Since its establishment in 1968, POSCO has flourished over the years to become the world's leading steel producer. Today, they stand at the pinnacle of the steel industry, poised and ready to surpass the 30 million ton mark in annual production and reach the goal 36 trillion won (approximately USD 30 billion) in corporative value by the year 2007.

POSCO now operates two of the world's premier steel producing facilities, Pohang and Gwangyang Works, and has forged strategic alliances and partnership with numerous companies in Asia, the Americas and Europe.

POSCO also contributes to the development of community relations and is a special partner of IPhO-2004.

Pohang Light Source (PLS) is a national user facility under the cooperation with the Korean Government and POSCO. It was designed to provide synchrotron radiation with continuous wavelengths down to 1 ¡Ê. The Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL) owns and operates PLS on behalf of the Korean Government. PAL consists of two separate buildings to house the linac and the storage ring. The linac building is 205 meters long, with the accelerator tunnel located 6 meters below ground level. The outer diameter of the storage ring building is about 144 meters. The storage ring building includes space for users' offices, preparation laboratories, and the experimental hall where the actual beamlines and experimental station are located. There are also several auxiliary buildings to support the main machine; the administration building, the technical support building, the utility station, the power substation, and the heavy facility laboratory.

The Postech Biotech Center was established in November 2000 by the Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), in cooperation with POSCO Co., Ltd.

The Center will be empowered with a total of 450 professionals by 2006, including 30 professors, 90 post-doctoral trainees, 180 graduate students, and 150 research staff. These professionals will conduct cutting-edge research in biotechnology, while educating and training young scientists who are potential future leaders in this field.

PIRL has studied IT technology sources on the basis of POSCO's abundant R&D resources. Furthermore, the laboratory has actively performed upper-class research for integration, utilization, and commercialization of lower IT technology.

At the four corners of the square in front of the main library are four busts - Edison, Einstein, Maxwell, and Newton - scientists and inventors of worldwide recognition. And also you can see the two empty, nameless podiums nearby. These podiums are ready for science of the future Nobel Prize winners. These empty podiums, along with the four busts of the aforementioned scientists are intentional symbols meant to inspire students. Students as well as visitors to POSTECH love to take photos of themselves standing behind the empty podiums, dreaming of becoming a future occupant.

To support POSTECH as a research-oriented university, the Library has concentrated on expanding its collection. Currently in 2000, only the 14th year since its opening, the library collection consists of approximately 300,000 books, 2,950 journals, 30 CD-ROM DBs, 6 web-based databases, 2,200 electronic journals and 3,400 multimedia materials. The Library has concentrated on library automation. Our main functions have been fully automated since our opening. Additionally, we provide many services, such as on-line information retrieval, CD-ROM networks, on-line document delivery, SDI and Liaison Librarian System to acquire new information and support academic research.

Pottery is shaped from clay and then fired in high temperature kilns. They are usually fired once at 800 ~900¡É, glazed with enamel, then fired again at a higher temperature of 1,300~1,500¡É. It is unique in that it produces a clear sound when tapped, and has a clear sheen.

The first documented use of clay in the Korean peninsula was during the Neolithic era. By the Age of the Three Kingdoms (B.C.57~A.D.676), earthenware use in everyday life was common. Especially during the Unified Shilla Kingdom (676~935), the shape of earthenware diversified and began to carry decorative patterns. Korean pottery has been developing in its own way, distinct from that from other Asian countries, until modern times. You can have a good opportunity to experience pottery making personally at Seorabeol Pottery, which carries the tradition of Shilla pottery culture.

As the capital of the Shilla Kingdom for almost a thousand years, Gyeongju preserves vast amounts of significant and fascinating historical heritages. Along with Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, the Gyeongju Historical District has been designated as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Due to the numerous historical, natural and cultural attractions, Gyeongju has long been a major tourist destination in Korea.

The Bulguksa Temple and the Seokguram Grotto are the most famous landmarks in Gyeongju and were designated as World Cultural Heritage sites by UNESCO in 1995. Established in the 8th century on the slopes of Mount T'oham, the Seokguram Grotto contains a monumental statue of the Buddha looking at the sea in the bhumisparsha mudra position. With the surrounding portrayals of gods, Bodhisattvas and disciples, all realistically and delicately sculpted in high and low relief, it is considered a masterpiece of Buddhist art in the Far East. The Temple of Bulguksa (built in 774) and the Seokguram Grotto form a religious architectural complex of exceptional significance.

Gyeongju National Museum is deep in tradition, with a history of about 90 years. Representing Gyeongju, which used to be the capital of Silla (BC57~AD935), the museum is where you can view the cultural history of Gyeongju.

1. Anapji Pond
   

   As said in the historical book of Samguk-sagi, during the 14th year of King Munmu's reign (AD 661~681) in the Silla period (57 BC ~ AD 935), a large pond was dug and small mountains were built all within the palace walls. Additionally, beautiful flowers were planted and rare animals were brought in to create an exquisite garden environment. Anapji pond is located at Wolseung (a fortress erected in AD 101 during the Silla period). In 1974, an excavation revealed that 3 islands were located in the pond. Anapji pond can presently be viewed in its near original splendor, thanks to restoration efforts.

2. Daeleungwon Park
   

   Large ancient tombs of kings and noblemen of the Silla Dynasty can be seen around Gyeongju at the Daeleungwon Park. There are twenty-three large tombs located here, the most famous ancient tomb being Cheonmachong and Hwangnamdaechong. In an excavation of the area in the 1970's, Cheonmachong was discovered with a painting of mounted horse. This painting is the only discovered painting from the Silla Era. You can also view the inside of Cheonmachong. There are 11,526 remains and crowns of the king inside the tomb demonstrating the lavish lifestyle of the king. Another tourist attraction is the Hwangnamdaechong, which is the largest ancient tomb. It houses the bodies of both the king and queen and has over 30 thousand relics and gold accessories. The unique thing about Hwangnamdaechong is that the queen's tomb has more luxurious accessories. From that researchers have concluded that even the queen can have a high social position even before marriage. You can feel the ancient culture of Korea 1500 years ago when visiting these tombs.

3. Oksanseowon Confucian School
   

   Oksanseowon, a Confucian school, was built in memory of Lee Eon-jeok, a Confucian scholar, in 1572 when King Seonjo ruled the Joseon Dynasty. Lee was known as a scholar of Seongrihak (a type of Confucianism) and he was respected as one the five sages in the Orient. At Dongrakdang Study, inside the school, he worked hard after he came back to his hometown. The study was surrounded by beautiful scenery which adds to the atmosphere. Behind the study, there is a stone pagoda of a very unique style, at Jeonghyesa Temple, with thirteen stories.

1. Trial of Korean Cultural Game
   
   
   • Taekwondo
     

     Taekwondo is one of the most systematic and scientific traditional martial arts. Not only does Taekwondo teach physical fighting skills, but it is also a discipline that shows ways of enhancing spirit and life through training body and mind. Today, it has become a global sport that has gained an international reputation, and stands among the official games in the Olympics.

   • Samulnori
     

     Samulnori is the performance of four musicians playing and dancing, each with a different Korean traditional percussion instrument. The Korean words "samul" means "four things" and "nori" means "to play," hence "four things playing." The origin of Samulnori's music can be traced back to what is usually referred to as "farmers" band music ("nong-ak"). Samulnori uniquely combined the rhythms used in nong-ak with musical elements from shamanic ceremonies and modern compositions.

1. Special Public Lecture by Nobel Laureate
   

   As a tradition of IPhO, a Nobel Prize Laureate attends the competition, not only to present awards at the ceremony to the potential future Nobel Prize winners, but he also has a lecture prepared for the students. Along with the foreign students participating in the competition, several Korean students are also invited to the Nobel Prize Laureate Lecture, to hear about his academic and social experiences. This year's lecturer is Dr. Robert Laughlin of Stanford University, who received a Nobel Prize in 1998 for his discovery of a new form of quantum fluid with fractionally charged excitations.

2. POSCO Creativity Festival
   

   The POSCO Creativity Festival, in the form of "Edutainment," is planned to be an enjoyable program for the students participating in IPhO-2004, and to be an educational program for Korean adolescents. The national teams of IPhO-2004 participants and pre-selected Korean students in groups of five will join for this exciting and enjoyable program. Because of the space limits, only 40 national teams will participate in the competition on a first-come-first-served basis and the rest will enjoy the event as spectators. Special programs for the spectators are planned.

3. Evening at a Korean Home
   

   Students will have the opportunity to interact with warm-hearted Koreans by visiting a Korean Family. Each national team, with the guide, will visit a Korean Family in a nearby neighborhood. It will be a good opportunity for students to play Korean traditional games or taste Korean Food.