Study Trip Itinerary

Day 1: Friday, March 5^th

Morning departure for Seoul, South Korea

Day 2: Saturday, March 6^th

Evening Arrival in Seoul

Day 3: Sunday, March 7^th

Tour of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and píanmunjŏm in the Joint Security Area (JSA) to understand the historical weight of the lingering Cold War on the Korean Peninsular and the root of the current conflict between North  Korea and the United States, as well as between S. Korea and N. Korea.

Free exploration of Seoul at your leisure.

Day 4: Monday, March 8^th

Morning: Visit to an elementary school in Seoul to observe the extent to which the public education system in Korea has changed in the midst of rapid socioeconomic change.

Afternoon: Visit to the Insadong antique alley, a district of shops specializing in traditional and contemporary arts and crafts in downtown Seoul; Attending a lecture on the Korean tea ceremony and the participation in the ceremony.

Evening: free exploration of Seoul

Day 5: Tuesday, March 9^th

Morning: Visit to the Munwha Broadcasting Company (MBC), a major television network in South Korea to observe various roles that the mass media have played in South Korea.

Afternoon: Visit to Yŏnsei University in Seoul to meet a group of college students and graduate students; we will have casual conversations and discussions with them.

Evening: free exploration of Seoul, perhaps with your new Korean friends.

Day 6: Wednesday, March 10^th

Early morning departure for Ulsan, a sprawling industrial city built by the Hyundai Group, the largest economic conglomerate in South Korea, in North Kŏngsang Province; Visit to the Hundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan to observe the dramatic industrial transformation in South Korea; We will also visit a university and a residential area built by this company to understand a nique feature of Korean industrialism. Transfer to Kyŏngju, the ancient capital of the Shilla Dynasty (? ñ A.D. 10^th century), a Buddhist kingdom, in North Kŏngsang Province.

Day 7: Thursday, March 11^th

Full day guided sightseeing of Kyŏngju, including the world-famous Sŏkkuram Grotto, a huge statue of seated Buddha, designated as ìthe World Heritageî by the UNESCO.

Day 8: Friday, March 12^th

Guided tour of cultural heritage in Kyŏngju

Free exploration of the vicinities

Day 9: Saturday, March 13^th

Transfer to Hahoe Village in Andong, the North Kyŏngsang Province; This village has maintained Confucian legacies of the Chosŏn Dynasty (1392 ñ 1910); Guided tour of Hahoe village, including traditional Confucian architecture and Confucian academies.We plan to catch a traditional mask dance performed only during weekends. 

Day 10: Sunday, March 14^th

Transfer to Pusan, the largest port city with a cosmopolitan flair at the tip of South Kyŏngsang Province.Pusan has become very famous for its annual international film festival. Leisurely exploration of the city; A film critic and an architecture professor will accompany our group during this exploration.

Day 11: Monday, March 15^th

Full day guided tour of Pusan. Free exploration of Pusan

Day 12: Tuesday, March 16^th

Transfer to the Haeinsa (Buddhist temple) in Kaya Mountain in South Kyŏngsang Province. This temple has stored the Tripitaka Koreana, the oldest wood blocks for printing in the world, designated as ìthe World Heritageî by the UNESCO.

Day 13: Wednesday, March 17^th

Early morning departure for Kwangju, a capital city of South Chŏlla Province and the symbol of popular democracy movement against military dictatorship supported by the U.S. government.  During the late May of 1980, tens of thousands of citizens of Kwangju rose up against a new military regime that took power through coup díetat, and at least several hundreds of them were massacred. Visit to the May 18^th memorial site, including cemetery and museums.

Day 14^th: Thursday, May 18^th

Transfer to Inchíŏn International Airport