Sutyongchu Waterfalls.In the spring, cherry blossoms bloom on Donghaksa Mountain trail, and during the summer the lush green of the Donghaksa Valley is very beautiful. During the fall, the maple trees reveal their crimson colored leaves around Gapsa Temple and Yongmun Waterfall. And the snowcapped peaks of Sambulbong in the winter are simply breathtaking.Gyeryongsan is full of rare animals and plants, beautiful waterfalls and a rich history with mysterious legends and cultural treasures. To the east is Donghaksa Temple; northwest, Gapsa Temple; southwest, Sinwonsa Temple; and southeast, Yonghwasa Temple. Its valleys are full of ponds and falls that blend together perfectly with the surroundings.

Suwon Gwanggyo Museum features a variety of relics that were discovered during the construction of Gywanggyo New Town Project. The exhibitions focus on the history and culture of Gwanggyo based on artifacts along with materials related to Korea’s modern history, Dokdo Island, and Admiral Yi Sun-sin. Suwon Gwanggyo Museum is located in Gywanggyo History Park near the burial site of Sim On and Hyeryeong-gun, providing a great opportunity for visitors to learn about Korea’s history as well as enjoy a relaxing stroll around the park.