Utility poles in South Korea
Concrete and thick cable bundles
Concrete poles with thick black cable bundles looping around them, next to Hangul signs, point to South Korea.
- Round concrete poles, much like Japan's.
- Thick bundles and loops of black cable wrapped around the pole.
- The giveaway is usually nearby: signs in Hangul, the Korean alphabet.
11 photos, grouped by the clue they show.
Key clue Cable bundles 4
Key clue Hangul signs 3
Key clue Concrete pole 4
South Korea: what its poles look like
South Korean streets use round concrete poles that look a lot like Japan's. What stands out is the cabling: thick bundles and loops of black telecom cable are wrapped around the pole and strung between buildings, especially in older city neighbourhoods.
The surroundings usually settle it. Shop signs and plates on the poles are written in Hangul, the Korean alphabet, with its round and square shapes, which looks very different from Japanese script.
Newer districts of big cities like Seoul have moved many lines underground, so poles are easiest to spot in older alleys, small towns and the countryside, where concrete poles run along roads between rice fields and greenhouses.
Look-alikes: how to tell them apart
South Korea vs 
Japan
Japan is the classic look-alike. Korean poles rarely have Japan's yellow-and-black striped guard, and their cables tend to hang in heavy loops and coils. Check the writing (Hangul versus Japanese) and the traffic side: South Korea drives on the right, Japan on the left.
Questions about poles in South Korea
How can I tell South Korean poles from Japanese ones?
Both are concrete, so look at the details: thick loops of black cable and Hangul writing point to South Korea, while a yellow-and-black striped guard and Japanese script point to Japan. Cars on the right side of the road also mean South Korea.
Are utility poles common in South Korea?
Yes, especially in older neighbourhoods, small towns and rural areas. Newer parts of big cities have put more cables underground.