1 of 13
Buddhist Lantern Parade, Seoul
Koreans carry colorful lanterns to celebrate the birthday of Buddha, the “awakened one.” No one knows the exact date or even the year of his birth, though tradition says it was some 2,500 years ago. Today, about a quarter of South Koreans identify themselves as Buddhists.
Photograph by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

South Korea Photos

See photos of South Korea (including Seoul, Buddhist temples, the DMZ, and more) in this travel photo gallery from National Geographic.

Published January 3, 2010