Dear Delegates,

This is the last circular of IPhO-2004, which is only three days away. We are looking forward to meeting you in Korea. Seventy three countries are expected to participate in this Olympiad and we welcome all of you.

According to our final count, the following 73 countries will be participating in IPhO-2004.

To ensure comfort and convenience during your stay in Korea, we asked you to complete the online registration form. Please visit the online registration website as soon as possible (http://www.ipho2004.or.kr) if you have not completed the form yet. We especially ask you for the information regarding your extra accommodations in addition to the official period, flights schedule, the correct names of your delegates and so on in its entirely.

As we mentioned in our previous circulars, you can obtain landing visas at Incheon International Airport or Gimhae International Airport only in case if there is no Korean Embassy or Consulate in your country. Please note that the following requirements:

1. A passport valid for at least six months
2. An official invitation letter issued by IPhO-2004
3. Two recent passport-sized color photos

Above all, if your delegates need to obtain landing visas, we ask you to bring the official invitation letter with you when you come to Korea in order to pass through a 3rd country or to obtain landing visas without any problems.

As you may know, we selected Gimhae International Airport (http://gimhae.airport.co.kr) and Pohang Domestic Airport (http://pohang.airport.co.kr) as our official airports. If you arrive in Incheon International Airport, the IPhO-2004 team will assist you throughout the connection process.

Flights from Incheon International Airport to Gimhae International Airport are available 3 or 4 times a day. Please contact your local travel agency for more information.

If you will transfer via Gimpo Domestic Airport, the most convenient way is to take a shuttle bus to Gimpo International Airport (http://gimpo.airport.co.kr/), which is about a 40-minute ride away. The bus fare is 4,500 Korean Won (approximately US$4). Only Korean currencies are accepted.

When you arrive at each airport, please look for the IPhO-2004 Information Desk. The location of the information desk at each airport is as follows:

The IPhO-2004 team will provide a shuttle service between the official airports and each venue, Gyeongju Hilton Hotel or POSTECH from July 14 to 15.

For more detailed information, please refer to the 4th circular or the official website of IPhO-2004 (http://www.ipho2004.or.kr).

As stated in our last circular, you can pay the fees either in cash when you arrive in Korea or in advance as a bank transfer. If you plan to pay in cash on venue, please visit the registration desk of Gyeongju Hilton Hotel when you arrive.

If you prefer to use an individual room at Gyeongju Hilton hotel, please note that there would be an additional charge of US$350 for the 8 nights of the official period. The charge for your additional accommodation at Gyeongju Hilton Hotel because of your early arrival or late departure is around US$80 per a night.

If you use individual room, you need to pay the extra charge to registration desk of IPhO-2004 at Gyeongju Hilton Hotel from July 14 to July 15. On the other hand, in case of additional accommodation, you can pay the extra charge to the front desk of Gyeongju Hilton Hotel personally when you check out.

As one of the special events, POSCO Creativity Festival is planned in the afternoon of July 21 in the form of "Edutainment". It will be an enjoyable program for the students participating in IPhO-2004. The national teams of IPhO-2004 participants and pre-selected Korean students will join this exciting and enjoyable program. Due to the lack of space, only 35 national teams will be able to participate in the competition on a first-come-first-served basis. Therefore, if you would like to let your contestants participate in this event, please apply in advance by e-mail (secretary@ipho2004.or.kr).

In the evening of July 21, contestants will have an opportunity to visit and interact with warm-hearted Korean families. Each national team with their guide will visit a Korean family in a near-by neighborhood. It will be a good opportunity for students to taste traditional Korean food and to play Korean traditional games. If you have any souvenirs from your countries, you may give them to your Korean family.

The IPhO-2004 Organizing Committee plans to provide VODs, which will summarize daily events for friends and family members of participants in your home country and for those who are interested in IPhO-2004.

Webcasting will be updated around 6 am local time daily on the Official IPhO-2004 website (http://www.ipho2004.or.kr/home/eng/).

Leaders and contestants are not allowed to communicate each other before the last experimental examination. Therefore, we will collect the mobile phones from the contestants after their arrival and return them after the experimental competition.

For more detailed information of IPhO-2004 and the most recent updates, please visit our official website (http://www.ipho2004.or.kr), which we are updating continuously.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions regarding IPhO-2004.

IPhO-2004 Organizing Committee
Room 907, KSTC Main Bldg. 635-4
Yeoksam-Dong, Kangnam-Ku, Seoul, Korea 135-703
TEL: 82-2-563-8933, 8932 FAX: 82-2-563-8931
E-Mail: secretary@ipho2004.or.kr

With best wishes, Zheong G. Khim Chairman Organizing committee of IPhO-2004