The String Phenomenology 2023 conference will be hosted by the Center for Theoretical Physics of the Universe (CTPU), of the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in Korea.
The meeting will take place at the Auditorium of the Science Culture Center, at the IBS Headquarters.
Getting there
Daejeon is located in central South Korea, about 150km south of Seoul. Most international visitors will arrive at Incheon International Airport, from which IBS can be reached in about three hours:
- By bus: the simplest option is to take a direct express bus from the airport to Daejeon Government Complex. The ride takes about three hours. Tickets can be purchased directly at the bus center of Incheon airport or in principle reserved in advance. However, advanced reservation cannot be made with international bank cards (e.g. visa or master card). These cards can nevertheless be used to purchase the tickets directly at the bus center.
- By train: another option is to take a train (either express or all-stop, 45-65min) from the airport to Seoul Station. From there, you can take a KTX (bullet train, about one hour) to Daejeon Station. Tickets can be purchased at the airport and at Seoul station, respectively (KTX trains can also be booked in advance). Payment for online reservations with international cards is possible, but sometimes problematic (apparently due to an extra security layer in the payment system). If you have problems with the official website, you can use a third party such as this one, which offers a more straightforward process at the cost of a fee.
Once in Daejeon, you can simply hail a taxi to get to the conference or to your hotel. It will be useful if you can show a note with your address written down in Korean to the driver. For instance, if you'd like to directly get to the conference site, you coud present the following note:
기사님, 과학로에 있는 한국 기초과학지원연구원 말고, 기초과학연구원(유성구 엑스포로 55)으로 가주세요.
Please take me to the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), located at 55 Expo-ro Yuseonggu.
Similarly, if you plan to get to your hotel instead, you might want to have the following printed in advance:
- I-Hotel: 기사님, 아이-호텔(I-Hotel, 유성구 엑스포로 123번길 27-5 (도룡동 4-27), 042-865-2500)로 가주세요.
- ICC Hotel: 기사님, 아이씨씨 호텔(ICC Hotel, 유성구 엑스포로 123번길 55 (도룡동), 042-866-5000)로 가주세요.
- Lotte City Hotel: 기사님, 롯데시티 호텔(유성구 엑스포로 123번길 33, 042-333-1000)로 가주세요.
Alternatively, you may want to try one of the local city buses (nr. 705 connects with both the Government Complex and Daejeon Station), although the trip will be significantly longer. To pay for the fare you will need to purchase beforehand a "T-money card" at any of the many convenience stores (e.g. GS25, 7-eleven,...) spread throughout Korea.
More information on how to get to IBS can be found here (although some small details may not be completely up to date).
Visa
Short-term visitors from many nationalities do not need a visa to enter Korea. Please refer to this website to check your case, and let us know if you require assistance in obtaining a visa in case you need one.
However, visitors without a visa still need to apply online for travel authorization before their trip (please refer to this website). This should be relatively simple, but failure to do so may result in a refusal from boarding the plane.
Note added: since April 1st visitors from several nationalities are no longer required to obtain electronic travel authorization beforehand (see this notice). Please, make sure you check the most up to date travel requirements before your trip.
Health/COVID
As of March 2023, most travelers are allowed to enter South Korea without proof of vaccination or pre-departure tests. An important exception is travelers coming from or having recently visited Mainland China, Hong Kong or Macao. The requirements do change with time, so we recommend that you check them as your travel dates approach. A useful (though not official) website with up to date information can be found here.
Certain light measures such as health questionnaires are still in place upon arrival. To speed up the process at the airport, it is recommended to obtain a Q-code before departure through this website.
Please, note that certain mask requirements and recommendations are still in place in Korea. Masks are compulsory in medical institutions. They are also recommended and commonly used in public transportation and in crowded/closed spaces. We encourage you to always carry a mask with you, and use a conservative judgement as on when to use it, including during the conference. Masks can be easily purchased, e.g. in convenience stores.
Finally, please make sure that your travel insurance is up to date and valid during your visit.
Further information
- Money: most businesses in South Korea accept major credit and debit cards, even if it is just to pay for a coffee. Nevertheless, it is not a bad idea to have a few Korean Wons in cash at hand.
- Mobile internet: beware of steep charges that many carriers apply to international mobile data roaming services. A connection of just a few seconds can result in fees of hundreds of dollars (we speak from experience!). We recommend turning off data roaming and instead connect to public wifi when necessary, or to buy a local SIM card.
- Electrical outlet: Korea uses sockets of type C & F, same as those in most of Europe. Visitors from, e.g. the UK or the US, will need an adapter for their appliances.
- Useful links: the IBS has created a website with useful information for its international members, some of which may be useful for short-term visitors as well.
