Gangneung
Encyclopedia
Gangneung is a city
in Gangwon-do
, on the east coast of South Korea
. It has a population of 229,869 (as of 2006). Gangneung is the economic centre of the Yeongdong
region of eastern Gangwon Province. Gangneung has many tourist attractions, like Jeongdongjin
, one of the most famous towns in Korea. There is a ROK airbase south of Gangneung which formerly doubled as a civil airport.
The city is also home to National League soccer club Gangneung City FC and K-League
soccer team Gangwon FC
.
tree, its bird the swan
. The animal of Gangneung is the tiger
.
Gangneung is considered special in that it has both access to a lake and the sea. Gyeongpodae is a pavilion overlooking a Gyeongpo lake. It is said that one can see the moon five times when at Gyeongpodae. One sees the moon once in the sky, once reflected in the lake, once reflected in the sea, once reflected in the drinking glass, and once more in the eyes of a lover. The site of Gyeongpodae is known for its location east of the centre of the city.
Inside the Gyeongpodae pavilion, built with 28 pillars, is the Gyeongpodaebu, a poem by Yul Gok. Gyeongpodaebu describes the movement of the heavens and the moon. The best view of the moon is on the 15th of the lunar month.
as a "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity". Nowadays, it is a combination of several commemoration rites and traditional plays. A highlight is the traditional Gwanno Mask Dance (Gwanno Gamyeongeuk) which is only performed at this festival.
In addition to well established festivals like the Dano, there are several newer festivals in Gangneung, such as the IJAF (International Junior Art Festival
) enjoys great popularity. The IJAF is a cultural festival for youth from all over the world. The festival includes both performances of the participating groups and a diversified cultural program demonstrating the essence of Korean culture. Since 2002, the IJAF takes place at Gyeongpo Beach in the end of July. Also, the Gyeongpo Rock Festival was established in 2006. This festival, mostly attracting young people, offers young Korean bands from the Gangneung area a stage for their performances.
There are a number of historical remains and museums in Gangneung. The most prominent being the Ojukheon Museum, which is named after a special black bamboo growing in this area. It is the birthplace of the famous Korean scholar Yulgok (1536–1584) (whose image is on the South Korean 5,000 Won note) and his mother Saimdang (1504–1551) (whose image is on the 50,000 Won note.) In 196,3 the Ojukheon Museum was designated as National Cultural Heritage No. 165. It includes one of the oldest wooden buildings in Korea. Several shrines and old residential buildings deliver insight into the lives of these famous Koreans. Next to the Ojukheon Museum there is the Gangneung Municipal Museum which shows folklore and antique pieces from the history of the city. Located in the hills surrounding Gangneung City, there is the revealing Daegwallyeong Museum. It consists of a private collection with more than 1000 artifacts and shows the agricultural history of the region.
(Köppen
Cfa) with short, cool winters and long, hot, humid summers.
in Pyeongchang. All these facilities except the Gangneung Indoor Ice Rink
are new and will be built for the Olympics.
since February 26, 2004 Seo-gu, Daejeon since May 25, 2004 Bucheon
, Gyeonggi-do
since July 6, 2004 Buk-gu, Daegu since October 29, 2004 Seocho-gu
, Seoul
since March 23, 2006 Chichibu, Saitama
since February 16, 1983 Jiaxing
, Zhejiang Province since May 11, 1999 Chattanooga, Tennessee
since October 30, 2003 Jingzhou
, Hubei Province since October 19, 2004
Administrative divisions of South Korea
||South Korea is divided into 8 provinces , 1 special autonomous province , 6 metropolitan cities , and 1 special city...
in Gangwon-do
Gangwon-do (South Korea)
Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korean neighbour Kangwŏn formed a single province.-History:...
, on the east coast of South Korea
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...
. It has a population of 229,869 (as of 2006). Gangneung is the economic centre of the Yeongdong
Yeongdong
This article is about Yeongdong, a region in eastern Korea. For the county of the same name in North Chungcheong Province, South Korea, see Yeongdong County....
region of eastern Gangwon Province. Gangneung has many tourist attractions, like Jeongdongjin
Jeongdongjin
Jeongdongjin is a famous town near Gangneung, South Korea and one of the most popular sites in Korea for watching the sunrise on New Year's Day. It is eighteen kilometers south-east of Gangneung on the east coast of Korea....
, one of the most famous towns in Korea. There is a ROK airbase south of Gangneung which formerly doubled as a civil airport.
The city is also home to National League soccer club Gangneung City FC and 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...
soccer team Gangwon FC
Gangwon FC
Gangwon FC is a South Korean football club. Based in Gangwon Province of South Korea, Gangwon FC joined the K-League as its 15th club for the 2009 season.- Foundation :...
.
Symbols of Gangneung
The flag of the city shows a red sun in the centre and blue wave in front, on a white background. The sun represents the sunrise, the wave the sea. The flower of the city is the crepe myrtle, the tree of the city is the pinePine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
tree, its bird the swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
. The animal of Gangneung is the tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
.
Gyeongpodae
Inside the Gyeongpodae pavilion, built with 28 pillars, is the Gyeongpodaebu, a poem by Yul Gok. Gyeongpodaebu describes the movement of the heavens and the moon. The best view of the moon is on the 15th of the lunar month.
Sunrise
Sunrises, especially the first in the New Year, are important in traditional Korean culture. The Jeongdongjin and Gyeongpo beaches in Gangneung are popular places to enjoy a sunrise.Culture
Gangneung has numerous festivals. The biggest and most famous is the Gangneung Dano Festival (강릉단오제) at the Dano fairground near the Namdae River. In 1967, the Gangneung Dano Festival was designated Korean National Immaterial Cultural Heritage No. 13. On November 11, 2005 it was designated by UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
as a "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity". Nowadays, it is a combination of several commemoration rites and traditional plays. A highlight is the traditional Gwanno Mask Dance (Gwanno Gamyeongeuk) which is only performed at this festival.
In addition to well established festivals like the Dano, there are several newer festivals in Gangneung, such as the IJAF (International Junior Art Festival
International Junior Art Festival
The International Junior Art Festival, IJAF for short, is a youth festival which is held annually at Gyeongpo Beach in Gangneung, South Korea, for four days at the beginning of August...
) enjoys great popularity. The IJAF is a cultural festival for youth from all over the world. The festival includes both performances of the participating groups and a diversified cultural program demonstrating the essence of Korean culture. Since 2002, the IJAF takes place at Gyeongpo Beach in the end of July. Also, the Gyeongpo Rock Festival was established in 2006. This festival, mostly attracting young people, offers young Korean bands from the Gangneung area a stage for their performances.
There are a number of historical remains and museums in Gangneung. The most prominent being the Ojukheon Museum, which is named after a special black bamboo growing in this area. It is the birthplace of the famous Korean scholar Yulgok (1536–1584) (whose image is on the South Korean 5,000 Won note) and his mother Saimdang (1504–1551) (whose image is on the 50,000 Won note.) In 196,3 the Ojukheon Museum was designated as National Cultural Heritage No. 165. It includes one of the oldest wooden buildings in Korea. Several shrines and old residential buildings deliver insight into the lives of these famous Koreans. Next to the Ojukheon Museum there is the Gangneung Municipal Museum which shows folklore and antique pieces from the history of the city. Located in the hills surrounding Gangneung City, there is the revealing Daegwallyeong Museum. It consists of a private collection with more than 1000 artifacts and shows the agricultural history of the region.
Climate
Gangneung experiences a humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfa) with short, cool winters and long, hot, humid summers.
2018 Winter Olympics
The city will be the venue for the indoor sports of the 2018 Winter Olympics2018 Winter Olympics
The 2018 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXIII Olympic Winter Games, is a winter multi-sport event scheduled to take place in Pyeongchang, South Korea, between 9 and 25 February 2018. The elected host city was announced on 6 July 2011 by the International Olympic Committee , after the...
in Pyeongchang. All these facilities except the Gangneung Indoor Ice Rink
Gangneung Indoor Ice Rink
Gangneung Indoor Ice Rink is an indoor ice arena which will be used for the 2018 Winter Olympics and 2018 Winter Paralympics. It was opened in 1998. It is located in the coastal city of Gangneung. It will be the venue for curling and wheelchair curling.The seating capacity is 3,500.It is the only...
are new and will be built for the Olympics.
- Gangneung Indoor Ice Rink – Curling
- Gangneung Youngdong College GymnasiumYoungdong College GymnasiumYoungdong College Gymnasium is a future indoor ice arena which will be built for the 2018 Winter Olympics and 2018 Winter Paralympics. It is located in the coastal city of Gangneung. It will be the one of the two venues for ice hockey and will also be used for ice sledge hockey.The seating...
– Ice Hockey - Gangneung Science OvalGangneung Science OvalGangneung Science Oval is a future indoor ice arena which will be built for the 2018 Winter Olympics. It is located in the coastal city of Gangneung. It will be the venue for speed skating.The seating capacity is 8,000....
– Speed Skating - Gyeongpo Ice HallGyeongpo Ice HallGyeongpo Ice Hall is a future indoor ice arena which will be built for the 2018 Winter Olympics. It is located in the coastal city of Gangneung. It is named after the nearby Gyeongpo Lake. It will be the venue for two sports: figure skating and short track speed skating.The seating capacity is...
– Short track speed skating and Figure skating - Union Hockey CentreUnion Hockey CentreUnion Hockey Centre is a future temporary indoor ice arena which will be built for the 2018 Winter Olympics. It is located in the coastal city of Gangneung. It will be the one of the two venues for ice hockey and will be the venue for the hockey finals.The seating capacity is 10,000.The cost of...
– Ice Hockey (temporary)
Sister cities
Gangseo-gu, SeoulGangseo-gu, Seoul
Gangseo-gu is one of the 25 wards of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the south side of the Han River. Gimpo Airport is in Gonghang-dong, where many flights fly to cities like Busan, Jeju, and Gwangju....
since February 26, 2004 Seo-gu, Daejeon since May 25, 2004 Bucheon
Bucheon
Bucheon is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It is sandwiched between Incheon and Seoul. Manufacturing operations are located in the city.Bucheon promotes itself as the cultural centre of the Seoul Metropolitan Area...
, Gyeonggi-do
Gyeonggi-do
Gyeonggi-do is the most populous province in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Seoul—South Korea's largest city and national capital—is located in the heart of the province, but has been separately administered as a provincial-level special city since 1946...
since July 6, 2004 Buk-gu, Daegu since October 29, 2004 Seocho-gu
Seocho-gu
Seocho-gu is a gu of Seoul, South Korea. It is a popular residential area for the mid- or upper-class residents in Seoul and home to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Prosecutors' Office. Seocho Samsung Town in Seocho-dong, near Gangnam Station, is the headquarter of the several corporations of the...
, 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...
since March 23, 2006 Chichibu, Saitama
Chichibu, Saitama
is a city in Saitama, Japan. As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 68,701, with a household number of 26,230. The total area is 577.69 km²....
since February 16, 1983 Jiaxing
Jiaxing
Jiaxing is a prefecture-level city in northern Zhejiang province of Eastern China. Lying on the Grand Canal of China, Jiaxing borders Hangzhou to the southwest, Huzhou to the west, Shanghai to the northeast, and the province of Jiangsu to the north....
, Zhejiang Province since May 11, 1999 Chattanooga, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
since October 30, 2003 Jingzhou
Jingzhou
Jingzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. The city is located on the banks of the Yangtze River.Its population is 5,691,707 at the 2010 census whom 1,154,086 in the built up area made of 3 urban districts.-Geography:Jingzhou occupies an area of...
, Hubei Province since October 19, 2004
See also
- List of cities in South Korea
- 1996 Gangneung submarine infiltration incident1996 Gangneung submarine infiltration incidentThe 1996 Gangneung submarine infiltration incident occurred on September 18, 1996, near the South Korean town of Gangneung. The incident was one of the more serious instances of North Korean espionage involving naval forces....