Busan Office Tel : +82-51-742-2121 / Fax : +82-51-742-2100

http://paradisehotel.co.kr/jtc1 or welcome@paradisehotel.co.kr

Rooms have been blocked at the Paradise Hotel & Casino Busan with special discounted rates for delegates of the SC 29 Plenary and SC 29/WG 11 Meeting.
Delegates are responsible for making their own hotel reservations.

Please note that you may have difficulty in acquiring accommodations if you do not register early. For the hotel room price at the group rate, reservation should be made no later than April 9, 2005 Hotel reservation can be made via Online RegistrationTool.

Hotel accommodation can only be guaranteed for reservations received before April 9, 2005, as mentioned in the accommodation form and will be confirmed to the delegates directly by the hotel.

If you need more detailed information, please visit the website of hotel.

SHUTTLE BUS SCHEDULE

Shuttle buses will be available for the SC 29/WG 11 (MPEG) meeting delegates from the paradise hotel to BEXCO, the meeting venue, which is a 10 minute drive away from the hotel.

The shuttle buses will be available from 09:00 to 19:00 throughout the meeting. Details about the shuttle bus schedule will be provided upon delegates' check-in at the paradise hotel.

ADDITIONAL HOTEL INFORMATION

If a delegate prefer to lodge at a different hotel, the following is a listing near the meeting venue;

1)  HAEUNDAE GRAND HOTEL (Class: Super Deluxe)

   ( http://www.grandhotel.co.kr/eng/index.htm )

2)  THE WESTIN CHOSUN BUSAN (Class: Super Deluxe)

   ( http://twcb.echosunhotel.com/index_en.asp )

3)  BUSAN MARRIOTT HOTEL (Class: Super Deluxe)

   ( http://www.busanmarriott.co.kr/eng/ )

4)  Haeundae RIVIERA Hotel (Class: Deluxe)

   ( http://www.rivierahotel.co.kr/EN/index.html )

5)  B & B (BUSINESS & BEACH) HOTEL (Class: First)

( http://www.bnbhotel.co.kr/ )

WIRELESS LAN

During the meeting, there (Paradise Hotel & BEXCO) will be an IEEE 802.11b/g wireless LAN in place with direct Internet access. For further information you will be notified at the meeting venue.

SOCIAL EVENT

Delegates and their accompanying persons are cordially invited to attend the reception.

1)   The banquet for the SC 29/WG 11 meeting participants will be held in the evening on Wednesday, April 20.

2)   The reception for the SC 29 Plenary meeting participants will be held in the evening on Monday, April 25.

The detailed schedule and location for the social event will be announced at the Monday Plenary of the meeting.  

FOOD

At BEXCO, the SC 29/WG 11 (MPEG) meeting venue, there are lots of facilities, including computer stores, fast food service, a cafeteria, restaurants and lounges.

Please note that you can get the detail information on cafeteria and restaurants from the registration kit.

ABOUT BUSAN & TOURISM INFORMATION

Busan is the second largest city in Korea. Busan, previous spelling "Pusan", is situated on the southeastern tip of the Korean peninsula. The natural environment of Busan is a perfect example of harmony between mountains, rives, and the seas. Lying in the Temperate Zone, visiting Busan is enjoyable all year around, thanks to its distinct four seasons, the beautiful changes of nature, a mild spring, a hot summer, a cool autumn and a cold winter.

Port of Busan is handling mountains of containers due to its deep harbor and gentle tides.

Visitors can enjoy the beautiful beaches with golden sands, and small-sized islets along the seashore. Also restaurants specialized in seafood are known for good places to visit.

With a population of 3.8 million, Busan is developing as a city with marked international flavor and several successful events such as Busan Asian Games, PIFF (Pusan International Film Festival), Busan Int'l Motor Show, and ITU Telecom 2004, which is referred to as the World Cup of the IT industry, demonstrate that Busan is capable of holding any major international events by itself.

1)   Popular destinations include Jagalchi Fish Market (Korea's #1 fisheries market), Nampo-dong (center of Busan filled with many shops and cinemas), Taejongdae Park (park area with thick forest and oddly shaped cliffs and deep blue sea), Beomeosa Temple (the most significant Buddhist temple in Busan), and many of the beaches in the city.

 2)  For more information on tourism in Busan and other parts of Korea , please visit http://www.visit.busan.kr/eng2004/index.html or the Korean National Tourism Organization's website at http://english.tour2korea.com. Information on Korea in general, including tourism, can also be found at http://www.korea.net.

GENERAL INFORMATION  

1)   VISA:

Any foreign visitor wishing to enter the Republic of Korea must have a valid passport. Visitors with confirmed outbound tickets may stay in Korea up to 30 days without visas; exceptions to this apply to: Citizens from Cambodia, China, India, Iran, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Palestine, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam in Asia-Nigeria and Ghana in Africa-Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tadjikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, and Macedonia in Europe-Cuba in the Americas. However, visa-free, stopover entry is permitted for 30-day passengers who have been issued US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand or Japanese visas.

(URL: http://www.mofat.go.kr/en/visa/e_visa.mof )  

2)   Weather:

Busan in April is spring. It is sunny and windy during the day and a little bit cold in the evening. Spring lasts from late March to May and is warm. Various flowers, including the picturesque cherry blossom, cover the nation's mountains and fields during this time.

We suggest that you bring a jacket and a light-sweater with you.

Attendees can check local weather before arriving for current conditions.  

3)   Currency and Credit Cards:

The unit of Korean currency is the Won (KRW). Coin denominations are 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500. Bank notes are 1,000, 5,000, 10,000. Bank checks are circulated in denominations of 100,000 and over.

Foreign currency and traveler's check can be converted into Korean Won at foreign exchange banks and other authorized money changers. The exchange rate is subject to market fluctuations. One U.S dollar was equivalent to about 1,050 Won as of January, 2005 (Today's Currency).

Credit cards, including VISA, American Express, Diner's Club, Master Card and JCB, are accepted at major hotels, department stores, and larger restaurants.  

4)   Business Hours:

Government offices are open between the hours of 09:00 and 18:00 from March to October and between 09:00 and 17:00 from November to February.

Banks are a major exception. Their business hours are from 09:30 to 16:30 on weekdays.

Foreign diplomatic missions in Seoul generally maintain strict business hours including lunch. They are usually open from 09:00 to 17:00 on weekdays and are closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

Major department stores are open from10:30 to 19:30, including Sundays, but smaller shops tend to be open earlier and close later every day of the week.  

5)   Tax:

Value-added tax (VAT) is levied on most goods and services at a standard rate of 10% and is included in the retail price. In tourist hotels, this 10% tax applies to rooms, meals and other services and is added into the bill.  

6)   Time:

Busan is 9 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.  

7)   Electricity:

In Korea , outlets for 220 volts 60 cycles with a round two-pin plug are dominant. Always check the power supply before using your equipment.  

8)   Shopping:

Busan offers a unique opportunity for shipping at reasonable prices. Electronics, textile and clothes, ceramics and ginseng products are the most purchased items by foreign visitors. Most department stores are open from 10:00 until 19:30 , including Saturday Sunday and National holidays.  

9)   Sightseeing:

See the attached Sightseeing Information.  

10)   LINKS:

- 18^th JTC 1/SC 29 Plenary / 72^nd MPEG Meeting Website: http://sc29busan.standards.or.kr