I was trying to explain to a friend what is 국회 the other day. I started by saying that it is the National Assembly located in Yeouido but my explanation drew a blank. So I described it as a place where politicians 'fight' and immediately I got a positive response.
Getting to National Assembly by the subway was a bit troublesome. I have to change from Line 1 to Line 5 and then from Line 5 to Line 9. Line 9 is a new subway line open recently and runs in East-West direction to the South of Hangang. People without traffic card cannot take Line 9 because the gates won't accept single-trip ticket. Anyway, it took more than an hour to get to the National Assembly Station but I later discovered that Bus 261 just outside my dormitory is a much faster traffic means.
My business at the National Assembly was to attend a forum on 'Han Style' (another word for Hallyu or Korean Wave) targeted at foreign students. A visit to KBS was originally planned after the forum but was cancelled. In place of KBS's visit, we were shown around the National Assembly's compound.
Getting to National Assembly by the subway was a bit troublesome. I have to change from Line 1 to Line 5 and then from Line 5 to Line 9. Line 9 is a new subway line open recently and runs in East-West direction to the South of Hangang. People without traffic card cannot take Line 9 because the gates won't accept single-trip ticket. Anyway, it took more than an hour to get to the National Assembly Station but I later discovered that Bus 261 just outside my dormitory is a much faster traffic means.
My business at the National Assembly was to attend a forum on 'Han Style' (another word for Hallyu or Korean Wave) targeted at foreign students. A visit to KBS was originally planned after the forum but was cancelled. In place of KBS's visit, we were shown around the National Assembly's compound.
The National Assembly building at Yeouido. The building has 24 columns around it. The lights never go off at the building and that is supposed to mean a National Assembly that never sleeps and forever working.
I was trying to take a picture of the dome from inside the building.
The Main Meeting Hall (본회의장- 제1회의장) where 299 members of the National Assembly vote and pass law.
We sat at the upper level of the hall.
Staff giving us a brief of the hall.
A view of the office buildings in Yeouido from inside the National Assembly grounds. We were on our way to another building which housed the National Assembly's memorial hall.
A small memorial hall of the National Assembly (헌정기념관, 憲政記念館).
Some display inside the memorial hall.
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