Daegu
Encyclopedia
Daegu also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea
, the fourth largest after Seoul
, Busan
, and Incheon
, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the surrounding Gyeongsangbuk-do
province
, although it is not legally part of the province. The two areas combined are often referred to as Daegu-Gyeongbuk
, with a total population of over 5 million.
Daegu is located in south-eastern Korea about 80 km from the seacoast, near the Geumho River
and its mainstream, Nakdong River
in Gyeongsang-do. The Daegu basin, where the city lies, is the central plain of the Yeongnam
region, making the city the natural center of the region's politics, economy, and culture.
In ancient times, Daegu was part of the Silla Kingdom which was the first successful attempt to unify
the Korean Peninsula
. During the Joseon Dynasty
period, the city was the capital of Gyeongsang-do which was one of eight provinces of the country. Daegu was an important motor during South Korea's rapid economic growth period (1960s–1980s) and is currently focused on becoming a leading center in Korea for the fashion
and high-tech industries. Due to its status as a cultural center, popular nicknames for Daegu include "Apple City", "Beauty City", "Textile City", and "Fashion City".
(c. 1500-300 B.C.). In fact, some of the earliest evidence of Mumun settlement in Gyeongsangdo have been excavated from Siji-dong and Seobyeon-dong. Dongcheon-dong is one of the substantial Mumun agricultural villages that have been excavated. The Dongcheon-dong site dates to the Middle Mumun (c. 850-550 B.C.) and contains the remains of many prehistoric pit-houses and agricultural fields. Megalithic burials (dolmens) have also been found in large numbers in Daegu.
Ancient historical texts indicate that during the Proto–Three Kingdoms of Korea period, Daegu was the site of a chiefdom or walled-town polity known in historical records as Dalgubeol. The first mention of Dalgubeol is dated to 261. We know nothing of the earlier history of Dalgubeol, and little of what came later, except that it was absorbed into the kingdom of Silla
no later than the fifth century. The vestiges of the wall at that time are seen, and then relics were excavated in the current Dalseong Park
.
in the late 7th century, with assistance from Tang
China. Shortly thereafter, in 689, Silla's King Sinmun
considered moving the capital from Gyeongju
to Daegu, but was unable to do so. We know of this initiative only through a single line in the Samguk Sagi
, but it is presumed that it indicates both an attempt by the Silla king to augment royal authority and the entrenched resistance of the Gyeongju political elites that was the likely cause of the move's failure. The city was given its current name in 757.
In the late 1990s archaeologists excavated a large scale fortified Silla site in Dongcheon-dong, Buk-gu. The site at Locality 2 consists of the remains of 39 raised-floor buildings enclosed by a formidable ditch-and-palisade system. The excavators hypothesize that the fortified site was a permanent military encampment or barracks. Archaeologists also uncovered a large Silla village dating to the 6th to 7th centuries AD at Siji-dong.
. In 927, northern Daegu was the site of the Battle of Gong Mountain between the forces of Goryeo
under Wang Geon and those of Hubaekje under Gyeon Hwon
. In this battle, the forces of Goryeo were crushed and Wang Geon himself was saved only by the heroism of his general Shin Sung-gyeom
. However, it appears that the conduct of the Hubaekje forces at this time changed local sympathies to favor Wang Geon, who later became the king of Goryeo
.
Numerous place-names and local legends around Daegu still bear witness to the historic battle of 927. Among these are "Ansim
", which literally means "peace of mind", said to be the first place where Wang Geon dared to stop after escaping the battle, and "Banwol", or half-moon, where he is said to have stopped and admired the moon before returning to Goryeo. A statue commemorating the battle now stands in northern Daegu, as does a memorial to Sin Sunggyeom.
In the Goryeo
period, the first edition of the Tripitaka Koreana
was stored in Daegu, at the temple of Buinsa. However, this edition was destroyed when the temple was sacked in 1254, during the Mongol invasions of Korea
.
which ran between Seoul and Busan. It lay at the junction of this arterial road and the roads to Gyeongju and Jinju
.
In 1601, Daegu became the administrative capital of the Gyeongsang-do, which is current Daegu, Busan
, Ulsan
, Gyeongsangbuk-do
, and Gyeongsangnam-do
. At about that time, the city began to grow into the national major city. The status was continued for nearly three hundred years, then the city has been the capital of Gyeongsangbuk-do since Gyeongsang-do was divided into two provinces, Gyeongsangbuk-do (means the northern Gyeongsang-do) and Gyeongsangnam-do (southern) in 1896.
Daegu's first regular markets were established during the late Joseon period. The most famous of these is the Yangnyeongsi herbal medicine market. This became a center of herbal trade in Joseon, and even attracted buyers from neighboring countries. Traders from Japan, who were not permitted to leave the Nakdong River
valley, hired messengers to visit the market on their behalf. Seomun Market
which stood at the city's west gate at that time, was one of the top three markets in the Joseon period.
s, as part of the reforms enforced after the murder of Empress Myeongseong
.
Beginning in the late 1890s, many foreign merchants and workers came to Daegu, which further lay on the newly-constructed Gyeongbu Line
railroad connecting Seoul and Busan.
In 1905, the old fortress wall was surreptitiously destroyed. The rest of the fortress wall is remembered only through the names such as the streets Dongseongno and Bukseongno, "east fortress street" and "north fortress street", which now run where the wall once stood.
The Korean independence movements were active in Daegu. These began as early as 1898, when a branch of the Independence Club
was established in the city. As the demise of the Korean Empire
approached in 1907, local citizens led by Seo Sang-don organized the National Debt Repayment Movement
. This movement spread nationwide, although it was unsuccessful in its attempt to repay the country's debt through individual donations. Resistance activities continued after the 1910 annexation, notably during the March 1st movement
of 1919. At that time, four major demonstrations took place in Daegu, involving an estimated 23,000 people.
Daegu and all of North Gyeongsang saw heavy guerrilla activity in the late 1940s, as thousands of refugees arrived from the fighting in Jeolla. In November 1948, a unit in Daegu joined the mutiny which had begun in Yeosu
the previous month.
During the Korean War
, much heavy fighting occurred nearby along the Nakdong River
. Daegu sat inside the Pusan Perimeter, however, and therefore remained in South Korean hands throughout the war. As in many other areas during the Korean War, political killings of dissenters were widespread. A large series of engagements were fought around the city to prevent North Korean troops from crossing the Nakdong, the Battle of Taegu
.
In the second half of the twentieth century, the city underwent explosive growth, and the population has increased more than tenfold since the end of the Korean War. The city was heavily politically favored during the long military dictatorship of Park Chung-hee
, when it and the surrounding area served as his political base. Conservative political movements remain powerful in Daegu today. Daegu is a political base for Korea's ruling Grand National Party
.
In the 1980s, Daegu separated from Gyeongsangbuk-do and became a separately administered provincial-level Directly Governed City
(Jikhalsi), and was redesignated as a Metropolitan City
(Gwangyeoksi) in 1995. Today, Daegu is the 3rd largest metropolitan area
in Korea with respect to both population and commerce.
and Gyeongbuk Provincial Government in Buk-gu. The provincial government will be relocated to Andong
in its proper province, Gyeongbuk. The mayor and heads of city's eight districts are directly elected by the citizens every four years. The city council has twenty nine members which consist of twenty six from the same number of electoral districts and three proportional representations. They are also directly elected every four years. Most of them are the members of the Grand National Party
(Hannara-dang), the main conservative
political party in South Korea. Daegu is the home to the party and has produced many Presidents of the Republic of Korea. As the capital of the Korean conservatives, the city has strong political power.
Daegu is divided into 7 districts (Gu) and 1 county (Gun)
to the north, Biseulsan
to the south, Waryongsan to the west, and a series of smaller hills in the east. The Geumho River
flows along the northern and eastern edges of the city, emptying in the Nakdong River west of the city.
. The mountains that comprise the basin trap hot and humid air. Similarly, in winter, cold air lies in the basin. The area receives little precipitation except during the rainy season of summer, and is sunny throughout much of the year. Data gathered since 1961 indicates that the mean temperature for January, the coldest month in Daegu, is 0.6 °C (33 °F) and that for August, the warmest month, is 26.4 °C (80 °F). The City's lowest record temperature was −20.2 °C, and the City's highest record temperature was 40 °C (104 °F).
s, metal
s and machinery. The quality of the apple
s grown around the city is renowned around Korea. Many companies such as Daegu Bank, Korea Delphi, Hwasung corp., and TaeguTec
are situated in this city, and Samsung
and Kolon were founded here. Numerous factories are located in the industrial complexes situated in the west and north sides of the city including the Seongseo Industrial Complex, West Daegu Industrial Complex and the Daegu Dyeing Industrial Complex.
The city is the economic and industrial core of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk
region, one of the major industrial areas in Korea. It accounted for as much as 94 percent of Korea's trade surplus in 2006. The electronics industries in Gumi and the steel industries in Pohang
provided great services to that surplus. World-leading manufacturing facilities for Anycall
(Samsung Mobile) and POSCO
's main factories are located near the city. Daegu and its neighbouring cities were designated for the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone
by the central government in 2008. It is specialized in knowledge-based service and manufacturing industries.
Historically, Daegu has been the commercial center of the southern part of the Korean Peninsula
with Seoul
in the center and Pyongyang
in the north (currently North Korea
), because of its advantageous location. Some of the large, traditional markets like Seomun Market
are still flourishing in the city.
Additionally, Daegu was considered the third major economic city in Korea, after Seoul and Busan. However, due to the decline of the textile industry, which is the heart of Daegu's economy, the overall economic growth of the city has also fallen.
Also, the city is the warmest region in South Korea due to the humid subtropical climate. This climate condition provides the region with high quality apples and oriental melons. The fruit industry is a crucial support for the local economy. However, because of the Korean Peninsula’s change in climate due to global warming, the sweetness and popularity of Daegu’s fruits has declined.
Due to the stagnant economy, Daegu’s population began to decrease after 2003. Recently, the local government has begun focusing on working towards economic revival and concentrating on improving the city’s fashion industry.
industry based on its textile and clothing
manufacturing industries under the 'Daegu: Fashion City'. The city opens many exhibitions related to the fashion and textile industries including the Daegu Fashion Fair and Preview in Daegu annually or semi-annually, and invites national institutes. A large new town specializing in the textile-fashion industries is currently under construction in Bongmu-dong, northeastern Daegu. The district, officially named Esiapolis, takes aim at the fashion hub of East Asia. Textile complexes, textile-fashion institutions, an international school, fashion malls as well as residential areas plan to be developed in the district.
was strong; today there are still many temples. Confucianism
was popular in Daegu, with a large academy based in the city. Neon cross-topped spires of Christian churches can also be seen in the city.
on the top of Gwanbong, Palgongsan
. It is famous for its stone gat (Korean traditional hat). People from all over the country visit the place, because they believe that the Buddha will grant one's single desire. Administratively, the site itself is located in the neighboring city, Gyeongsan
, Gyeongbuk.
On the outskirts of the city, mountains keep many traditional and renowned temples such as Donghwasa
, Pagyesa, and Buinsa ("-sa" means temple). Donghwasa itself dates from the Silla
period, and many artifacts of the period are found around the temple in northern Daegu. Some lecture halls or memorial halls such as Dodong-seowon (도동서원, 道東書院) and Nokdong-seowon (녹동서원, 鹿洞書院) are also located in the suburbs. Those places have served as resting places for the citizens mentally and physically. The old villages such as the Otgol village
(Gyeongju Choi clan's original residence area) and the Inheung village (Nampyeong Muns) rarely remain.
In the urban area, the Joseon Dynasty
's administrative or educational buildings including Gyeongsang-gamyeong (경상감영, 慶尙監營) and Daegu-hyanggyo (대구향교, 大邱鄕校) remain. The main gateway of the city in that period called Yeongnam-jeilmun (영남제일문, 嶺南第一門, means the first gateway in Yeongnam
) is restored in Mangudang Park, east of Daegu.
Western style modern architectures like Gyesan Cathedral and the old building of Jeil Church are preserved in many places of the urban area. Gyesan Cathedral is the third oldest gothic church building in Korea and the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Daegu which is one of three archdioceses in South Korea
. Several buildings, in the present Keisung Academy and the KNU
middle/high school, are famous too.
Yangnyeongsi (약령시, 藥令市) in Namseongno (often called Yakjeon-golmok) is the oldest market for Korean medicinal herbs in the country with a history of 350 years. Bongsan-dong which has some art galleries and studios is being developed as the artistic center of the city since the 1990s.
Nearby tourist attractions include Haeinsa
—a Buddhist
temple that houses the Tripitaka Koreana
(a woodblock edition of the Tripitaka
and one of the world's oldest extant complete collections of the Buddhist scriptures)—. Haeinsa is located in Gayasan National Park of Hapcheon
, Gyeongnam. The historic city of Gyeongju
, Gyeongbuk, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla
is located east of Daegu.
, Biseulsan
, and Apsan are the representative mountains in Daegu ("-san" means mountain). Apsan, just in the southern part of the city, is the closest mountain from the urban area among them. It has many trails, Buddhist
temples, a Korean War museum, and a gondola ride to the peak. Additionally, Waryongsan, Hamjisan, and Yongjibong are located in the city. These serve as neighborhood parks to the citizens.
In the urban area, several small mountains and hills play the same role. Dalseong Park, sits inside a 1500-year-old earth fortress, is a historic place of the city. It contains the city's only zoo
and some monuments as well as the wall. Duryu Park or Duryusan is a large forest in the middle of the urban area. It has Daegu Tower, Woobang Land, Kolon Bandstand, Duryu Stadium, and many sports facilities. Daegu Tower, also called Woobang Tower or Duryu Tower, is the tallest contemporary structure (202 m) and the symbol of today Daegu. Its observatory commands good views of the city. Woobang Land is the largest amusement park out of the capital area. Many small gardens in the heart of the city such as the National Debt Repayment Movement Memorial Park (Gukchae Bosang Park) and 2·28 Park, are loved by people. The former park includes Dalgubeol-daejong (달구벌대종, 達句伐大鐘, means the Dalgubeol grand bell), a symbolic bell of the city. The bell is struck every week and year.
to Jungang pachulso (central police station) near the Banwoldang subway station in the center of the city Jung-gu
. It has the Jungangno subway station as the nearest station from its heart. Like its name meaning the street in the east fortress, the eastern part of Daegu-eupseong (대구읍성, 大邱邑城, means the Daegu-Principality Fortress) was situated along this street. The fortress, however, had been demolished in the early 20th century. Although Daegu is the nation's third or fourth largest city, the Dongseongno area form the largest and the broadest downtown area in the whole country except the capital city, Seoul
. In most cases, famous brands open their branch shop first here out of the Greater Seoul area.
Sub-downtowns in the city have its own commercial powers and colors. The area around the Seongseo Industrial Complex subway station in Dalseo-gu
is a concentration of many amusement spots, and young people easily can be seen around Kyungpook National University
in Buk-gu. Deuran-gil (means the street inside the field) in Suseong-gu
is known for many restaurants.
The city has a number of department stores. Many of these belong to national or multinational chains, but the local Daegu Department Store
also operates two branches, while another local chain, Donga Department Store
operates four in the city proper. The six department stores among them gather at the downtown. The traditional markets such as Seomun Market
and Chilseong Market sell all sorts of goods.
Lately in the city, enthusiasm about performing arts is growing and the local government is trying to meet its demand. Daegu International Opera Festival
(DIOF), Daegu International Musical Festival (DIMF), and Daegu International Bodypainting Festival (DIBF) are three of the most famous festivals on each field in Korea, although those have short histories.
Various festivals in various themes like the Colorful Daegu Festival, Dongseongno festival, Palgongsan
maple festival, Biseulsan
azalea festival, Korea in Motion Daegu, and so on, are held by the city, each ward, or the specific groups, all through the year.
On August 25 through August 31, 2008, Daegu hosted the first ever Asian Bodypainting Festival, a sister event of the World Bodypainting Festival
in Seeboden
, Austria
.
On March 27, 2007, the city was selected to host the 2011 World Championships in Athletics
. Daegu competed with cities such as Moscow
, Russia
and Brisbane
, Australia
to earn the votes of the IAAF Council. This event will be the fourth IAAF World Championships in Athletics
to be held outside Europe, and the first games in mainland Asia. It will be also the third worldwide sports event held in Korea after the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul and 2002 FIFA World Cup
in Korea and Japan. Daegu also hosted three matches in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and the 2003 Summer Universiade
. The city hosts the Colorful Daegu Pre-Championships Meeting every year since 2005.
Daegu Stadium is the second largest sports complex in South Korea as a seating capacity of 66,422. Daegu simin undongjang
hosted some soccer matches at the Seoul Olympics. Now the city is planning a new baseball stadium.
, and TBC. These are affiliated companies of central broadcasting stations in Seoul just like other local broadcasting companies in South Korea. TBC (Taegu Broadcasting Corporation) depends on SBS. They cover to Gyeongsangbuk-do out of the city. Each television broadcasting company has its own radio station as well.
and Southeast Asia
work in automotive-parts factories on the city's west side. In addition, there is a small group of English
-speaking Westerners working in English schools and university programs. The American military bases are also home to several thousand Americans. Recently Chinese students have begun studying Korean at universities in Daegu, and there is an increasing number of graduate and post-graduate students from other Asian countries. As elsewhere in Korea, Korean food overwhelmingly dominates; Chinese, Japanese and Western food forms the bulk of non-Korean food but recently Indian and Russian foods have become available.
Daegu hosts three American
military bases, Camp Henry, which house Daegu American School, Camp George and Camp Walker. Camp Walker houses Daegu American School for high school children, while Camp George hold the school for elementary and middle school (both of which are primarily for children of military personnel). Camp George also houses most of the [Enlisted]ranked soldiers. Camp Henry serves as the primary place of work for all the military personnel. Camp Walker services as the home to Officer ranked soldiers Major and up. Although non-military families can enroll their children at the school, most either home-school their children or send them to a small Christian private school which teaches about 25 children near the central business district of Daegu.
and Taegu Foreign Language High School
, and some other high schools such as Keisung Academy, Gyeongsin High School and Daeryun High School have good grades for university admission. Most of well-known high schools are located in Suseong-gu
. Because its educational grade and zeal are high standard in the country.
Also, Daegu has 4 independent private high schools like Keisung Academy(also called Keisung High School), Gyeongsin High School, Gyeong-il Girl's High School, Daegun Catholic High School.
Daegu and its satellite towns are one of the areas which have the most large private higher educational institutions in Korea. Many of their main campuses are located in the nearby Gyeongsan
city which serves the Daegu region as a college town
. Kyungpook National University
(KNU) is one of the most highly ranked and well organized national universities in Korea. It holds first place in and around the city in almost all of the fields. Daegu has two of the most prestigious private universities outside Seoul, Keimyung University
and Yeungnam University
. There are some smaller private universities such as Catholic University of Daegu
and Daegu University
. Daegu National University of Education
offers elementary education training.
The other universities and colleges include Daegu Arts University
, Daegu Cyber University
, Daegu Haany University
, Daegu Health College
, Daegu Mirae College
, Daegu Polytechnic College
, Daegu Technical College
, Daegu University of Foreign Studies
, Daeshin University, Keimyung College University, Kyongbuk Science University, Kyongbuk University of Foreign Studies, Kyungil University, Taekyeung College, Yeungjin College
, Yeungnam College of Science and Technology
, and Youngnam Theological College and Seminary
.
s make the city the medical hub of south-eastern Korea. The Kyungpook National University Hospital, founded as Daegu-dongin-uiwon in 1907, is the well-known hospital in the city. The Dongsan Hospital (attached to Keimyung University), founded as Jejungwon in 1899, is one of the oldest western style medical clinics in Korea. The Yeungnam University Medical Center has the largest beds in the city. The yearly treatment amount of these tertiary hospitals is the second largest in South Korea after that of Seoul. The Daegu Catholic University Medical Center is also included in them.
passes through the city. The largest railroad station in the city, Dongdaegu Station
has the second largest passenger traffic in Korea after Seoul Station
, and the largest train traffic. The station re-opened in 2004 after extensive renovations serves the KTX highspeed train, Saemaul and Mugunghwa
trains. All kinds of trains except KTX depart from Daegu Station
, an all-new building with cinemas, restaurants and a department store, located near the city centre. It has the tenth largest passenger traffic in Korea. Daegu Line
branches off from Gacheon Station
of Gyeongbu Line.
system, consisting of two heavy rail lines. Line 1
crosses the city from northeast to southwest, while Line 2
crosses from west to east. Line 3 from northwest to southeast is under construction as an elevated monorail
. All the lines are and will be operated by the Daegu Metropolitan Transit Corporation (DTRO). Another line will operate in a few years as a heavy rail system using the Gumi–Daegu–Gyeongsan section of Gyeongbu Line. Line 4 is a long-range plan and will be a circle line. Fare is 1100 won on distance and 950 won with a prepaid card. There is a free interchange scheme between the metro and bus within an hour of first use for the prepaid card users.
fare costs around 1100 won
, Limited express bus fare would set you back around 1500 won. Discounted fare is available with a prepaid card.
Bus route numbers are made up with 3 digits, each number indicates the area that bus serves. For example, number 407 bus runs from zone four, to zone zero, and then to zone seven. Other routes, usually circular, are named for the districts they serve and numbered 1 through 3.
Traffic is sometimes heavy, however, the major thoroughfares handle fairly high volumes of traffic without too much trouble.
(international/domestic) located in northeastern Daegu.
Industrialists
Religious
Writers/composers
Actors
Sports
Beauties
Teen idols
Others
(1981) Almaty
, Kazakhstan
(1990) Qingdao
, People's Republic of China
(1993) Minas Gerais
, Brazil
(1994) Hiroshima
, Japan
(1997) Saint Petersburg
, Russia
(1997) Milan
, Italy
(1998) Plovdiv
, Bulgaria
(2002) Taipei
, Taiwan
(2010)
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, the fourth largest after Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, and Incheon
Incheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the surrounding Gyeongsangbuk-do
Gyeongsangbuk-do
Gyeongsangbuk-do or shortly Gyeongbuk is a province in eastern South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, then became part of South Korea.The Gyeongsangbuk-do Office is...
province
Administrative divisions of South Korea
||South Korea is divided into 8 provinces , 1 special autonomous province , 6 metropolitan cities , and 1 special city...
, although it is not legally part of the province. The two areas combined are often referred to as Daegu-Gyeongbuk
Daegu-Gyeongbuk
Daegu-Gyeongbuk is the compound word of Daegu and Gyeongbuk , and indicates both administrative provinces in South Korea. With a population of 5.05 million, the region usually forms the same political, economic, and cultural area, although it is not an administratively unitary region...
, with a total population of over 5 million.
Daegu is located in south-eastern Korea about 80 km from the seacoast, near the Geumho River
Geumho River
The Geumho River flows through North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, and drains into the Nakdong River. It rises in the hilly area of western Pohang, flows west for 116 kilometers before its meeting with the Nakdong in western Daegu. It drains an area of more than 2,000 square kilometers. ...
and its mainstream, Nakdong River
Nakdong River
The Nakdong River is the longest river in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and Busan.-Geography:...
in Gyeongsang-do. The Daegu basin, where the city lies, is the central plain of the Yeongnam
Yeongnam
Yeongnam is the name of a region that coincides with the former Gyeongsang Province in what is now South Korea....
region, making the city the natural center of the region's politics, economy, and culture.
In ancient times, Daegu was part of the Silla Kingdom which was the first successful attempt to unify
Unified Silla
Unified Silla or Later Silla is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, when it conquered Baekje in 660 and Goguryeo in 668, unifying the southern portion of the Korean peninsula...
the Korean Peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
. During the Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
period, the city was the capital of Gyeongsang-do which was one of eight provinces of the country. Daegu was an important motor during South Korea's rapid economic growth period (1960s–1980s) and is currently focused on becoming a leading center in Korea for the fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
and high-tech industries. Due to its status as a cultural center, popular nicknames for Daegu include "Apple City", "Beauty City", "Textile City", and "Fashion City".
Prehistory and early history
Archaeological investigations in the Greater Daegu area have revealed a large number of settlements and burials of the prehistoric Mumun Pottery PeriodMumun pottery period
The Mumun pottery period is an archaeological era in Korean prehistory that dates to approximately 1500-300 BC This period is named after the Korean name for undecorated or plain cooking and storage vessels that form a large part of the pottery assemblage over the entire length of the period, but...
(c. 1500-300 B.C.). In fact, some of the earliest evidence of Mumun settlement in Gyeongsangdo have been excavated from Siji-dong and Seobyeon-dong. Dongcheon-dong is one of the substantial Mumun agricultural villages that have been excavated. The Dongcheon-dong site dates to the Middle Mumun (c. 850-550 B.C.) and contains the remains of many prehistoric pit-houses and agricultural fields. Megalithic burials (dolmens) have also been found in large numbers in Daegu.
Ancient historical texts indicate that during the Proto–Three Kingdoms of Korea period, Daegu was the site of a chiefdom or walled-town polity known in historical records as Dalgubeol. The first mention of Dalgubeol is dated to 261. We know nothing of the earlier history of Dalgubeol, and little of what came later, except that it was absorbed into the kingdom of Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
no later than the fifth century. The vestiges of the wall at that time are seen, and then relics were excavated in the current Dalseong Park
Dalseong Park
Dalseong Park is a park located in Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea. The park includes Gwanpungnu Pavilion, a local history hall, a zoo, and some monuments.-History:...
.
Silla
Silla defeated the other two kingdoms of the Three Kingdoms of KoreaThree Kingdoms of Korea
The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium...
in the late 7th century, with assistance from Tang
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
China. Shortly thereafter, in 689, Silla's King Sinmun
Sinmun of Silla
Sinmun of Silla was the thirty-first king of Silla, a Korean state that originated in the southwestern Korean peninsula and went on to unify most of the peninsula under its rule in the mid 7th century. He was the eldest son of Silla's unifier-king, Munmu and Queen Jaeui...
considered moving the capital from Gyeongju
Gyeongju
Gyeongju is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, covering with a population of 269,343 people according to the 2008 census. Gyeongju is southeast of Seoul, and east of the...
to Daegu, but was unable to do so. We know of this initiative only through a single line in the Samguk Sagi
Samguk Sagi
Samguk Sagi is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. The Samguk Sagi is written in Classical Chinese and its compilation was ordered by Goryeo's King Injong Samguk Sagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of...
, but it is presumed that it indicates both an attempt by the Silla king to augment royal authority and the entrenched resistance of the Gyeongju political elites that was the likely cause of the move's failure. The city was given its current name in 757.
In the late 1990s archaeologists excavated a large scale fortified Silla site in Dongcheon-dong, Buk-gu. The site at Locality 2 consists of the remains of 39 raised-floor buildings enclosed by a formidable ditch-and-palisade system. The excavators hypothesize that the fortified site was a permanent military encampment or barracks. Archaeologists also uncovered a large Silla village dating to the 6th to 7th centuries AD at Siji-dong.
Later Three Kingdoms and Goryeo
During the Later Three Kingdoms period, 892–936, Daegu was initially aligned with HubaekjeHubaekje
Hubaekje, or Later Baekje, was one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea, along with Hugoguryeo and Silla. It was officially founded by the disaffected Silla general Gyeon Hwon in 900, and fell to Wanggeon's Goryeo army in 936. Its capital was at Jeonju, in present-day North Jeolla province...
. In 927, northern Daegu was the site of the Battle of Gong Mountain between the forces of Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
under Wang Geon and those of Hubaekje under Gyeon Hwon
Gyeon Hwon
Gyeon Hwon was the king and founder of Hubaekje, one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea. Some records render his name as "Jin Hwon" . He was also the progenitor of the Hwanggan Gyeon clan...
. In this battle, the forces of Goryeo were crushed and Wang Geon himself was saved only by the heroism of his general Shin Sung-gyeom
Shin Sung-gyeom
Shin Sung-gyeom was a Korean general during the turbulent Later Three Kingdoms period in the early 10th century. Born in Gwanghaeju , he became a general in the kingdom of Taebong...
. However, it appears that the conduct of the Hubaekje forces at this time changed local sympathies to favor Wang Geon, who later became the king of Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
.
Numerous place-names and local legends around Daegu still bear witness to the historic battle of 927. Among these are "Ansim
Ansim Station
Ansim Station is a station of Daegu Subway Line 1 at Dong-gu in Daegu, South Korea.This is the terminus of Daegu Subway Line 1.The name of the station comes from the King of Goryeo, who was victorious in battles with Hubaekje, and felt relieved when he went to the location now occupied by the...
", which literally means "peace of mind", said to be the first place where Wang Geon dared to stop after escaping the battle, and "Banwol", or half-moon, where he is said to have stopped and admired the moon before returning to Goryeo. A statue commemorating the battle now stands in northern Daegu, as does a memorial to Sin Sunggyeom.
In the Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
period, the first edition of the Tripitaka Koreana
Tripitaka Koreana
The Tripitaka Koreana or Palman Daejanggyeong is a Korean collection of the Tripitaka , carved onto 81,258 wooden printing blocks in the 13th century...
was stored in Daegu, at the temple of Buinsa. However, this edition was destroyed when the temple was sacked in 1254, during the Mongol invasions of Korea
Mongol invasions of Korea
The Mongol invasions of Korea consisted of a series of campaigns by the Mongol Empire against Korea, then known as Goryeo, from 1231 to 1270...
.
Joseon
Always an important transportation center, in the Joseon Dynasty Daegu lay on the Great Yeongnam RoadGreat Yeongnam Road
The Great Yeongnam Road, or Yeongnamdaero, was one of the principal roads of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty, 1392-1910. It ran between Hanseong and Dongnae . More generally, it served to connect the Gyeongsang province to the capital. It takes its name from Yeongnam, an alternate name for the...
which ran between Seoul and Busan. It lay at the junction of this arterial road and the roads to Gyeongju and Jinju
Jinju
Jinju is a city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It was the location of the first and second Sieges of Jinju by Japanese forces during the Imjin War...
.
In 1601, Daegu became the administrative capital of the Gyeongsang-do, which is current Daegu, Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, Ulsan
Ulsan
Ulsan , officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's seventh largest metropolis with a population of over 1.1 million. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring Busan to the south and facing Gyeongju to the north and the Sea of Japan to the east.Ulsan is the...
, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Gyeongsangbuk-do
Gyeongsangbuk-do or shortly Gyeongbuk is a province in eastern South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, remained a province of Korea until the country's division in 1945, then became part of South Korea.The Gyeongsangbuk-do Office is...
, and Gyeongsangnam-do
Gyeongsangnam-do
Gyeongsangnam-do is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Changwon. It contains the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. Located there is UNESCO World Heritage Site Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple that houses the Tripitaka Koreana and attracts many...
. At about that time, the city began to grow into the national major city. The status was continued for nearly three hundred years, then the city has been the capital of Gyeongsangbuk-do since Gyeongsang-do was divided into two provinces, Gyeongsangbuk-do (means the northern Gyeongsang-do) and Gyeongsangnam-do (southern) in 1896.
Daegu's first regular markets were established during the late Joseon period. The most famous of these is the Yangnyeongsi herbal medicine market. This became a center of herbal trade in Joseon, and even attracted buyers from neighboring countries. Traders from Japan, who were not permitted to leave the Nakdong River
Nakdong River
The Nakdong River is the longest river in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and Busan.-Geography:...
valley, hired messengers to visit the market on their behalf. Seomun Market
Seomun Market
Seomun Market is the largest Korean traditional market in Daegu, South Korea, containing more than 4,000 shops. Seomun Market is particularly known as a source for textiles and sewing services, a key ingredient of Daegu's fashion industry....
which stood at the city's west gate at that time, was one of the top three markets in the Joseon period.
Korean Empire and Colonial rule
Korea began to open to the world in the late 19th century. In 1895, Daegu became the site of one of the country's first modern post officePost office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
s, as part of the reforms enforced after the murder of Empress Myeongseong
Empress Myeongseong
Empress Myeongseong , also known as Queen Min, was the first official wife of King Gojong, the twenty-sixth king of the Joseon dynasty of Korea...
.
Beginning in the late 1890s, many foreign merchants and workers came to Daegu, which further lay on the newly-constructed Gyeongbu Line
Gyeongbu Line
The Gyeongbu Line is the most important railway line in South Korea and one of the oldest. It was constructed by Japan in 1905, connecting Seoul to Suwon, Daejeon, Daegu, and Busan. The Gyeongbu Line is by far the most heavily travelled rail line in South Korea...
railroad connecting Seoul and Busan.
In 1905, the old fortress wall was surreptitiously destroyed. The rest of the fortress wall is remembered only through the names such as the streets Dongseongno and Bukseongno, "east fortress street" and "north fortress street", which now run where the wall once stood.
The Korean independence movements were active in Daegu. These began as early as 1898, when a branch of the Independence Club
Independence Club
The Independence Club was founded through the initiative of Philip Jaisohn on July 2, 1896, by the Korean Ministry of Foreign affairs.-See also:*Tongnip Sinmun *People's joint association*Seo Jae-pil...
was established in the city. As the demise of the Korean Empire
Korean Empire
The Greater Korean Empire was an empire of Korea that succeeded the Joseon Dynasty.In October 1897, Emperor Gojong proclaimed the new entity at Gyeongungung Palace and oversaw the partially successful modernization of the military, economy, land system, education system, and various industries...
approached in 1907, local citizens led by Seo Sang-don organized the National Debt Repayment Movement
National Debt Repayment Movement
The National Debt Repayment Movement was a movement by the people of the Korean Empire to repay their country's debt through collecting individual donations. It was started by Seo Sang-dong of Daegu on 30 January, 1907. At that time the national debt was 13 million won...
. This movement spread nationwide, although it was unsuccessful in its attempt to repay the country's debt through individual donations. Resistance activities continued after the 1910 annexation, notably during the March 1st movement
March 1st Movement
The March 1st Movement, or Samil Movement, was one of the earliest public displays of Korean resistance during the occupation of the Korean Empire by Japan. The name refers to an event that occurred on March 1, 1919, hence the movement's name, literally meaning "Three-One Movement" or "March First...
of 1919. At that time, four major demonstrations took place in Daegu, involving an estimated 23,000 people.
Partition
After the liberation in 1945, Daegu was a hotbed of unrest. In October 1946, the Daegu uprising took place, one of the most serious incidents of unrest after the foundation of South Korea. where police attempts to control rioters on October 1 caused the death of three student demonstrators and injuries to many others, sparking a mass counter-attack killing 38 policemen. It was also the site of major demonstrations on February 28, 1960, prior to the fraudulent presidential election of that year.Daegu and all of North Gyeongsang saw heavy guerrilla activity in the late 1940s, as thousands of refugees arrived from the fighting in Jeolla. In November 1948, a unit in Daegu joined the mutiny which had begun in Yeosu
Yeosu
Yeosu is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Old Yeosu City, which was founded in 1949, Yeocheon City, founded in 1986, and Yeocheon County were merged into a new city in 1998....
the previous month.
During the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, much heavy fighting occurred nearby along the Nakdong River
Nakdong River
The Nakdong River is the longest river in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and Busan.-Geography:...
. Daegu sat inside the Pusan Perimeter, however, and therefore remained in South Korean hands throughout the war. As in many other areas during the Korean War, political killings of dissenters were widespread. A large series of engagements were fought around the city to prevent North Korean troops from crossing the Nakdong, the Battle of Taegu
Battle of Taegu
The Battle of Taegu was an engagement between UN and North Korean forces early in the Korean War, with fighting continuing from August 5–20, 1950 around the city of Taegu, South Korea. It was a part of the Battle of Pusan Perimeter, and was one of several large engagements fought simultaneously...
.
In the second half of the twentieth century, the city underwent explosive growth, and the population has increased more than tenfold since the end of the Korean War. The city was heavily politically favored during the long military dictatorship of Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee was a Republic of Korea Army general and the leader of South Korea from 1961 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979. He has been credited with the industrialization of the Republic of Korea through export-led growth...
, when it and the surrounding area served as his political base. Conservative political movements remain powerful in Daegu today. Daegu is a political base for Korea's ruling Grand National Party
Grand National Party
The Grand National Party is a conservative political party in South Korea. Its Korean name, Hannara, has a double meaning as "Great National" and "Korean National." The GNP holds a majority of seats in the 18th Assembly, lasting from 2008 to 2012....
.
In the 1980s, Daegu separated from Gyeongsangbuk-do and became a separately administered provincial-level Directly Governed City
Special cities of Korea
In both North and South Korea, a special city, a metropolitan city, or a directly governed city is a city that has a status equivalent to that of a province...
(Jikhalsi), and was redesignated as a Metropolitan City
Special cities of Korea
In both North and South Korea, a special city, a metropolitan city, or a directly governed city is a city that has a status equivalent to that of a province...
(Gwangyeoksi) in 1995. Today, Daegu is the 3rd largest metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
in Korea with respect to both population and commerce.
Politics
There are two local governments in the city, the Daegu Metropolitan Government in Jung-guJung-gu, Daegu
Jung-gu is a gu, or district, covering the downtown area of Daegu, South Korea. It borders most of the other districts of Daegu, including Nam-gu to the south, Seo-gu to the west, Buk-gu to the north, and Dong-gu and Suseong-gu to the east...
and Gyeongbuk Provincial Government in Buk-gu. The provincial government will be relocated to Andong
Andong
Andong is a city in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea. It is the largest city in the northern part of the province with a population of 167,821 in October 2010. The Nakdong River flows through the city...
in its proper province, Gyeongbuk. The mayor and heads of city's eight districts are directly elected by the citizens every four years. The city council has twenty nine members which consist of twenty six from the same number of electoral districts and three proportional representations. They are also directly elected every four years. Most of them are the members of the Grand National Party
Grand National Party
The Grand National Party is a conservative political party in South Korea. Its Korean name, Hannara, has a double meaning as "Great National" and "Korean National." The GNP holds a majority of seats in the 18th Assembly, lasting from 2008 to 2012....
(Hannara-dang), the main conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
political party in South Korea. Daegu is the home to the party and has produced many Presidents of the Republic of Korea. As the capital of the Korean conservatives, the city has strong political power.
Administrative divisions
Daegu is divided into 7 districts (Gu) and 1 county (Gun)
- Jung-guJung-gu, DaeguJung-gu is a gu, or district, covering the downtown area of Daegu, South Korea. It borders most of the other districts of Daegu, including Nam-gu to the south, Seo-gu to the west, Buk-gu to the north, and Dong-gu and Suseong-gu to the east...
(중구, 中區) – means the central district. - Dong-gu (동구, 東區) – means the east district.
- Seo-guSeo-gu, DaeguSeo-gu is a gu, or district, in western Daegu, South Korea. A major transportation nexus, it is transected by the Gyeongbu, Guma, 88, and Jungang Expressways. It is also connected to the downtown region and to Dalseong County by Daegu Subway Line 2...
(서구, 西區) – means the west district. - Nam-guNam-gu, DaeguNam-gu is a district in central Daegu. It borders Dalseong-gun to the south, Dalseo-gu to the west, Seo-gu to the northwest, Jung-gu to the north, and Suseong-gu to the east.-External links:*...
(남구, 南區) – means the south district. - Buk-gu (북구, 北區) – means the north district.
- Suseong-guSuseong-guSuseong-gu is a gu, or district, in southeastern Daegu, South Korea. It is one of the more prosperous and high-density areas of Daegu, and is the site of the city's most extensive hagwon district....
(수성구, 壽城區) - Dalseo-guDalseo-guDalseo-gu is a district in western Daegu, South Korea. It borders Dalseong-gun on the north, south, and west, and Seo-gu and Nam-gu on the east. It has a population of about 610,000, and an area of 62.27 square kilometers...
(달서구, 達西區) - Dalseong-gunDalseong-gunDalseong-gun or Dalseong County is a gun occupying much of south and western Daegu, South Korea. A largely rural district lying along the Nakdong River, it makes up nearly half of Daegu's total area...
(달성군, 達城郡)
Topography
Daegu sits in a basin surrounded by low mountains. PalgongsanPalgongsan
Palgongsan, also Palgong Mountain, is a mountain in southeastern South Korea, lying on an outlier of the Taebaek range. It stands on the border between Daegu metropolitan city and North Gyeongsang province...
to the north, Biseulsan
Biseulsan
Biseulsan is a mountain of Gyeongsangbuk-do, eastern South Korea. It has an altitude of 1084 metres....
to the south, Waryongsan to the west, and a series of smaller hills in the east. The Geumho River
Geumho River
The Geumho River flows through North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, and drains into the Nakdong River. It rises in the hilly area of western Pohang, flows west for 116 kilometers before its meeting with the Nakdong in western Daegu. It drains an area of more than 2,000 square kilometers. ...
flows along the northern and eastern edges of the city, emptying in the Nakdong River west of the city.
Climate
Daegu has a humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
. The mountains that comprise the basin trap hot and humid air. Similarly, in winter, cold air lies in the basin. The area receives little precipitation except during the rainy season of summer, and is sunny throughout much of the year. Data gathered since 1961 indicates that the mean temperature for January, the coldest month in Daegu, is 0.6 °C (33 °F) and that for August, the warmest month, is 26.4 °C (80 °F). The City's lowest record temperature was −20.2 °C, and the City's highest record temperature was 40 °C (104 °F).
Economy
Daegu is a manufacturing industry city. The major industries are textileTextile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
s, metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
s and machinery. The quality of the apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s grown around the city is renowned around Korea. Many companies such as Daegu Bank, Korea Delphi, Hwasung corp., and TaeguTec
TaeguTec
TaeguTec Ltd. , formerly known as Korea Tungsten Co. , is a multi-national corporation headquartered in Daegu, Korea. It is the largest cutting tools manufacturer in the Far East, also Korea’s largest manufacturer of tungsten cutting tools and hard metal tools with the only integrated tungsten...
are situated in this city, and Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
and Kolon were founded here. Numerous factories are located in the industrial complexes situated in the west and north sides of the city including the Seongseo Industrial Complex, West Daegu Industrial Complex and the Daegu Dyeing Industrial Complex.
The city is the economic and industrial core of the Daegu-Gyeongbuk
Daegu-Gyeongbuk
Daegu-Gyeongbuk is the compound word of Daegu and Gyeongbuk , and indicates both administrative provinces in South Korea. With a population of 5.05 million, the region usually forms the same political, economic, and cultural area, although it is not an administratively unitary region...
region, one of the major industrial areas in Korea. It accounted for as much as 94 percent of Korea's trade surplus in 2006. The electronics industries in Gumi and the steel industries in Pohang
Pohang
Pohang is a city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, and a main seaport in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region. The built-up area of Pohang is located on the alluvium of the mouth of the Hyeongsan River...
provided great services to that surplus. World-leading manufacturing facilities for Anycall
Anycall
Anycall is a South Korean mobile phone brand established by Samsung Electronics in 1993. Like other mobile phone brands in South Korea, they provide technology such as cameras, internet access, and digital TV through Digital Multimedia Broadcasting.Samsung mobile phones are sold through the...
(Samsung Mobile) and POSCO
POSCO
POSCO is a multinational steel-making company headquartered in Pohang, South Korea. It is the world's third-largest steelmaker by market value and the most profitable Asia-based steelmaker....
's main factories are located near the city. Daegu and its neighbouring cities were designated for the Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone
Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone
The Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone is a Free Economic Zone located in the southeastern part of South Korea. DGFEZ has 10 sites spanning 32.55km2 in parts of Daegu Metropolitan City and Gyeongsangbukdo Province...
by the central government in 2008. It is specialized in knowledge-based service and manufacturing industries.
Historically, Daegu has been the commercial center of the southern part of the Korean Peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
with Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
in the center and Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
in the north (currently North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
), because of its advantageous location. Some of the large, traditional markets like Seomun Market
Seomun Market
Seomun Market is the largest Korean traditional market in Daegu, South Korea, containing more than 4,000 shops. Seomun Market is particularly known as a source for textiles and sewing services, a key ingredient of Daegu's fashion industry....
are still flourishing in the city.
Additionally, Daegu was considered the third major economic city in Korea, after Seoul and Busan. However, due to the decline of the textile industry, which is the heart of Daegu's economy, the overall economic growth of the city has also fallen.
Also, the city is the warmest region in South Korea due to the humid subtropical climate. This climate condition provides the region with high quality apples and oriental melons. The fruit industry is a crucial support for the local economy. However, because of the Korean Peninsula’s change in climate due to global warming, the sweetness and popularity of Daegu’s fruits has declined.
Due to the stagnant economy, Daegu’s population began to decrease after 2003. Recently, the local government has begun focusing on working towards economic revival and concentrating on improving the city’s fashion industry.
Fashion industry
Beginning in the late 1990s, Daegu has been actively making efforts to promote its fashionFashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
industry based on its textile and clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
manufacturing industries under the 'Daegu: Fashion City'. The city opens many exhibitions related to the fashion and textile industries including the Daegu Fashion Fair and Preview in Daegu annually or semi-annually, and invites national institutes. A large new town specializing in the textile-fashion industries is currently under construction in Bongmu-dong, northeastern Daegu. The district, officially named Esiapolis, takes aim at the fashion hub of East Asia. Textile complexes, textile-fashion institutions, an international school, fashion malls as well as residential areas plan to be developed in the district.
Culture and sightseeing
Generally, Daegu is known as a conservative city. As well as being the largest inland city in the country beside Seoul it has become one of the major metropolitan areas in the nation. Traditionally, BuddhismBuddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
was strong; today there are still many temples. Confucianism
Korean Confucianism
Korean Confucianism is the form of Confucianism developed in Korea. One of the most substantial influences in Korean intellectual history was the introduction of Confucian thought as part of the cultural influence from China...
was popular in Daegu, with a large academy based in the city. Neon cross-topped spires of Christian churches can also be seen in the city.
Sights
The most well-known sight of the city is the stone Buddha called GatbawiGatbawi
Gatbawi is a Buddhist statue in Daehan-ri, Wachon-myeon, Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do, the Republic of Korea. It was made in the Unified Silla Kingdom era and is well known with the name of Gatbawi Buddha...
on the top of Gwanbong, Palgongsan
Palgongsan
Palgongsan, also Palgong Mountain, is a mountain in southeastern South Korea, lying on an outlier of the Taebaek range. It stands on the border between Daegu metropolitan city and North Gyeongsang province...
. It is famous for its stone gat (Korean traditional hat). People from all over the country visit the place, because they believe that the Buddha will grant one's single desire. Administratively, the site itself is located in the neighboring city, Gyeongsan
Gyeongsan
Gyeongsan is a city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Its western border abuts the metropolitan city of Daegu, and much of Gyeongsan lies within the Daegu metropolitan area....
, Gyeongbuk.
On the outskirts of the city, mountains keep many traditional and renowned temples such as Donghwasa
Donghwasa
Donghwasa, also Donghwa Temple, is a Buddhist temple of the Jogye Order in northern Daegu, South Korea. The temple is located on the slopes of Palgongsan, within the boundaries of Dohak-dong, Dong-gu, near Daegu's northern border. It is the seat of the 9th region of the Jogye Order. The name...
, Pagyesa, and Buinsa ("-sa" means temple). Donghwasa itself dates from the Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
period, and many artifacts of the period are found around the temple in northern Daegu. Some lecture halls or memorial halls such as Dodong-seowon (도동서원, 道東書院) and Nokdong-seowon (녹동서원, 鹿洞書院) are also located in the suburbs. Those places have served as resting places for the citizens mentally and physically. The old villages such as the Otgol village
OtGol village
OtGol village is a Clan Village of Gyeongju Choi, being in 15 minutes distance at the East Daegu center by bus. "OtGol" is another name of DunSanDong which means a lot of lacquer trees in all aspects except for the south village. OtGol is consisted by about twenty house of Joseon Dynasty period....
(Gyeongju Choi clan's original residence area) and the Inheung village (Nampyeong Muns) rarely remain.
In the urban area, the Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
's administrative or educational buildings including Gyeongsang-gamyeong (경상감영, 慶尙監營) and Daegu-hyanggyo (대구향교, 大邱鄕校) remain. The main gateway of the city in that period called Yeongnam-jeilmun (영남제일문, 嶺南第一門, means the first gateway in Yeongnam
Yeongnam
Yeongnam is the name of a region that coincides with the former Gyeongsang Province in what is now South Korea....
) is restored in Mangudang Park, east of Daegu.
Western style modern architectures like Gyesan Cathedral and the old building of Jeil Church are preserved in many places of the urban area. Gyesan Cathedral is the third oldest gothic church building in Korea and the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Daegu which is one of three archdioceses in South Korea
Roman Catholicism in South Korea
The Roman Catholic Church in South Korea is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. The history of Catholicism in Korea began in 1784 when Yi Sung-hun was baptized while in China under the Christian name of Peter...
. Several buildings, in the present Keisung Academy and the KNU
Kyungpook National University
Kyungpook National University , abbreviated as Kyungdae, is a leading national university in Daegu, South Korea. The university is one of 10 Flagship Korean National Universities. It is one of the three best recognized and oldest national universities with Seoul National University and Pusan...
middle/high school, are famous too.
Yangnyeongsi (약령시, 藥令市) in Namseongno (often called Yakjeon-golmok) is the oldest market for Korean medicinal herbs in the country with a history of 350 years. Bongsan-dong which has some art galleries and studios is being developed as the artistic center of the city since the 1990s.
Nearby tourist attractions include Haeinsa
Haeinsa
Haeinsa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in the Gaya Mountains , South Gyeongsang Province South Korea...
—a Buddhist
Korean Buddhism
Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism. Early Korean monks believed that the traditions they received from foreign countries were internally inconsistent. To address this, they developed a new...
temple that houses the Tripitaka Koreana
Tripitaka Koreana
The Tripitaka Koreana or Palman Daejanggyeong is a Korean collection of the Tripitaka , carved onto 81,258 wooden printing blocks in the 13th century...
(a woodblock edition of the Tripitaka
Tripiṭaka
' is a traditional term used by various Buddhist sects to describe their various canons of scriptures. As the name suggests, a traditionally contains three "baskets" of teachings: a , a and an .-The three categories:Tripitaka is the three main categories of texts that make up the...
and one of the world's oldest extant complete collections of the Buddhist scriptures)—. Haeinsa is located in Gayasan National Park of Hapcheon
Hapcheon
Hapcheon County is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Famous people born in the county include former South Korean president Chun Doo-hwan.-Location:...
, Gyeongnam. The historic city of Gyeongju
Gyeongju
Gyeongju is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang province in South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, covering with a population of 269,343 people according to the 2008 census. Gyeongju is southeast of Seoul, and east of the...
, Gyeongbuk, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla
Silla
Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and one of the longest sustained dynasties in...
is located east of Daegu.
Mountains and parks
PalgongsanPalgongsan
Palgongsan, also Palgong Mountain, is a mountain in southeastern South Korea, lying on an outlier of the Taebaek range. It stands on the border between Daegu metropolitan city and North Gyeongsang province...
, Biseulsan
Biseulsan
Biseulsan is a mountain of Gyeongsangbuk-do, eastern South Korea. It has an altitude of 1084 metres....
, and Apsan are the representative mountains in Daegu ("-san" means mountain). Apsan, just in the southern part of the city, is the closest mountain from the urban area among them. It has many trails, Buddhist
Korean Buddhism
Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what it sees as inconsistencies in Mahayana Buddhism. Early Korean monks believed that the traditions they received from foreign countries were internally inconsistent. To address this, they developed a new...
temples, a Korean War museum, and a gondola ride to the peak. Additionally, Waryongsan, Hamjisan, and Yongjibong are located in the city. These serve as neighborhood parks to the citizens.
In the urban area, several small mountains and hills play the same role. Dalseong Park, sits inside a 1500-year-old earth fortress, is a historic place of the city. It contains the city's only zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
and some monuments as well as the wall. Duryu Park or Duryusan is a large forest in the middle of the urban area. It has Daegu Tower, Woobang Land, Kolon Bandstand, Duryu Stadium, and many sports facilities. Daegu Tower, also called Woobang Tower or Duryu Tower, is the tallest contemporary structure (202 m) and the symbol of today Daegu. Its observatory commands good views of the city. Woobang Land is the largest amusement park out of the capital area. Many small gardens in the heart of the city such as the National Debt Repayment Movement Memorial Park (Gukchae Bosang Park) and 2·28 Park, are loved by people. The former park includes Dalgubeol-daejong (달구벌대종, 達句伐大鐘, means the Dalgubeol grand bell), a symbolic bell of the city. The bell is struck every week and year.
Downtown and shopping
Dongseongno (동성로, 東城路) is the downtown of Daegu lying from the Daegu StationDaegu Station
Daegu Station is a railway station on Gyeongbu Line.- External links :...
to Jungang pachulso (central police station) near the Banwoldang subway station in the center of the city Jung-gu
Jung-gu, Daegu
Jung-gu is a gu, or district, covering the downtown area of Daegu, South Korea. It borders most of the other districts of Daegu, including Nam-gu to the south, Seo-gu to the west, Buk-gu to the north, and Dong-gu and Suseong-gu to the east...
. It has the Jungangno subway station as the nearest station from its heart. Like its name meaning the street in the east fortress, the eastern part of Daegu-eupseong (대구읍성, 大邱邑城, means the Daegu-Principality Fortress) was situated along this street. The fortress, however, had been demolished in the early 20th century. Although Daegu is the nation's third or fourth largest city, the Dongseongno area form the largest and the broadest downtown area in the whole country except the capital city, Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. In most cases, famous brands open their branch shop first here out of the Greater Seoul area.
Sub-downtowns in the city have its own commercial powers and colors. The area around the Seongseo Industrial Complex subway station in Dalseo-gu
Dalseo-gu
Dalseo-gu is a district in western Daegu, South Korea. It borders Dalseong-gun on the north, south, and west, and Seo-gu and Nam-gu on the east. It has a population of about 610,000, and an area of 62.27 square kilometers...
is a concentration of many amusement spots, and young people easily can be seen around Kyungpook National University
Kyungpook National University
Kyungpook National University , abbreviated as Kyungdae, is a leading national university in Daegu, South Korea. The university is one of 10 Flagship Korean National Universities. It is one of the three best recognized and oldest national universities with Seoul National University and Pusan...
in Buk-gu. Deuran-gil (means the street inside the field) in Suseong-gu
Suseong-gu
Suseong-gu is a gu, or district, in southeastern Daegu, South Korea. It is one of the more prosperous and high-density areas of Daegu, and is the site of the city's most extensive hagwon district....
is known for many restaurants.
The city has a number of department stores. Many of these belong to national or multinational chains, but the local Daegu Department Store
Daegu department store
Daegu Department Store is a South Korean department store franchise located in Daegu, the 4th largest city in South Korea. It has 2 branches in Daegu. "Daegu Baekhwajeom," the Korean name of the department store is often abbreviated to "Debec."...
also operates two branches, while another local chain, Donga Department Store
Donga department store
Donga Department Store is a South Korean department store franchise once based in Daegu. It has 4 branches in Daegu and 1 branch in Gumi, a nearby industrial city in Gyeongsangbuk-do. Along with Daegu Department Store, Donga Department Store used to be one of the few South Korean department store...
operates four in the city proper. The six department stores among them gather at the downtown. The traditional markets such as Seomun Market
Seomun Market
Seomun Market is the largest Korean traditional market in Daegu, South Korea, containing more than 4,000 shops. Seomun Market is particularly known as a source for textiles and sewing services, a key ingredient of Daegu's fashion industry....
and Chilseong Market sell all sorts of goods.
Festivals
Many traditional ceremonies and festivals in agrarian society disappeared in the process of modernization. A Confucian ritual ceremony called Seokjeondaeje is held at Daegu-hyanggyo every spring and autumn. The Yangnyeongsi herb medical festival and Otgol village festival are the contemporary festivals about traditional culture.Lately in the city, enthusiasm about performing arts is growing and the local government is trying to meet its demand. Daegu International Opera Festival
Daegu International Opera Festival
Daegu International Opera Festival is a festival that is opened in Daegu, South Korea.The festival is held every October or November.It is consist of an opera performance, a story house, a back stage tour, a opera cafe, opera in movie etc....
(DIOF), Daegu International Musical Festival (DIMF), and Daegu International Bodypainting Festival (DIBF) are three of the most famous festivals on each field in Korea, although those have short histories.
Various festivals in various themes like the Colorful Daegu Festival, Dongseongno festival, Palgongsan
Palgongsan
Palgongsan, also Palgong Mountain, is a mountain in southeastern South Korea, lying on an outlier of the Taebaek range. It stands on the border between Daegu metropolitan city and North Gyeongsang province...
maple festival, Biseulsan
Biseulsan
Biseulsan is a mountain of Gyeongsangbuk-do, eastern South Korea. It has an altitude of 1084 metres....
azalea festival, Korea in Motion Daegu, and so on, are held by the city, each ward, or the specific groups, all through the year.
On August 25 through August 31, 2008, Daegu hosted the first ever Asian Bodypainting Festival, a sister event of the World Bodypainting Festival
World Bodypainting Festival
The World Bodypainting Festival is an annual festival. From 1998 to 2010 the Festival was held in Seeboden, Carinthia, Austria, near the Millstätter See, on the third week of July every year. The new venue is Pörtschach at lake Wörthersee.-History:...
in Seeboden
Seeboden
Seeboden is a village and municipality in the Spittal an der Drau district in Carinthia, Austria, EU.-Geography:-Location:Seeboden is located at the western end of the Millstätter See immediately next to the district capital Spittal an der Drau....
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
Museums
- Daegu National MuseumDaegu National MuseumDaegu National Museum is a national museum located in Hwanggeum-dong, Suseong-gu, Daegu, South Korea. It opened on December 7, 1994 and holds approximately 30,000 artifacts. Its main collection consists of archaeological objects from daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do region.-External links:*...
– A notable national museum collecting relics excavated in and around Daegu - Daegu Bangjja Yugi (Korean Bronzeware) Museum
- Hengso Museum of Keimyung University
- Korea Video Museum
- Kyungpook National University Museum
- Museum for Daegu National University of Education
- Museum of Natural Dye Arts
Theaters
- Daegu Opera House – The first theater in Korea only for performing opera
- Suseong Artpia
- Keimyung Art Center – One of the largest scale theaters in the city.
- Daegu Culture and Arts Center
Sports
2011 World Championships in Athletics
The 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition that was held in Daegu, South Korea. It started on 27 August 2011 and finished on 4 September 2011....
. Daegu competed with cities such as Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to earn the votes of the IAAF Council. This event will be the fourth IAAF World Championships in Athletics
IAAF World Championships in Athletics
The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
to be held outside Europe, and the first games in mainland Asia. It will be also the third worldwide sports event held in Korea after the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul and 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
in Korea and Japan. Daegu also hosted three matches in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and the 2003 Summer Universiade
2003 Summer Universiade
The 2003 Summer Universiade, also known as the XXII Summer Universiade, took place in Daegu, South Korea.-Emblem:* The alphabet letter "U" and five stars, which is FISU's emblem, make up the basis of the emblem for the Daegu Universiade....
. The city hosts the Colorful Daegu Pre-Championships Meeting every year since 2005.
Daegu Stadium is the second largest sports complex in South Korea as a seating capacity of 66,422. Daegu simin undongjang
Daegu Civil Stadium
Daegu Civic Stadium is a sports complex in Daegu, South Korea. Its main stadium is currently used mostly for football matches, but it is occasionally used to host large-scale karaoke events. During the 1986 Asian Games and 1988 Summer Olympics, it hosted some football matches. The stadium has a...
hosted some soccer matches at the Seoul Olympics. Now the city is planning a new baseball stadium.
Sports teams
| Club | Sport | League | Venue | Established |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Lions Samsung Lions Samsung Lions Baseball Club is a Korea Professional Baseball team founded in 1982. They are based in Daegu and are members of the Korean Baseball Organization. Their home stadium is Daegu Baseball Stadium... |
Baseball | KBO Korean Baseball Organization Korea Professional Baseball is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The Korean romanization is Hanguk Peuro Yagu , a league title which mirrors Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. Korea Professional Baseball was originally founded with six teams in 1982 and currently has eight... |
Daegu simin undongjang yagujang Daegu Baseball Stadium Daegu Baseball Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Daegu, South Korea. It is currently used mostly for baseball games and is the home stadium of Samsung Lions. The stadium holds 13,941 people and was built in 1948.... |
1982 |
| Daegu FC Daegu FC Daegu Football Club, commonly referred to as Daegu FC , is a South Korean professional football club based in Daegu. The club was founded as a community team at the end of 2002, and the club made their K-League debut in 2003. Historically, Daegu have always placed in the lower reaches of the... |
Football | K-League K-League The Korea Professional Football League is South Korea's only fully professional association football league. At the top of the South Korean football league system, it is the country's highest and most prestigious level of football competition currently contested by 16 clubs.-Establishment:The... |
Daegu Stadium | 2003 |
Media
There are three terrestrial TV broadcasting stations in the city: KBS Daegu Broadcast Station, Daegu MBCMunhwa Broadcasting Corporation
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
, and TBC. These are affiliated companies of central broadcasting stations in Seoul just like other local broadcasting companies in South Korea. TBC (Taegu Broadcasting Corporation) depends on SBS. They cover to Gyeongsangbuk-do out of the city. Each television broadcasting company has its own radio station as well.
International Daegu
Daegu is largely a homogeneous community that includes few non-Koreans. However, a number of immigrants from SouthSouth Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
work in automotive-parts factories on the city's west side. In addition, there is a small group of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-speaking Westerners working in English schools and university programs. The American military bases are also home to several thousand Americans. Recently Chinese students have begun studying Korean at universities in Daegu, and there is an increasing number of graduate and post-graduate students from other Asian countries. As elsewhere in Korea, Korean food overwhelmingly dominates; Chinese, Japanese and Western food forms the bulk of non-Korean food but recently Indian and Russian foods have become available.
Daegu hosts three American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military bases, Camp Henry, which house Daegu American School, Camp George and Camp Walker. Camp Walker houses Daegu American School for high school children, while Camp George hold the school for elementary and middle school (both of which are primarily for children of military personnel). Camp George also houses most of the [Enlisted]ranked soldiers. Camp Henry serves as the primary place of work for all the military personnel. Camp Walker services as the home to Officer ranked soldiers Major and up. Although non-military families can enroll their children at the school, most either home-school their children or send them to a small Christian private school which teaches about 25 children near the central business district of Daegu.
Education
As of 2009, Daegu has 215 elementary schools, 123 middle schools including the Dong-Pyeong Middle School, and 91 high schools. There are two specialized public high schools which are Daegu Science High SchoolDaegu Science High School
Daegu Science High School is a high school in Daegu, Korea. It was opened on 26 October, 1988. As of 2011, it 214 students...
and Taegu Foreign Language High School
Taegu Foreign Language High School
Taegu Foreign Language High School is a public foregin language high school founded in 1997. The school is located in Dalseo-gu, Daegu....
, and some other high schools such as Keisung Academy, Gyeongsin High School and Daeryun High School have good grades for university admission. Most of well-known high schools are located in Suseong-gu
Suseong-gu
Suseong-gu is a gu, or district, in southeastern Daegu, South Korea. It is one of the more prosperous and high-density areas of Daegu, and is the site of the city's most extensive hagwon district....
. Because its educational grade and zeal are high standard in the country.
Also, Daegu has 4 independent private high schools like Keisung Academy(also called Keisung High School), Gyeongsin High School, Gyeong-il Girl's High School, Daegun Catholic High School.
Universities and colleges
Gyeongsan
Gyeongsan is a city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Its western border abuts the metropolitan city of Daegu, and much of Gyeongsan lies within the Daegu metropolitan area....
city which serves the Daegu region as a college town
College town
A college town or university town is a community which is dominated by its university population...
. Kyungpook National University
Kyungpook National University
Kyungpook National University , abbreviated as Kyungdae, is a leading national university in Daegu, South Korea. The university is one of 10 Flagship Korean National Universities. It is one of the three best recognized and oldest national universities with Seoul National University and Pusan...
(KNU) is one of the most highly ranked and well organized national universities in Korea. It holds first place in and around the city in almost all of the fields. Daegu has two of the most prestigious private universities outside Seoul, Keimyung University
Keimyung University
Keimyung University is a private university in South Korea. The university was founded in 1954 by the leaders of the Northern Presbyterian Church of the U.S. as a Christian university. Its motto is 'For the Kingdom of Truth, Justice and Love'. KMU is composed of three campuses in the city of...
and Yeungnam University
Yeungnam University
Yeungnam University is one of the largest universities in South Korea outside of Seoul. The university's predecessors, Taegu College and Chunggu College, were founded in Daegu in 1947 and 1950 respectively. In 1967, the two colleges merged to form the degree-granting Yeungnam University. In...
. There are some smaller private universities such as Catholic University of Daegu
Catholic University of Daegu
The Catholic University of Daegu is the largest Catholic-affiliated university in South Korea. The main campus is located some distance outside Daegu in neighboring Gyeongsan City, with two smaller campuses within Daegu. The university enrolls about 17,000 students.-History:The St...
and Daegu University
Daegu University
Daegu University is a private university in South Korea. Its campus is located a short distance outside Daegu, in Gyeongsan City, North Gyeongsang province. The school currently consists of 13 colleges from college of humanities to college of rehabilitation....
. Daegu National University of Education
Daegu National University of Education
Daegu National University of Education is one of several national universities of education which provide training to those planning careers in the public educational system of South Korea. The current president is Lee-Keon Chang...
offers elementary education training.
The other universities and colleges include Daegu Arts University
Daegu Arts University
Daegu Arts University is a South Korean private university specializing in training for the fine arts. Its campus is located a short distance north of Daegu metropolitan city, in Gasan-myeon of Chilgok County, North Gyeongsang province. About 35 instructors are employed...
, Daegu Cyber University
Daegu Cyber University
Daegu Cyber University is an accredited South Korean online university. Its physical headquarter is located near Daegu in neighboring Gyeongsan City, North Gyeongsang province in South Korea....
, Daegu Haany University
Daegu Haany University
Daegu Haany University is a South Korean university specialized in providing training for practitioners of Oriental medicine. The main campus is located a short distance outside Daegu in Gyeongsan City, North Gyeongsang province. Another campus, along with the university hospital, operates within...
, Daegu Health College
Daegu Health College
Daegu Health College provides medical training to aspiring professionals in Daegu metropolitan city, South Korea. The current president is Nam Seong-hui...
, Daegu Mirae College
Daegu Mirae College
Daegu Mirae College is a private college located in Gyeongsan City, South Korea, which neighbors the metropolitan city of Daegu. About 80 instructors are employed.-Academics:...
, Daegu Polytechnic College
Daegu Polytechnic College
Daegu Polytechnic College is a vocational training institution serving Daegu metropolitan city, the third-largest city in South Korea. The current president is Lee Chang-u...
, Daegu Technical College
Daegu Technical College
Daegu Technical College is a private technical college located in the Dalseo-gu district of Daegu, the third-largest city in South Korea. It provides training in primarily industrial fields. About 60 instructors are employed.-Academics:...
, Daegu University of Foreign Studies
Daegu University of Foreign Studies
Daegu University of Foreign Studies is a university of Foreign Studies in Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It was founded in 1997. The current president is Lee Yeong Jo-See also:*List of colleges and universities in South Korea...
, Daeshin University, Keimyung College University, Kyongbuk Science University, Kyongbuk University of Foreign Studies, Kyungil University, Taekyeung College, Yeungjin College
Yeungjin College
Yeungjin College, also Yeungjin Junior College, is a private technical college located in Buk-gu, Daegu, South Korea. Information technology is the principal academic focus; however, courses of study in other fields such as nursing and international tourism are also provided.Yeungjin College also...
, Yeungnam College of Science and Technology
Yeungnam College of Science and Technology
Yeungnam College of Science & Technology is a technical college located in Nam-gu, Daegu, South Korea. It offers two- and three- year degree programs in a variety of technical fields, including those computers, information technology, and industrial machinery. As of 2004, the student body...
, and Youngnam Theological College and Seminary
Youngnam Theological College and Seminary
Youngnam Theological University and Seminary, also YTUS, is located in Gyeongsan City, North Gyeongsang province, South Korea, in an area inhabited by numerous other institutions of higher learning. It is officially a university, and is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of Korea.-History:The...
.
Medical institutions
Some large university hospitalUniversity hospital
A university hospital is an institution which combines the services of a hospital with the education of medical students and with medical research. These hospitals are typically affiliated with a medical school or university...
s make the city the medical hub of south-eastern Korea. The Kyungpook National University Hospital, founded as Daegu-dongin-uiwon in 1907, is the well-known hospital in the city. The Dongsan Hospital (attached to Keimyung University), founded as Jejungwon in 1899, is one of the oldest western style medical clinics in Korea. The Yeungnam University Medical Center has the largest beds in the city. The yearly treatment amount of these tertiary hospitals is the second largest in South Korea after that of Seoul. The Daegu Catholic University Medical Center is also included in them.
Rail
Daegu is the hub of the Korean inland railroad traffic. The main railroad of the country, Gyeongbu LineGyeongbu Line
The Gyeongbu Line is the most important railway line in South Korea and one of the oldest. It was constructed by Japan in 1905, connecting Seoul to Suwon, Daejeon, Daegu, and Busan. The Gyeongbu Line is by far the most heavily travelled rail line in South Korea...
passes through the city. The largest railroad station in the city, Dongdaegu Station
Dongdaegu Station
Dongdaegu Station, meaning "East Daegu Station", is a railway station in Daegu, South Korea. It is on the national high-speed KTX railway network, 282 km south of Seoul Station.-History:...
has the second largest passenger traffic in Korea after Seoul Station
Seoul Station
Seoul Station is a major railway station in Seoul, South Korea. The station is served by the Gyeongbu Line, its high-speed counterpart and the Gyeongui Line, with frequent high-speed, express, and local services to various points in South Korea.-Services:...
, and the largest train traffic. The station re-opened in 2004 after extensive renovations serves the KTX highspeed train, Saemaul and Mugunghwa
Mugunghwa-ho
The Mugunghwa-ho or Mugunghwa is a class of train operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea. Mugunghwa trains are the cheapest class of trains to operate cross-country. Prior to the introduction of the KTX in 2004, they were the most common passenger train along most railroad lines...
trains. All kinds of trains except KTX depart from Daegu Station
Daegu Station
Daegu Station is a railway station on Gyeongbu Line.- External links :...
, an all-new building with cinemas, restaurants and a department store, located near the city centre. It has the tenth largest passenger traffic in Korea. Daegu Line
Daegu Line
The Daegu Line is a railway line in South Korea. The line connects Dongdaegu Station on the Gyeongbu Line in Daegu to Yeongcheon on the Jungang Line...
branches off from Gacheon Station
Gacheon Station
Gacheon Station is a railway station on Gyeongbu Line....
of Gyeongbu Line.
Metro
The city also has a subwayRapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
system, consisting of two heavy rail lines. Line 1
Daegu Subway Line 1
Daegu Subway Line 1 was, until mid-2005, the only subway line in the South Korean city of Daegu. It is operated by the Daegu Metropolitan Transit Corporation. Line color is ●maroon....
crosses the city from northeast to southwest, while Line 2
Daegu Subway Line 2
Daegu Subway Line 2 is the second subway line in the South Korean city of Daegu. It is operated by the Daegu Metropolitan Subway Corporation.The line first began running from Moonyang to Sawol on October 18, 2005, a distance of 29 km...
crosses from west to east. Line 3 from northwest to southeast is under construction as an elevated monorail
Monorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
. All the lines are and will be operated by the Daegu Metropolitan Transit Corporation (DTRO). Another line will operate in a few years as a heavy rail system using the Gumi–Daegu–Gyeongsan section of Gyeongbu Line. Line 4 is a long-range plan and will be a circle line. Fare is 1100 won on distance and 950 won with a prepaid card. There is a free interchange scheme between the metro and bus within an hour of first use for the prepaid card users.
Road
There are two types of buses which are local and limited express. Limited express buses have more seats, but often passengers are required to stand. As of 2008, Local busBus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
fare costs around 1100 won
Won
Won or WON may refer to:*The Korean won from 1902–1910:**South Korean won, the currency of the Republic of Korea**North Korean won, the currency of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea* Won , the Korean form of Yuan...
, Limited express bus fare would set you back around 1500 won. Discounted fare is available with a prepaid card.
Bus route numbers are made up with 3 digits, each number indicates the area that bus serves. For example, number 407 bus runs from zone four, to zone zero, and then to zone seven. Other routes, usually circular, are named for the districts they serve and numbered 1 through 3.
Traffic is sometimes heavy, however, the major thoroughfares handle fairly high volumes of traffic without too much trouble.
Air
Daegu is served by Daegu AirportDaegu Airport
Daegu International Airport is primarily a domestic airport in the city of Daegu, South Korea. Asiana Airlines and Korean Air provide international flights to China and occasional charters to Fukuoka and Manila...
(international/domestic) located in northeastern Daegu.
Notable people
Leaders- Park Chung-heePark Chung-heePark Chung-hee was a Republic of Korea Army general and the leader of South Korea from 1961 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979. He has been credited with the industrialization of the Republic of Korea through export-led growth...
– from Gumi, Army general and 5th–9th President of South KoreaPresident of South KoreaThe President of the Republic of Korea is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, chief executive of the government, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the head of state of the Republic of Korea... - Chun Doo-hwanChun Doo-hwanChun Doo-hwan was a ROK Army general and the President of South Korea from 1980 to 1988. Chun was sentenced to death in 1996 for his heavy-handed response to the Gwangju Democratization Movement, but later pardoned by President Kim Young-sam with the advice of then President-elect Kim Dae-jung,...
– from HapcheonHapcheonHapcheon County is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. Famous people born in the county include former South Korean president Chun Doo-hwan.-Location:...
, Army general and 11th–12th President of South KoreaPresident of South KoreaThe President of the Republic of Korea is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, chief executive of the government, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the head of state of the Republic of Korea... - Roh Tae-wooRoh Tae-wooRoh Tae-woo , is a former ROK Army general and politician. He was the 13th president of South Korea .Roh befriended Chun Doo-hwan while in high school in Daegu. In his younger life, Roh was a keen rugby union player....
– Army general and 13th President of South KoreaPresident of South KoreaThe President of the Republic of Korea is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, chief executive of the government, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the head of state of the Republic of Korea... - Park Geun-hyePark Geun-hyePark Geun-hye is a South Korean politician. She is a member of the Korean National Assembly and was the head of the conservative Grand National Party. She is now in her fourth parliamentary term, having first been elected in 1998. Her father was Park Chung-hee, president of South Korea from 1963...
– politician, daughter of Park Chung-hee
Industrialists
- Lee Byung-chull – from UiryeongUiryeongUiryeong County is a county in Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea. It is one of the least populated counties in Korea.In 1938, Uiryeong native Lee Byung-chull founded Samsung Group in nearby Daegu....
, founder and former chairman of the Samsung GroupSamsung GroupThe Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea... - Kim Woo-jungKim Woo-jungKim Woo-choong was the founder and chairman of the Daewoo Group. Born on December 17, 1936, in Daegu, he was the son of the Provincial Governor....
– founder and former chairman of the Daewoo Group - Lee Kun-heeLee Kun-heeLee Kun-hee is Chairman of Samsung Electronics. He resigned on April 21, 2008 owing to Samsung Slush funds scandal, but returned on March 24, 2010. Lee has a degree in economics from Waseda University in Tokyo and attended an MBA course at George Washington University in the United States in 1966...
– chairman of the Samsung GroupSamsung GroupThe Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
, son of Lee Byung-chull
Religious
- Kim Sou-hwan – first Korean CardinalCardinal (Catholicism)A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Catholic Church
Writers/composers
- Hyeon Jin-geon – novelist
- Yi Sang-hwa – poet
- Hyeon Je-myeong – composer
- Jaegwon KimJaegwon KimJaegwon Kim is a Korean American philosopher currently working at Brown University. He is best known for his work on mental causation and the mind-body problem. Key themes in his work include: a rejection of Cartesian metaphysics, the limitations of strict psychophysical identity, supervenience,...
– philosopher
Actors
- Shin Seong-ilShin Seong-ilShin Seong-il is a South Korean actor, film director, producer, and former politician. He was a star in the 1960s and 1970s, and has starred in over 500 films.- Filmography :*Note; the whole list is referenced.-Director:-Planner:...
– national actor in the 1960s and 1970s - Son Ye-jinSon Ye-jinSon Ye-jin is a South Korean actress.-Career:Son Ye-jin has taken on a variety of roles in her career to date, propelling her to fame both in Korea and in other Asian countries...
– famous young actress - Moon Chae Won – famous young actress
Sports
- Lee Man-SooMan Soo LeeLee Man-Soo , also spelled as Man Soo Lee, is a former Korea Professional Baseball catcher and current manager of the SK Wyverns. After a distinguished career as a professional player in South Korea from 1982-1997...
– baseball player - Yang Jun-Hyuk – baseball player
- Lee Seung-Yeop – baseball player
- Park Chu-YoungPark Chu-YoungPark Chu-Young is a South Korean footballer who plays for Arsenal in the Premier League and is the current captain for the South Korea national team.-Youth career:...
– soccer player - Jin Sun-YuJin Sun-YuJin Sun-Yu is a South Korean short-track speed skater. She is a triple Olympic Champion from 2006 and a three-time Overall World Champion ....
– short-track speed skater, triple gold medalist at 2006 Winter Olympics2006 Winter OlympicsThe 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
Beauties
- Chang Yun-jong – 1st runner-up of the Miss Universe 1988Miss Universe 1988Miss Universe 1988, the 37th Miss Universe Pageant was held at Lin Kou Stadium, Taipei, Taiwan on May 24, 1988. Porntip Nakhirunkanok of Thailand was crowned the title of Miss Universe 1988. 66 contestants competed in the pageant...
, winner of the Miss KoreaMiss KoreaMiss Korea is an annual national beauty pageant responsible for selecting Korea's representative to the Miss Universe pageant.The current titleholder is Lee Seong-hye. She won the title on August 3, 2011 in Seoul.-History:...
1987 - Son Tae-young – 1st runner-up of the Miss International 2000Miss International 2000Miss International 2000, the 40th Miss International pageant, was won by Vivian Urdaneta of Venezuela. It took place on October 4, 2000 at the Koseinenkin Hall in Tokyo, Japan.-Placements:- Special awards:- Contestants :...
, 2nd runner-up of the Miss KoreaMiss KoreaMiss Korea is an annual national beauty pageant responsible for selecting Korea's representative to the Miss Universe pageant.The current titleholder is Lee Seong-hye. She won the title on August 3, 2011 in Seoul.-History:...
2000, actress - Seo Eun-mi – 1st runner-up of the Miss International 2009Miss International 2009Miss International 2009, the 49th Miss International pageant, was held at the Sichuan International Tennis Center, Chengdu, Sichuan, China on November 28, 2009. The pageant was originally scheduled to be held at The Venetian Macao in Macau on November 7, 2009, but the host committee backed out. 66...
, one of two 1st runners-up of the Miss Korea 2009Miss Korea 2009Miss Korea 2009 is a beauty pageant that was held on July 8, 2009 at the Sejong Center, sponsored by the Korean newspaper HanKook Daily News. This year approximately 56 women from around the world competed in Seoul, South Korea and seven were selected by a panel of judges...
Teen idols
- Key of ShineeSHINeeShinee is a contemporary R&B South Korean boy band. Formed by SM Entertainment in 2008, they made their debut on May 25, 2008 on SBS's Inkigayo with their promotional single, "Noona Neomu Yeppeo "...
- Junsu of 2PM2PM2PM is a South Korean boy band, originally a seven-member group, but currently consisting of six members due to the sudden contract termination of leader Jaebeom following an Internet controversy in September 2009. They are managed by JYP Entertainment...
- Mika and Karam of Dae-guk-nam-ah / The Boss
Others
- Catherine Baillie – from New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, honorary ambassador for the city, actress
Sister cities
Atlanta, United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(1981) Almaty
Almaty
Almaty , also known by its former names Verny and Alma-Ata , is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500...
, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
(1990) Qingdao
Qingdao
' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
, People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
(1993) Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(1994) Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(1997) Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(1997) Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(1998) Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
(2002) Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
(2010)
Independent cities in South Korea
- SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
- BusanBusanBusan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
- Daegu
- IncheonIncheonThe Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
- DaejeonDaejeonDaejeon is South Korea's fifth largest metropolis and the provincial capital of Chungnam. Located in the center of the country, Daejeon had a population of over 1.5 million in 2010. It is at the crossroads of Gyeongbu railway, Honam railway, Gyeongbu Expressway, and Honam Expressway. Within the...
- GwangjuGwangjuGwangju is the sixth largest city in South Korea. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister...
- UlsanUlsanUlsan , officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's seventh largest metropolis with a population of over 1.1 million. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighboring Busan to the south and facing Gyeongju to the north and the Sea of Japan to the east.Ulsan is the...
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- List of cities in South Korea
- History of DaeguHistory of DaeguThroughout and before recorded history, Daegu has served as a nexus of transportation, lying as it does at the junction of the Geumho and Nakdong rivers...
- GyeongsangGyeongsangGyeongsang was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongsang was located in the southeast of Korea....
Further reading
- Shin, Hyeong-seok (신형석). (1999). 통일신라의 새로운 수도가 될 뻔했던 대구 (Tongilsilla-ui saeroun sudo-ga doel ppeonhaetteon Daegu) (Daegu, which almost became the new capital of Unified Silla). In Daegu-Gyeongbuk Historical Society, ed., pp. 78–91.*