While we wait for the start of the race from Yeosu to Vladivostok, we’ve been learning more about our host country of South Korea, and have come up with some interesting facts that you may not know!
- Interpretations of the name Korea vary and include ‘Land of High Mountains and Streams’ and ‘Land of the morning Calm’
- In Korea, babies are considered one year old at birth
- Microchips for Apple’s iPhones are made by Samsung in South Korea
- South Koreans consider the number 4 as unlucky
- Korean K-Pop star Psy become a worldwide phenomenon with his “Gangnam Style” video, viewed over two billion times, and which reached number one in 30 countries
- Korean distilled rice liquor is one of the best selling liquors in the world
- South Korea’s national dish is “kimchi” – a combination of vegetables and spices that are traditionally fermented underground for months
- South Korea’s national flower is a type of hibiscus – the Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon)
- Both the tiger and the rabbit are important Korean folk symbols
- Kite flying is a popular pastime in Korea, especially at New Year
- Koreans speak Hangeul language. It contains 14 consonants and 10 vowels and the alphabet is combined into various syllables.
Meanwhile, back to business
The predicted typhoon (Super Typhoon Jebi) is being tracked minute by minute and ships will not depart Yeosu (South Korea) until the Race Committee have agreed that it is safe to do so. The tracks of typhoons can be very unpredictable and so it is important to be as confident as we can be that the track is not likely to cross the path of the racing vessels in the Sea of Japan/East Sea as they make their way to Vladivostok (Russia). Look out for further updates on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
About the SCF Far East Tall Ships Regatta
The two-port Regatta takes place between Yeosu, South Korea (27 August – 1 September), and Vladivostok, Russia (9-14 September). Primarily state owned vessels are taking part, including ships from Indonesia, Japan, Korea and Russia.
The 4th Eastern Economic Forum is being held in Vladivostok at the same time as the SCF Far East Tall Ships Regatta 2018 (11-13 September), where world leaders are expected to be in attendance.
About our sponsor: Sovcomflot
Sovcomflot (SCF) is Russia’s largest shipping company and one of the global leaders in the maritime transportation of hydrocarbons, as well as the servicing oil and gas projects on the continental shelf, including offshore seismic exploration. The world’s leading operator and largest owner of ice-class vessels designed to operate in difficult navigational conditions: 79 ice-class vessels rated from ICE 1C to ARC7 and Icebreaker ICE-15. The Company’s fleet (owned and chartered) specialises in hydrocarbon transportation from regions with challenging icy conditions and includes 147 vessels with a combined deadweight of 12,732,069 tonnes.
The Group has offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novorossiysk, Murmansk, Vladivostok, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Limassol, London and Dubai. Over 7,800 employees at sea and ashore. The Group is one of the largest employers in Russia’s coastal towns of the North-West, Southern and Far Eastern regions.
A Russian translation of this report can be found here. Russian Translation 4