The Korean Peninsula lies in the middle of Northeast Asia, with China to its west and Japan to its east.
South Korea is officially called the Republic of Korea and, as its name suggests, occupies the southern part of the peninsula. The country is mountainous but also boasts a beautiful coastline.
In summer the temperature range is 20 degrees Celsius to 26.1 degrees Celsius, but winter can be very cold with a temperature range of -2.5 to -5.7 degrees Celsius.
Beachlife is common in the summer while in winter people enjoy skating and skiing.
Visitors to South Korea can enjoy its great natural beauty with mountains and rivers, palaces, fortresses and other World Heritage Sites. Alternatively, spend time in the bustling capital city of Seoul with world-renowned shopping districts such as Myeongdong, Namdaemun or Dongdaemun shopping areas and the craft streets of Insadong.
South Korea is a democratic country unlike its northern counterpart North Korea, which is a one-party state.
The current South Korea president is Moon Jae-in. The country has a population of more than 50 million people, with a growing group of foreign nationals coming into the country to work.
South Korea has emerged as a world leader in the fields of science and technology and is a renowned knowledge-based society also famous for its thriving artistic and creative traditions.
Korean parents are known to be determined that their children receive an excellent education, and bringing in English-speaking teachers from countries such as the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa is one of the ways the government ensures children are exposed to English.
Are you fluent in English? Do you love teaching? Do you yearn to travel and expand your horizons?
If the answer to these questions is YES, you may like to consider an English-teaching programme in South Korea for six months to a year or more.
There are two government-sponsored programmes; Talk and Epik; with the former a scholarship and the latter a professional position.
Members of Talk - Teach and Learn in Korea - prepare and give conversational English classes to children from kindergarten to Grade 6 in schools in rural South Korea.
To qualify for Talk, South African citizens must be an English-first language speaker (have completed your high school in English), and have completed a three-year Bachelor’s programme or be enrolled in one.
Successful candidates will be placed and be given accommodation, a monthly stipend and various other allowances. They will receive a certificate on completion of their term.
For Epik, which offers placements throughout South Korea, it is necessary to have completed high school in English and to have completed a relevant university degree.
Unless you have a teaching major, it is also required to complete a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate, preferably with an in-class component.
While a strong English ability is vital, the assessors are also looking for applicants who are healthy, and have an ability and willingness to adapt to the Korean culture and immerse themselves in the experience.