Due to these challenges, many areas are crowded, and even small towns feel like what we would call big cities in the United States. These unique conditions make the environment super important, as people have to carefully manage land and resources.
South Korea may be small, but that actually makes life easier in many ways. Since Korea is the size of Indiana, people can travel across the country in 4 hours or less. For example, I visited Busan over the weekend, a city on the coast about 80 miles from Gyeongsan, and it only took me about 1 hour and 20 minutes on the train. This means that people can easily visit other cities, go on trips or explore different places without having to drive or be stuck in traffic.
Another helpful part of the environment is how cities are intentionally designed to be efficient. Even in super busy places like Daegu, there are parks, rivers and green spaces where people can relax or exercise. There are usually free exercise machines for all people to use in every park. In the spring, you will see cherry blossoms everywhere, including near rivers, train stations and in parks. There are usually nice walking and bike trails along every river, and some trails even have stepping stones to go across to the other side. There are also always mountains, beaches, or both, close to cities, so people can enjoy nature without going far.
