I put this question to the test at Bangudae Petroglyphs TWHS today, a slightly remote site.
There is a bus stop at the Petroglyphs Museum for bus 348, and inside the museum the schedule is posted. The bus from Ulsan city passes 3 times a day (on a Saturday the times are 11.35, 14.10 and 19.10). But what did the apps tell me, when I questioned them from the museum?
- Rome2Rio - tells us that bus 348 comes by every 15minutes or so. No!!!
- Google Maps seems to use the same source, so very wrong as well
- Naver - wants you to walk down the entrance road to the main road (48 mins) and then take 1 or 2 buses more to get into Ulsan (up to 2h)
- Kakao - did the best, as it indicated that bus 348 would be passing by "in long intervals", but did not give exact timings (not so useful)

I ended up calling a taxi (14,000 won to Ulsan KTX station) via Uber, as I wanted to leave around 13.00. I needed 3 tries to get a driver, as the museum is about 5km from the main road taxi drivers will not rush to get there. But it worked out fine.

Naver does work very well in city centres such as Busan and Ulsan (subway lines, city buses). You can type in English, the app doesn't understand every word in English but knows landmarks and subway stops. While on foot, I used maps.me (as always).

I had a similar experience. I wanted to go there once before I rented a car and the bus times were just impossibly slow. I even ran into a local foreigner who brought in his Korean girlfriend and her app (wish I had remembered the name) had the exact times for the bus - obviously horrible. Also I think the bus only goes to the museum and you need to talk the rest? In the end I chose not to visit that day.
Second time with the car this was obviously easier and I was really lucky to have a volunteer waiting for visitors so she can explain the entire history and information around the site!! She was very much on the pro-inscription side.

Yes, but it's not that far. I walked 6km in total (museum, dinosaur tracks, and both sets of petroglyphs).

I just finished a "booster" visit to the very south of South Korea, catching up with 3 of the 4 country's most recent WHS (and the upcoming one for 2025) to get my coverage complete again. It was Korea in a nutshell: tumuli, temples, and folk villages all over again. As I remember from my 2 previous visits, the hospitable people, strong food culture and easiness of travel stand out.

Itinerary
D1: Flight Paris – Seoul, arriving at 9 am. Bus from the airport directly to Busan (5h). Visit Busan Citizens Park (Busan Wartime Capital TWHS). ON Busan.
D2: Gimhae Daeseong-dong by subway (Gaya Tumuli WHS). Plus 2 more locations of the Busan Wartime Capital TWHS in the city. ON Busan.
D3: Train to KTX Ulsan station, taxi to Bangudae Petroglyphs TWHS. Bus into Ulsan City. ON Ulsan.
D4: Bus 13 (30min) from KTX Ulsan to Tongdosa Temple (Sansa WHS). Bus 12 back to Busan (1.5h). ON Busan-West.
D5: Kumho Bus from Sasang (West) bus station to Suncheon (2.5h). Local bus (61) to Naganeupseong TWHS. And another one (66) to Suncheon Wetland Reserve (Getbol WHS). ON Suncheon.
D6: Bus to Busan Nopo (2.5h). Onward flight to Tokyo (Japan) from Gimhae Airport.

As already mentioned in the posts above about South Korea's public transport: the Bangudae Petroglyphs and Tongdosa Temple can easily be combined into one day trip from Busan using KTX Ulsan station as your hub (so you can skip Ulsan City, which lies 20km further east, and save one day compared to what I did). Even Suncheon can be done from Busan, taking the earliest bus (7.05) and returning in the early evening.

Miscellaneous tips (valid as of late August / early September 2024)
· Phone Sim: I used a plan from my Dutch provider as it was easier that way to combine my needs for South Korea and Japan. If you need an e-sim for South Korea only, be aware that AloSim has much cheaper options than the better known Airalo. Furthermore, there is free wifi almost everywhere in the public space in South Korea, so I did not use much phone data.
· Local transport: with a T-money card (easily bought at the first supermarket you see at the airport) you can use all local transport by just tapping the card. There are no true Uber-like services, but via the Uber app you can summon a regular taxi.
· Long distance transport: I did not pre-book anything, for all bus and train rides there were more than enough seats available when I showed up at the stations.
· K-ETA: this virtual entry card is waived until Dec 2024 for citizens of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Macao, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, UK, US.
· Cost: especially food and local transport are inexpensive. The value you get for your money overall is very good. Most of the 'attractions' do not require an entrance fee. I spent 85 EUR a day on average, excluding international flights but including everything else.
· Money: they still have a dual system of cash and digital payments, but 100% digital will be hard for foreigners as some machines only accept Korean cards (for example at bus stations). So you need to have some cash on hand for those situations.
· Busan as a stop-over: if you stay in the Sasang area of the city, you'll have quick access from/to Gimhae airport, the long distance bus station and the subway. I can recommend Hotel Andrest (a bit more spacious and modern than the average in this segment in Korea). Nearby there are tons of restaurants including the excellent Mr. Sushi and the similar-looking restaurant next door that does Korean noodle and rice dishes.

Back from Korea. My summary below. We maanged to tick all WHS without rental car in 3 weeks.

ITINERARY

Sunday/Monday: Hamburg -> Seoul
* Seoul: Morning arrival in Incheon. Afternoon in Jongmyo.
Note: Most museums and sites are closed on Mondays. Jongmyo was a rare exception.

Tuesday: Seoul
* Suwon (Bus): Hwaseong Fortress, Nam June Paik Museum

Wednesday: Seoul -> Iksan -> Jeonju
* KTX to Iksan. Taxi to Mireuksa (Baekje). Taxi to Wanggung-ri (Baekje).
Note: Bus to site isn't running on holidays or weekends. Taxi was the easiest option.
* Taxi to Jeonju. Visit of the town.

Thursday: Jeonju
* Bus to Gochang (Dolmen)
* Taxi to Pilam Seowon (Seowon).
* Bus to Gwangju.

Friday: Gwangju
* Bus to Neungju, Taxi to Unjusa (T).
Note: We passed the Hwasun Dolmen but skipped them.
* Taxi (prearranged) back to Neungju, Bus back to Gwangju: Exploring the Protestant Gwangju (Aspiring) and the Gwangju Biennale.

Saturday: Gwangju -> Suncheon
* Bus to Suncheon and luggage drop at hotel.
* Bus to Naganeupseong (T).
* Taxi to Seonamsa (Sansa).
* Bus to Suncheon.

Sunday: Suncheon -> Yeosu
* Bus to Suncheon Getbol. Explored by bike, on foot (viewpoint is accessible, tower is not), and entered core zone by boat!
Note: The boats leave at rising tides. The open sea is reached at midpoint between low and high water. Check the tide schedules for Suncheon.
* KTX to Yeosu. Taxi to hotel.
Recommendation 1: We had coffee at fabolous Ecke Cafe near the station when waiting for our train. Recommended.
Recommendation 2. We killed an entire crab family at Crab 1st Avenue, Yeosu.

Monday: Yeosu -> Jeju
* Taxi to airport. Plane to Jeju. Bus to hotel.
* Bus to WHS Centre (boring).
* Bus to Seongsan Ilchulbong Tuff Cone and hiked up.

Tuesday: Jeju
* Hike up Hillasan.
Note: The trails have latest hours you can start them. Be early.

Wednesday: Jeju -> Busan.
* Tried to see a tube, but all are closed in 2024. Visited some museums and the beach instead.
* Flight to Busan and metro to the hotel.

Thursday: Busan.
* Metro to Gimhae (Gaya Tumuli).
* Siteseeing in Busan incl. Tombstone Village (Wartime Capital (T))

Friday: Busan.
* Siteseeing in Busan(Wartime Capital (T)): UN Cemetary, Cow Shed Village, Temp Palace, Temp Government Building, US Embassy.

Saturday: Busan -> Ulsan -> Gyeongju
* KTX to Ulsan. Taxi to Tongdosa (Sansa).
* Taxi to Petroglyph Museum. Visit and hike to one petroglyph site. The other was closed.
* Taxi to Ulsan Station, KTX to Gyeongju.
* Nighttime walk in Gyeongju.

Sunday: Gyeongju -> Oksa -> Yangdong -> Gwangju
* Bus to Oksan (Seowon).
Note: Oksan Seowon and Dongnakdang House are part of Yangdong.
* Bus to Yangdong
* Bus to Gyeongju. Museum and a bit of site seeing.

Monday: Gyeongju -> Daegu
* Bus to Bulguksa.
* Taxi to Seokguram.
Recommendation: When arriving at Bulguksa check the bus schedules to go up the hill to the grotto. We missed our by 10min and had to take a cab instead of waiting for an hour.
* Bus to Bulguksa, Bus to Borisa Temple Entrance. Hike into Namsan and visit of two sites there.
* Bus to Gyeongju. Bus to Daegu. Metro to hotel.

Tuesday: Daegu
* Bus to Haeinsa.
Note: Bus is not on Naver or google maps. Schedule 2024 (Daegu Seobu): 6:40, 8:00, 8:40, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 12:40, 14:00, 14:40, 16:00, 16:40, 18:00, 18:40, 20:00. Return: 6:40, 8:00, 8:40, 10:00, 10:40, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 14:40, 16:00, 16:40, 18:00, 18:40, 20:00
* Bus to Goryeaong. Visit Gaya Tumuli.
Note: The bus to Haeinsa passes directly through the tumulis. There is a nearby bus stop. Let the driver know.
* Bus to Daegu

Wednesday: Daegu -> Seoul
* ITX to Seoul. Note: Fast trains go from Dongdaegu, not Daegu. Be sure to select the proper station when booking a ticket.
* Visit Seoul: Changdeokgung without Secret Garden.
Note: We could not reserve Changdeokgung Secret Garden online. Tickets sell out in 30min (available at 10 a.m. 6 days in advance). And online registration requires an email verification step that does not work with gmail.
* Bus to Joseon Tombs (Taereung Cluster).
Note: Dongguerung would have been the more obvious candidate if only visiting one. But Taereung Cluster has two tombs plus a nice museum.

Thursday: Seoul
* Metro and bus to Namhansang. Hiked the 1 trail.
* Bus and Metro to Icheon Ceramic Village (probably not worth the effort)
* Bus and Metro back to Seoul.

Friday: Seoul -> Hamburg
* Early morning (9:00) queuing for Secret Garden. We got the first English tour.
* Siteseeing and souvenir shopping in Seoul.
* Evening bus to airport and flight home.

LOGISTICS
It's pretty hard to get public transport information.
* Google maps is just plain wrong.
* Naver has gaps, too, and has terrible usability for non Koreans.
We ended up using google maps to search for locations and then selecting each location via the map in Naver.

Seeing the low prices of taxis, I would recommend covering certain legs with taxis instead of worrying about bus connections. Uber has limited reach (but is the only app that works well in English). If you couldn't get a cab in Uber, we would ask the museum to call one. Worked like a charm.

Several KTX stations are NOT in town, but 30min by bus. Ulsan (see Els') and Gyeongju come to mind.

Data plans are very expensive in Korea. You will find public wifi in most places, but I would concur getting a ESIM before you go is the cheaper option.

IMPROVEMENTS
* I think Jeju would have been okay with one night and a late flight out.
* Arriving Monday in Seoul wasn't optimal seeing most sites are closed.
* You could skip Gimhae. Goryeung were the better tumuli.
* Oksan was compared to Pilam the lesser seowon.
* If it works, consider arriving in Busan instead of Incheon. It's still a big city, but overall more relaxed than Seoul and probably easier to ease into Korea.

WHS
* 4* Gyeongju. If you only visit one WHS, this plus the nearby sites should be it. Nam
* 3* Changdeokgung Palace Complex. The best parts are in the Secret Garden. Simply queue at 9 a.m. to get in.
* 3* Getbol. I like the wadden sea. I like getbols.
* 3* Haeinsa. The wood prints plus the house that protects them are unique.
* 3* Hwaseong. Very nice fortifications.
* 3* Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple. Nice. Wasn't quite as impressed with the grotto as others here. For me, this should be a location of the Gyeongju WHS.
* 3* Seowon - Pilam was a highlight. Oksan was not.
* 2.5* Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries. These are nice monasteries. Unfortunately, both sites we visited (Tongdosa and Seonamsa) are overflowing with visitors, taking away from the pristine experience. They also lack in a unique feature.
* 2.5* Dolmen. Gochang is pretty nice. Ganghwa is a joke.
* 2.5* Baekje - Mireuksa was nice.
* 2.5* Hahoe/Yangdong - I think rural / vernicular architecture deserver their spot.
* 2.5* Royal Joseon Tombs - Unique and worth the effort to explore.
* 2* Gaya Tumuli - Earlier than the Tumuli in Gyeongju, but I don't see that a) each and every Korean dynasty has to covered or b) every burial site.
* 1.5* Jeju - We did not see any Lava Tubes which are the selling point. But stripped of the lava tube this island pales in comparion to e.g. Tenerife. Or in comparison to the enthusiastic marketing pitch by Koreas. Underwhelming.
* 1.5* Jongmyo Shrine - This should not have been made a separate WHS from Changdeokgung Palace Complex, literally being across the street. Site on it's own has too limited appeal.
* 1* Namhansanseong - Hardpressed to see OUV in the site on its own.

General notes on the Korean WHS:
* Authenticity is hard to come by in Korea. Many sites have been heavily restored or fully rebuild in recent times and it's hard to discern what (if any) parts are old and what are new and/or imagined. At least, the Koreans do not make an active effort to set these things apart and that takes away from the experience. If I understood it correctly, the outside of the Seokguram Grotto is fully modern, built to protect the precious interior. While I get occasional WHS (Warsaw) showcasing restoration and rebuilding, WHS should be authentic and I would hope that future Korean WHS are restricted to authentic sites.
* Korea does not offer a truly great site. It's a nice package, but you will be hard pressed to name a single site that awed you. If you want great sites, you are better served going to China.

Tentatives
* Unjusa -> Inscribe. Best temple in Korea. Very unique and not (yet) overcommercialized.
* Daegokcheon -> Inscribe. Turtle and whale rock art are nice. Very good presentation in the museum.
* Naganeupseong -> Inscribe. Better than Yangdong. Very nice example of a walled rural city.
* Busan -> Inscribe. If sites of recent conflicts have OUV, I think this fits the pattern. Tombstone village, cattle shed village, UN Cemetary, and the Presedential Palace are the best. They make history and war time refugees very tangible. UN Cemetary could also be bundled into a UN WHS.
* Seoraksan -> Inscribe. Korea should have one mountain natural WHS.
* Seoul City Walls -> Reject. Yet another fortification. Yet another Seoul as Joseon Capital related site. Yet another set of heavily restorated / rebuild components. If, this should be an extension, not a unique site.

Aspiring
* Gwangju Early Missionary Sites -> I see potential. Was quite interesting.

Potential
* DMZ -> Panmunjon would be shoe in for sites of recent conflict.

I want to make a case for Tongdosa: it was also busy when I visited last month (on a Sunday morning), but it was all with worshippers and that gave the temple complex a sacred feel. Especially at the main wooden hall with the view of the Buddha relic stupa, which is the holiest of the holiest.

2.5 for me is a fine, deserving WHS. Maybe I was spoiled by Unjusa, seeing it's a this much better visiting experience. And temple fatigue was setting in.

Indeed, something of which, I for one, was unaware despite having visited it..... This Wiki article describes the chequered history of various "resonstructions" through to the 1960s...... "The wooden superstructure built over the antechamber remains a subject for debate for many historians who believe Seokguram originally did not have such a structure blocking the view of the sunrise over the ocean, and cutting off the air flow into the grotto". The AB evaluation from 1995 mentions none of this (and we don't have a Nomination file) - nowadays the issue would have at least been discussed.

So, the surrounding structure is in effect a "protective covering" for the Connection???

Yep. We saw a movie on youtube that explained the process. I used to be against the modernist UFOs (Malta and its tents). But at least they allow a visitor to discern the historical bits and the newer additions.

Jeju is definitely over a 3.5 WHS, especially when you visit a lava cave, Seongsan, and Hallasan. I'm sorry to hear you only had a 1.5 experience there. For me, an isolated lava cave visit alone is worth at least 3*, and combined with Seongsan and Hallasan, it becomes a solid 4* experience

For those interested, our map with all my research is found here:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1-aQLFCEPUmx5dT7ebj7gxN8ZPcwx-NA&usp=sharing


No caves are currently open to visitors, so I can't value them.
* Hallasan (at least the bits we saw) paled in comparison to Teide.
* The eastern peninsula paled in comparison to Madeira.

Els on whatsapp summarized: Without caves it's just a Korean holiday destination.

Personally, I am not a fan of one trick ponies WHS.

Comparison - Island of Great Britain and the Korean Peninsula

I wanted to highlight this size comparison of the Korean peninsula with Britain, since it might give travelers on this forum a sense of scale for Korean provinces compared to their British counterparts, travel distances, and what a united Korea in relation to geographic size would be compared to internationally. The Korean Peninsula is slightly larger than the Isle of Great Britain and slightly smaller than the United Kingdom when Northern Island is included.

A 'United State' emerges? While 668 marks the 'Unified Silla' period and a mostly unified Korea, the entire Korean peninsula was not truly united until 936 under the 1st King of Goryeo. I find it interesting that King Alfred's grandson, Athelstan achieved Alfred's dream of a united England during roughly the same period (though the entire Isle of Great Britain was not fully united until 1707). Unfortunately, a united Korean peninsula ended in 1910 or 1948 depending on your interpretation of History.

Now focusing squarely back on the Korean Peninsula, both Korea's are particularly active currently and I noticed some interesting trends. 2027 will be the year of competing Korean capitals, Seoul and Pyongyang. In fact during King Sukjong reign, much of Pyongyang's walls and gates were rebuilt or strengthened as was the fortifications around the capital (Hanyang)! The DPRK likes to highlight their rich Koguryo legacy, yet most of the historical sites in Pyongyang that remain today are from Goryeo, Joseon, or the current regime! On another note, for 2026 South Korea has added one more component (unless I am mistaken), Garorim Bay tidal flat in Seosan (not sure if the UNESCO description will be updated). Perhaps North Korea will add some Getbol (extensions?) of their own one day, upcoming tentative list? If Kumgang Mountain is inscribed in 2025 would South Korea try for an extension with Seoraksan (even if the two parties have zero cooperation)? While still early to confirm, in 2029 and 2030, South Korea seems to be aiming for two Goryeo-era Buddhism-centered nominations, though quite different (an archaeological site North of Seoul and a esoteric temple at the Southern tip of the peninsula). The later tentative site is well reviewed and a favorite within our community.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) *North Korea
Republic of Korea (ROK) *South Korea

2025
ROK - Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream
DPRK - Mt. Kumgang - Diamond Mountain from the Sea

2026
ROK - Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats (Phase II Extension) *Muan, Goheung, Yeosu, Seosan

2027
ROK - Capital Fortifications of Hanyang
DPRK - Historic Relics of Koguryo's Capital City in Pyongyang

2028
ROK - Sites of the Busan Wartime Capital

2029 *seeking priority status
ROK - Archaeological Remains at the Hoeamsa Temple Site in Yangju City (likely a better name in the works)

2030 *seeking priority status
ROK - Stone Buddhas and Pagodas at Hwasun Unjusa Temple

I think it's a bit misleading. South Korea, where most of us travel, is smaller, approximately the size of Hungary or Portugal.


Seoul is already very well served with WHS. I don't see how even more fortifications add anything to the list.

Korea has received the results from the preliminary evaluation from ICOMOS. Several articles are highlighting the results.

ICOMOS stated in its evaluation results that: "Hanyang's capital city wall is likely to meet the requirements of 'outstanding universal value' (OUV) based on the listing criterion (iii)."

What does this mean? Korea will submit this nomination in time for 2027. Furthermore, there has been considerable efforts to create a satisfactory comparative analysis of walled capitals around the world (previously inadequate), including hosting symposiums where International experts were invited to Seoul. This might also mean Korea drops criteria iv.

Within our community this TWHS has received slightly more positive, though also mixed support for inscription (62%). I think this attests to the fact of the considerable mountainous terrain surrounding Seoul, increasing the appreciation of the fortifications and the surrounding scenery. Compared with Hwaseong for example (which lacks scenic viewpoints), this is a standout feature. The gates are considerable monuments themselves, yet as mentioned previously Korean fortifications are well-represented on the World Heritage List (Hwaseong, Namhansanseong). Six of the eight gates of Seoul still exist (though authenticity varies), three were demolished during the Japanese Colonial Period (Hyehwamun was rebuilt in 1992). Interestingly, the former location of the Chosen Shinto Shrine (largest in Korea) which was built from 1920-1925 will be within the nominated boundary as Japanese authorities destroyed a section of the City Wall going from Sungnyemun (Namdaemun) to Namsan Mountain to build it. The day after Japan's surrender August 16, 1945, Japanese Authorities having witnessed or heard reports of Shinto shrines throughout the Korean peninsula being burned down, decided to hold a final ceremony "Rite of Ascending the Spirit" before removing important relics and demolishing the shrine themselves. Here is the precise location on Google Maps. This would be the first 'Shinto' related site outside of Japan we include in our connection. The Bukhansanseong Mountain Fortress on the other hand largely escaped the damage done to the Seoul City Wall by Japanese authorities. Knowing these facts, I cannot help wishing positive results for this TWHS to eventually be inscribed. Recognition by UNESCO can be particularly impactful after the attempted destruction of an entire nations identity. Despite the sustained efforts by a Colonizer to erase the spiritual, national, and cultural heritage of a people over a period of four decades, the fact that Hanyangdoseong remains largely intact is noteworthy. I think this History of erasure explains in part the determination / enthusiasm by Korean authorities (and the public) to seek the recognition given by a World Heritage inscription.

https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR20241126015400005