Mokpo
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Mokpo (; ''Mokpo-si'') is a
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in
South Jeolla Province South Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollanam-do''; ), also known as Jeonnam, is a province of South Korea. South Jeolla has a population of 1,902,324 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Honam region at the southwestern tip of the Korean ...
,
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, located at the southwestern tip of the
Korean Peninsula Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
, close to
Yudal mountain Yudal Mountain () is a mountain located in Mokpo city, Jeollanam-do in South Korea. It is one of the "8 Scenes of Mokpo" and is a symbol of the city. At the summit, thousands of islands can be seen with several hills of strange looking rocks. Th ...
. Mokpo has frequent high-speed train services to
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
, and is the terminus for a number of ferry routes serving islands in the adjacent
Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour terms ...
and Dadohae National Maritime Park. During the Japanese Occupation (1910–1945), Mokpo served as a crucial port for both commercial ventures and public transportation, due to its location along the sea routes between the
Japanese archipelago The Japanese archipelago (Japanese: 日本列島, ''Nihon rettō'') is a group of 6,852 islands that form the country of Japan, as well as the Russian island of Sakhalin. It extends over from the Sea of Okhotsk in the northeast to the East Chin ...
and the
Chinese mainland "Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater China. ...
. The large number of islands surrounding Mokpo have also served as a protective barrier, making the city less vulnerable to high tides and
tsunami A tsunami ( ; from ja, 津波, lit=harbour wave, ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explo ...
s. In the occupation era, large residential areas were built to accommodate the Japanese colonists, which are now the city's historic districts. The end of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and Korea's independence in 1945 were responsible for the city slowly losing its position as a host to major government organizations and wartime industries. This led to a reduction in the size of Mokpo, which is currently a mid-sized city of the
Honam Honam (; literally "south of the lake") is a region coinciding with the former Jeolla Province in what is now South Korea. Today, the term refers to Gwangju, South Jeolla and North Jeolla Provinces. The name "Jeonla-do" is used in the names of th ...
region.


Etymology

The term Mokpo (木浦 in
Hanja Hanja (Hangul: ; Hanja: , ), alternatively known as Hancha, are Chinese characters () used in the writing of Korean. Hanja was used as early as the Gojoseon period, the first ever Korean kingdom. (, ) refers to Sino-Korean vocabulary, wh ...
) loosely translates as "the harbour with a large portion of forests". This terminology initially appeared in the '' Goryeosa'' (''History of Goryeo''). Therefore, some historians argue that the city's name referred to trees within the region of the port of Mokpo. Another theory suggests that the "mok" in the city's name refers to "the throat," a metaphor for the importance of the city's location as an entrance to the
Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour terms ...
.


History


Mahan and Three Kingdoms eras

Mokpo belonged to the
Mahan confederacy Mahan () was a loose confederacy of statelets that existed from around the 1st century BC to 5th century AD in the southern Korean peninsula in the Chungcheong and Jeolla provinces. Gina Lee Barnes, 《State Formation in Korea: Historical and A ...
during the early era of the three Han confederacies during the Samhan period, and was called Mul'ahye-gun while under the control of the
Baekje Baekje or Paekche (, ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jum ...
kingdom. After
Silla Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of K ...
defeated Baekje, Mokpo's region was absorbed, and its name was changed to Myeonju. In 946, its name was once again changed to Mullyang-gun, and it became part of the Muan prefecture, in the Haeyang province. At the time, the prefecture of Muan referred to a much larger area, which incorporated not only Mokpo but also the area currently called
Muan Muan County (''Muan-gun'') is a county in South Jeolla Province (''Jeollanam-do''), South Korea. In 2005, Muan County became the capital of ''Jeollanam-do'' following the transfer of the provincial office from its previous location, Gwangju to th ...
and several islands of Sinan county. According to a KBS documentary, coastal and offshore areas of Mokpo witnessed superior productivity of crops, and important shipping routes to
Naju Naju () is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. The capital of South Jeolla was located at Naju until it was moved to Gwangju in 1895. The name Jeolla actually originates from the first character of Jeonju () and the first character of Na ...
were established along the Yeongsan River.


Goryeo and Joseon dynasties

What is today known as Mokpo had its origins in the
Goryeo period Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
. That dynasty's founder,
Wang Geon Taejo of Goryeo (31 January 877 – 4 July 943), also known as Taejo Wang Geon (; ), was the founder of the Goryeo dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 10th to the 14th century. Taejo ruled from 918 to 943, achieving unification of the Later Thre ...
, was serving as a general for
later Goguryeo Taebong (; ) was a state established by Gung Ye () on the Korean Peninsula in 901 during the Later Three Kingdoms. Name The state's initial name was Goryeo, after the official name of Goguryeo, a previous state in Manchuria and the northern K ...
(also known as
Taebong Taebong (; ) was a state established by Gung Ye () on the Korean Peninsula in 901 during the Later Three Kingdoms. Name The state's initial name was Goryeo, after the official name of Goguryeo, a previous state in Manchuria and the northern ...
), ruled by
Gung Ye Gung Ye ( – 24 July 918, r. July 901 – 24 July 918) was the king of the short-lived state of Taebong (901–918), one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea. Although he was a member of the Silla royal family, he became a victim of the power s ...
. Taebong covered the central area of the Korean peninsula including current-day
Gaeseong Kaesong (, ) is a special city in the southern part of North Korea (formerly in North Hwanghae Province), and the capital of Korea during the Taebong kingdom and subsequent Goryeo dynasty. The city is near the Kaesong Industrial Region close to ...
, which was then called Song'ak. As a naval power,
Wang Geon Taejo of Goryeo (31 January 877 – 4 July 943), also known as Taejo Wang Geon (; ), was the founder of the Goryeo dynasty, which ruled Korea from the 10th to the 14th century. Taejo ruled from 918 to 943, achieving unification of the Later Thre ...
was ordered to attack the kingdom of
Later Baekje Hubaekje or Later Baekje (, ) was one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea, along with Taebong and Silla. Later Baekje was a Korean dynastic kingdom founded by the disaffected Silla general Gyeon Hwon in 900, whom led the local gentry and popul ...
, which, like later Goguryeo, was a kingdom which emerged after the disintegration of
Unified Silla Unified Silla, or Late Silla (, ), is the name often applied to the Korean kingdom of Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, after 668 CE. In the 7th century, a Silla–Tang alliance conquered Baekje and the southern part of Goguryeo in the ...
. The operation met fairly successful results. During this time, Wang Geon met his second queen,
Queen Janghwa Queen Janghwa of the Naju O clan (Hangul: 장화왕후 오씨, Hanja: 莊和王后 吳氏; d. 934 or 943) was the second Goryeo queen consort through her marriage as the second wife of Wang Geon, its founder and became the mother of his heir and o ...
, with whom he had a son, who eventually became
Hyejong of Goryeo Hyejong of Goryeo (912 – 23 October 945) (r. 943–945) was the second King of Goryeo. He was preceded by King Taejo and succeeded by Jeongjong, 3rd Monarch of Goryeo. Early life Hyejong was born to King Taejo and his second wife, Janghw ...
. In 1439, 21 years after King
Sejong Sejong of Joseon (15 May 1397 – 8 April 1450), personal name Yi Do (Korean: 이도; Hanja: 李祹), widely known as Sejong the Great (Korean: 세종대왕; Hanja: 世宗大王), was the fourth ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. Initial ...
of the
Joseon Dynasty Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
came to power, the Mokpo garrison (jin) was established, which was designed to control twelve offshore islands. During the
Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) The Japanese invasions of Korea of 1592–1598 involved two separate yet linked invasions: an initial invasion in 1592 (), a brief truce in 1596, and a second invasion in 1597 (). The conflict ended in 1598 with the withdrawal of Japanese force ...
, Admiral
Yi Sun-sin Admiral Yi Sun-sin (April 28, 1545 – December 16, 1598) was a Korean admiral and military general famed for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Imjin war in the Joseon Dynasty. Over the course of his career, Admiral Yi foug ...
established a garrison of naval forces at Mokpo and the island of Goha, to secure a base for provisions and ship repairs, such as the
turtle ship A ''Geobukseon'' ( ko, script=Hang, 거북선, ), also known as turtle ship in western descriptions, was a type of large Korean warship that was used intermittently by the Royal Korean Navy during the Joseon dynasty from the early 15th century ...
s, also known as the geobukseon and
panokseon Panokseon ("board roofed" ship) was an oar and sail propelled ship that was the main class of warship used by Joseon during the late 16th century. The first ship of this class was constructed in 1555. It was a ship made of sturdy pine wood, ...
.


Open port

On 1 October 1897, Mokpo became an open port, fifteen years after the opening of the port of
Incheon Incheon (; ; or Inch'ŏn; literally "kind river"), formerly Jemulpo or Chemulp'o (제물포) until the period after 1910, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City (인천광역시, 仁川廣域市), is a city located in northwestern South Kore ...
. For Japan, Mokpo held a geographical advantage being located midway between
Nagasaki is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. It became the sole port used for trade with the Portuguese and Dutch during the 16th through 19th centuries. The Hidden Christian Sites in the ...
, Japan, and the
Chinese mainland "Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater China. ...
. Japan also valued Mokpo for its proximity to the abundant crops of the
Jeolla Jeolla Province (, ) was one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Kingdom of Joseon in today Southwestern Korea. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and Gwangju Metropolitan City as wel ...
provinces. After its opening, housing for Japanese settlers was rapidly developed to establish self-government. The Japanese settled predominately in what is today the Yudal-dong neighborhood, close to the main port. The Japanese consulate remained there until the establishment of the Japanese protectorate over Korea. The Japanese settlers gradually bought farmland in the vicinity of Mokpo, which had previously been illegal. These agricultural fields were desirable because they were inexpensive and not heavily taxed. The resulting harvests from these fields made rice cheaper in Japan, although the price of rice in Jeolla province doubled as a result. After 1905, the influx of Japanese settlers increased and they expanded into Geumhwa-dong, where many cherry trees were planted along the street. Japanese called this area "Sakuramachi", which means "the downtown of cherry blossom trees." With Korea's full annexation by Japan in 1910, the city was given a new name, Mokpo-bu, and saw the construction of the colonial institution, the
Oriental Development Company The Oriental Development Company (Kyūjitai/Hanja: 東洋拓殖株式會社, Hangul: 동양척식주식회사), established by the Empire of Japan in 1908, was a national enterprise built as a result of Japanese colonial exploitation policy towar ...
.


Under Japanese rule

: See also:
Korea under Japanese rule Between 1910 and 1945, Korea was ruled as a part of the Empire of Japan. Joseon Korea had come into the Japanese sphere of influence with the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1876; a complex coalition of the Meiji government, military, and business offic ...
Mokpo's status as an open port made it a viable option to use the nearby county of Wando as a link to the region's many offshore islands. In 1914, the completion of the Honam railway line connected the city to
Daejeon Daejeon () is South Korea's fifth-largest metropolis, with a population of 1.5 million as of 2019. Located in the central-west region of South Korea alongside forested hills and the Geum River, the city is known both for its technology and ...
. On 1 April 1914, the county of Mokpo-bu was divided into several administrative sections. Only the county's urban downtown area, Bunae-myeon, became what is today Mokpo City. Following Order Number 11 of the General Japanese Government of Korea, Muan county incorporated Jido, Palguem, and Docho, which were the other areas formerly comprising Mokpo-bu. During the Japanese colonial period, Mokpo's harbor was used to forcibly export the produce of the region. In 1918, the colonists established ginning facilities for manufacturing large amounts of goods in both Mokpo and Iri (current
Iksan Iksan ( ko, 익산; ) is a city and major railway junction in North Jeolla Province, (commonly transliterated as Jeollabuk-do or Chollabuk-do) South Korea. The city center and railway junction was formerly called "Iri" (), but merged with Iksan ...
in North Jeolla province). In 1932, the city incorporated parts of Muan, becoming the 6th largest city in the
Korean peninsula Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
with a population of 60,000. Indigenous products were cloth, rice, salt, and coastal foods. The harbor played an important role, supplying goods to Japan, including large quantities of cotton.


After independence

In 1949, Mokpo-Bu was redesignated Mokpo City, after the government altered the administrative region. In 1973 and 1987, large areas were added to Mokpo city, including one of the most famous tourist spots, Samhakdo (Three Crane Island). Samhakdo was reclaimed by connecting a series of islands, a process of landfill operations which lasted from 1968 to 1973. The island is divided into three major sections, and over six years the city constructed five bridges to link those three sections. In 2000, the city initiated a plan to restore a naturalized island for tourism, which brought tremendous criticism from environmental groups. On 1 March 2007, Samhakdo was opened to the public. Other projects in Mokpo included a coastal filling process near the North Harbor and the building of a new port in Chungmu-dong. In 1980, the
Gwangju Democratization Movement The Gwangju Uprising was a popular uprising in the city of Gwangju, South Korea, from May 18 to May 27, 1980, which pitted local, armed citizens against soldiers and police of the South Korean government. The event is sometimes called 5·18 (Ma ...
swept the area. In Mokpo, student movements were initiated by several people marching along the boulevard from Mokpo Station to the second plaza, carrying cards displaying the word "Freedom." Mokpo Station served as a hub for many groups supporting the people of Gwangju. On 1 October 1997, Mokpo celebrated its centennial as a port city, and announced the second opening of the port. Mokpo is the hometown of former President
Kim Dae-jung Kim Dae-jung (; ; 6 January 192418 August 2009), was a South Korean politician and activist who served as the eighth president of South Korea from 1998 to 2003. He was a 2000 Nobel Peace Prize recipient for his work for democracy and human ...
, who received the
Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor and armaments (military weapons and equipment) manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Chemi ...
in 2001. Following the
sinking of MV Sewol The ferry MV ''Sewol'' sank on the morning of April 16, 2014, en route from Incheon towards Jeju in South Korea. The 6,825-ton vessel sent a distress signal from about north of Byeongpungdo at 08:58 KST (23:58 UTC, April 15, 2014). Out of ...
on 16 April 2014, the ship was moved to Mokpo for salvage operations.


Administration


Mayor

Mokpo began its local government in 1994. In July 1995 it inaugurated its first mayor, Gwon I Dam, who had been the president of the Munhwa broadcasting corporation. The city's lack of supply in the past caused Gwon to focus on improving the city's water supplies. In 2000, the mayor officially provided aid for
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
in the form of rice shipments. However, Gwon came into conflict with the leaders of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...
over fair election practices, causing him to leave the party. He filed a lawsuit against the Democratic Party, which the courts subsequently rejected. Jeon Tae Hong, the next mayor, made some important contributions to Mokpo's government, but he died suddenly in 2005. Following his death, Jeong Jong Deuk was elected mayor, promising protection of the tourism industry. Once in office, Deuk responded to concerns about the depressed condition of the old downtown area by establishing the Office of Original City Replanning and adopted the slogan "City of Light." Deuk was re-elected in 2006 and, during his second term, the city received several civil and tourism awards. He faced criticism from the local press regarding Mokpo's ability to draw people into the city and changing the attitudes regarding the city's imbalanced economy. Another dispute arose in 2009, when non-governmental organizations based in Mokpo sued the government to disclose information about budgetary spending, which had been controlled by a city committee chosen by the mayor. The courts sided with the organizations, saying that the budget plan should be reported and monitored.


Disputes upon merge

In 2004, civil groups promoted merging the three adjacent communities: Sinan, Muan and Mokpo. On 25 September 2009, the city council of Mokpo officially submitted a plan to merge into one central government, but the plan was voted down due to objections from the community.


Population

In 2007, the population of Mokpo had increased to 90,000 households, with an average of 2.7 people per household. The population density was the 10th highest in South Korea, and it was the second fastest-growing region (after
Gyeonggi province Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...
). In 2010, the
Bank of Korea The Bank of Korea (BOK; ) is the central bank of the Republic of Korea and issuer of Korean Republic won. It was established on 12 June 1950 in Seoul, South Korea. The bank's primary purpose is price stability. For that, the bank targets in ...
reported that the population of western South Jeolla province was declining due to several economic, social and educational issues.


Education

One of the oldest elementary schools, Bukgyo, was established in 1897 for the aristocracy during the
Joseon Dynasty Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
, following Order No. 145 of the Gojong of the Korean Empire. However, after its annexation by Japan, education in Mokpo was directed towards Japanese students. Mokpo Commercial high school opened in 1920 as the first secondary-level school. Its name was later changed to Jeonnam Jeil high school. Former president Kim Dae Jung graduated from Jeil.


Universities

Mokpo National University Mokpo National University is located in Muan and Mokpo, South Korea. Mokpo, located in the most southwestern region of Korea, is a key coastal city of the Korean Peninsula. The main campus is located in the valley of Seungdal Mountain, which has ...
(MNU) became a nationally supported school in 1976, after 30 years of existence. The school has become regionally famous for its shipbuilding research and other culturally related fields of study. A 2007 study of national universities ranked MNU highly, equal with
Seoul National University Seoul National University (SNU; ) is a national public research university located in Seoul, South Korea. Founded in 1946, Seoul National University is largely considered the most prestigious university in South Korea; it is one of the three "S ...
and Jeonnam National University.
Mokpo National Maritime University Mokpo National Maritime University is a national university located in Mokpo, South Korea. Organization President Committee University Headquarters *Office of Academic Affairs *Office of Admissions and Student Affairs *Office of Planning Affai ...
is a government-funded school specializing in maritime-related studies. Mokpo Catholic University was established in 1967 as Sungshin Nursing College, and later expanded its vocational training to include other fields.


Economy

The harbor began operations earlier than other port cities on the Korean peninsula, allowing the city to experience growth, whereas growth in the country since its independence has concentrated on the
Yeongnam Yeongnam (Hangul: 영남, ; literally "south of the passes") is a region that coincides with the former Gyeongsang Province in what is now South Korea. The region includes the modern-day provinces of North and South Gyeongsang and the self-go ...
area, where trade with Japan and Russia are viable due to the access of coastal routes. The addition of the
Chinese economy The China, People's Republic of China has an upper middle income Developing country, developing Mixed economy, mixed socialist market economy that incorporates economic planning through Industrial policy, industrial policies and strategic Five- ...
into the local trade prospects increases the city's potential as a trade center via the
Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour terms ...
.


Commerce

Until late 1980s, commerce had been concentrated around the original downtown near Mokpo Station. In the late 1990s, large residential areas were built in Yeonsan dong and Hadang, resulting in a significant outflow of the population of the city. This resulted in the city council adopting a bylaw to support the old downtown area, however, the outward flow has only worsened. Economic power has been notably imbalanced by the opening of
Lotte Mart Lotte Mart is a South Korean hypermarket that sells a variety of groceries, clothing, toys, electronics, and other goods, with headquarters in South Korea. Lotte Mart is a division of the Lotte Co., Ltd. which sells food and shopping services ...
in 2001 and
E-Mart e-mart () is the largest retailer in South Korea. There were 160 stores across the country as of December 2016. It was founded on 12 November 1993 by Shinsegae as the first discount retailer in South Korea. E-Mart is the oldest and largest dis ...
in 2002.
Home plus Homeplus () is a Korean discount store retail chain running about 140 branches with 25,000 employees throughout South Korea. Homeplus is the second largest retailer in South Korea, behind Shinsegae Group's e-mart chain. Homeplus operates its h ...
is the solitary large-scale market in Mokpo, located in old downtown near the Munhwa broadcasting corporation. The one exception to the declining economy of the city are the fish markets of Dongmyeong and North Harbor which have been a magnet for tourists and local people looking for octopus or other indigenous products. The economic bureau of the city has spent ₩300 million on promoting the market since early 2009.


Companies

Companies with operations in Mokpo include the
Bohae Bohae (in Hangul:보해양조주식회사, BOHAE BREWERY CO., LTD.) is a South Korean brewing company based in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, representing breweries company within Honam region. Among other beverages, Bonae produces soju (a drink ext ...
brewing company and Haengnam
chinaware Chinese ceramics show a continuous development since Chinese Neolithic, pre-dynastic times and are one of the most significant forms of Chinese art and ceramics globally. The first pottery was made during the List of Palaeolithic sites in China, ...
. Bohae brewing company produces a brand of
soju (; Hangul: ; Hanja: ) is a clear and colorless Korean distilled alcoholic beverage. It is usually consumed neat. Its alcohol content varies from about 12.9% to 53% alcohol by volume (ABV), although since 2007 low alcohol soju below 20% h ...
from the Honam area, of which the best selling product is maple soju (), the first company to using maple in the brewing of soju. Bohae also entered into a joint development with
Asahi Breweries is a Japanese global beer, spirits, soft drinks and food business group headquartered in Sumida, Tokyo. In 2019, the group had revenue of JPY 2.1 trillion. Asahi's business portfolio can be segmented as follows: alcoholic beverage business (4 ...
in Japan to expand its soju production operations. In 2008, Bohae became the first Korean brewing company to open up wine sales in the United States, with the exportation of its
Rugby Ball A rugby ball is an elongated ellipsoidal ball used in both codes of rugby football. Its measurements and weight are specified by World Rugby and the Rugby League International Federation, the governing bodies for both codes, rugby union and rugby ...
wine. Another major company is Haengnam chinaware, established in May 1942. Its headquarters is in Mokpo, with two other branches, one in Seoul for design and public relations, and another in
Yeoju Yeoju () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Yeoju was a county but was raised to the status of a city in September 2013. Together with the neighboring city of Icheon, it is known as a major center of contemporary South Korean ceramics, ...
for production. In 1953, the company was the first in Korea to develop coffee cup sets. In 1963, they began trade in Hong Kong, with exports to China growing to more than 2 million dollars in 2008. In 2011, its president signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Environment of South Korea to develop a less pollutant-emitting process. The project also includes a publicity campaign to raise public awareness on environmental issues and their effect on rare species.


Farming and fishing

Mokpo is made up of sparsely populated farmland, with 1,326 households under a half hectare. The area produces high quantities of rice, barley, and beans, with greens and fruits such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and oriental melons increasing in popularity since 2001. Ships from the harbor often travel to
Heuksando Heuksando is an island in the Yellow Sea located off 97.2 km from the southwest coast of Mokpo, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. It covers an area of 19.7 km2 and consists of several peaks: Munamsan (문암산/ 400m), Gitdaebong (깃대봉/ 378m), ...
to fish for skate and hairtail. Mokpo's yield of marine products reached 26,862 tons in 2006, consisting chiefly of fish, with of shellfish, mollusks, and seaweeds also contributing to the total. Mokpo is known for its harvest of small octopus, although this has declined in recent years. The number of fishermen had dropped to fewer than 3,000, but has been rising since 2007.


Industries

The regional economy relies heavily on the Daebul industrial complex and
Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (HSHI; ) is the world's largest shipbuilder and produces approximately 40 vessels per year. Its yard is located in Samho-eup, Yeongam, South Korea. History The company was first established with a name ...
located near
Yeongam Yeongam () is a city and county in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Bordered with Mokpo and Naju to the north, Jangheung County to the east, and Haenam and Gangjin to the south, Yeongam County comprises two '' eups'' and nine '' myeons'', popul ...
. The imports of merchandise support the local economy of Mokpo as they pass through its harbor. The Halla group was the initial owners of Heavy Industries, until they were taken over by Hyundai, which changed the company name to Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, with Samho meaning three lakes. By 2007, corporate profits amounted to more than 460 million, an increase of about 25% over those from 2006. South Jeolla province succeeded in attracting a series of investors for renewable energy companies like solar panels. Innovation Silicon Ltd, invested 10bn won in developing a silicon producing complex.


Geography

Mokpo sits at the southern end of the Muan peninsula, although the city lies within Sinan county, which mostly consists of 1004 islands. Its neighbor, Muan county, extends northeastward, separated from Mokpo by the Yeongsan river.
Yudal mountain Yudal Mountain () is a mountain located in Mokpo city, Jeollanam-do in South Korea. It is one of the "8 Scenes of Mokpo" and is a symbol of the city. At the summit, thousands of islands can be seen with several hills of strange looking rocks. Th ...
(228m) sits at the center of old downtown, and is a source of pride within the city. Its nickname is Gaegol (), meaning weird-shaped rocks and peaks. The side of the mountain caused roads around the downtown area to have a hilly aspect. Nojeokbong is a historic site where General Yi Soon Shin made use of its shape during the Japanese invasion. The city has small mountains nearby: Mt. Ibam (121m) to the east, and Yangeul (156m) and Daebak (156m) to the north. The mouth of the Yeongsan River flows along the southern side of the city, containing 13 islands. The existence of a natural
seawall A seawall (or sea wall) is a form of coastal defense constructed where the sea, and associated coastal processes, impact directly upon the landforms of the coast. The purpose of a seawall is to protect areas of human habitation, conservation ...
created a natural safe harbor. Most of the area of Mokpo consists of
land reclamation Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, and also known as land fill (not to be confused with a waste landfill), is the process of creating new land from oceans, seas, riverbeds or lake beds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamati ...
, including Samhakdo, North harbor (), and the new city of Hadang. According to the research by Mokpo National University,
tributaries A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage b ...
of the Yeongsan river crossed the central area of old downtown. This can be seen in the historic names of the Mokone Dong area: Namgyo-dong (southern side of bridge) and Bukgyo-dong (Northern side of bridge). Both names contained "gyo" (), meaning the bridge, indicating a bridge used to link the areas. Tideland reclamation projects removed large amounts of
mud flat Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal fl ...
s, including Daebandong, Baekryundong and the coastal shore around Gatbawi. Additionally, the municipal boundaries include 7
desert island A desert island, deserted island, or uninhabited island, is an island, islet or atoll that is not permanently populated by humans. Uninhabited islands are often depicted in films or stories about shipwrecked people, and are also used as stereot ...
s. The wall at the end of the Yeongsan river prevented damage from flooding during harsh typhoons. Meanwhile, the water quality of the river has worsened to the point where the ministry in charge of environmental protection began studying the impacts made by man-made structures. In 2010, the ministry's report recommended that the seawall should be widened and that the dirty water be pumped out of the riverbeds into the harbor.


Climate

Mokpo's weather station was built along with five other sites in Korea, and began observing weather conditions on 25 March 1904. Mokpo's climate features a short spring and autumn, and it is cold and dry in the winter and warm and humid with seasonal winds in the summer. There is also significant rain in the summer, averaging . Mokpo is usually windy and foggy in the spring and autumn due to its location near the ocean. Mokpo's long period (annual average of 223 days) without frost creates suitable conditions for rice farming. However, its seacoast location and the influence of the continental climate on the city often cause a great disparity between the rise and fall of daily and yearly temperatures. Mokpo, along with the rest of Sinan County, has the highest level of sunlight in Korea, enabling more efficient use of solar energy plants and related energy sources. The frequency of yellow dust is quite similar to that of other cities like
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
and
Incheon Incheon (; ; or Inch'ŏn; literally "kind river"), formerly Jemulpo or Chemulp'o (제물포) until the period after 1910, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City (인천광역시, 仁川廣域市), is a city located in northwestern South Kore ...
, occurring about 10–11 days per year. The climate of Mokpo is a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
: ''Cfa''). Unexpected blizzards can sweep the region with strong gusts during winter, and the city experiences more than 30 days of snow, and 60 days below . Mokpo sometimes falls within the range of passing typhoons, and may suffer peripheral damage, including heavy precipitation during the summer and early autumn. In 2004, Typhoon Mindulle gave Mokpo a record rainfall of per hour.


Transportation


Railroad

Mokpo station opened 15 May 1913, it is the final destination of
Honam Line {{Infobox rail line , box_width = auto , name = Honam Line , other_name = , native_name = 호남선(湖南線) , native_name_lang = kr , color = , logo = , logo_width = , logo_alt = , image = Korail H ...
and accommodates over 1.2 million annually, as well as cargo shipments. The station is located near Yudal mountain, in the southwestern part of the city. The railroad ends inside the station, although a freight-only line continued on to Samhakdo, carrying coal for the industrial factories. Because of potential danger, the city removed the rail extension in 2011. On 1 April 2004,
Korea Train Express Korea Train eXpress (), often known as KTX (), is South Korea's high-speed rail system, operated by Korail. Construction began on the high-speed line from Seoul to Busan in 1992. KTX services were launched on April 1, 2004. From Seoul Station th ...
advertised a three-hour travel time from Seoul to Mokpo, however, the actual time was longer due to the number of stops along the Honam Line. Three-hour travel was only possible when limiting the train to four stops: Seodaejeon,
Iksan Iksan ( ko, 익산; ) is a city and major railway junction in North Jeolla Province, (commonly transliterated as Jeollabuk-do or Chollabuk-do) South Korea. The city center and railway junction was formerly called "Iri" (), but merged with Iksan ...
, Gwangjusongjeong, and finally Mokpo. However, that service has not been available since 2008. Then, there were 10 trains from Yongsan station to Mokpo, with a travel time of 195 minutes. Since 2015, there has been a high-speed
KTX Korea Train eXpress (), often known as KTX (), is South Korea's high-speed rail system, operated by Korail. Construction began on the high-speed line from Seoul to Busan in 1992. KTX services were launched on April 1, 2004. From Seoul Station the ...
service linking Mokpo and Yongsan Station within an average of 140 minutes. Limited services also allow passengers to travel further north to
Seoul Station Seoul Station is a major railway station in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The station is served by the Korail Intercity Lines and the commuter trains of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway. Services KTX Seoul Station is the terminus of most ...
and
Haengsin station Haengsin Station is a station on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line and Gyeongui Line. The KTX Goyang Train Depot is located behind this station, and some KTX trains serve passengers at this station. Station layout Haengsin station has 4 platforms for ...
in the city of
Goyang Goyang (''Goyang-si''; ) is a city in Gyeonggi Province in the north of South Korea. It is part of the Seoul Capital Area, making Goyang one of Seoul's satellite cities. It is one of the largest cities in the Seoul Capital Area, with a populatio ...
.


Inland road

: See also :
Roads and expressways in South Korea Expressways in South Korea (), officially called as National expressways (), are operated by the Korea Expressway Corporation. They were originally numbered in order of construction. Since August 24, 2001, they have been numbered in a scheme so ...
The
Seohaean Expressway The Seohaean Expressway (Korean: 서해안 고속도로; Seohaean Gosok Doro), meaning "West Coast Expressway", is a freeway in South Korea, connecting Mokpo to Gunsan, Dangjin, and Seoul. It is numbered 15. The entire length from Seoul to ...
connects Mokpo to Seoul via a 4-hour car ride. The Muan-Gwangju expressway was opened in 2008 to ease access to the Muan international airport. In 2012, the Mokpo to Gwangyang Highway opened, connecting the eastern and western ends of
South Jeolla South Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollanam-do''; ), also known as Jeonnam, is a province of South Korea. South Jeolla has a population of 1,902,324 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Honam region at the southwestern tip of the Korean ...
, as well as continuing on to
Busan Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, w ...
. National Route 1 was planned to connect Mokpo to Sineuju in
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
. After the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, however, the route was cut off at Imjingak near the truce village of
Panmunjeom Panmunjom, also known as Panmunjeom, now located in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea or Kaesong, North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, was a village just north of the ''de facto'' border between North and South Korea, where the 1953 Korean ...
. It was not until 2000 when Route 1 was extended to North Korea's second largest city,
Gaesung Kaesong (, ) is a special city in the southern part of North Korea (formerly in North Hwanghae Province), and the capital of Korea during the Taebong kingdom and subsequent Goryeo dynasty. The city is near the Kaesong Industrial Region close t ...
.


Bus

Two companies provide most of the bus service in the local area. Since 2005, the companies and the city council agreed to expand the number of buses fueled by natural gas (NG), following a 3-year negotiation. The city agreed to assist the companies with a 21,000 US dollar per bus subsidy for each bus equipped with the NG equipment. As of 2006, 32 buses had been retrofitted with the natural gas equipment. The growing suburbs around the city created a demand for additional lines, but there is conflict between the needs of the city and the profit margin of those new lines. Riders may transfer between buses, free of charge, beginning on 1 March 2007. The lines are classified as inner circle, outer line and artery, which follows the commuting system of
Seoul Buses Seoul Buses are public transit buses operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and/or private bus operators. Bus types There are four types of buses: * Trunk Bus (Blue) : Trunk buses are operated partly by private bus companies and partly ...
. Buses with a low-floor level were first deployed in South Jeolla province in 2007, although they still remain in limited service. Since 2008, a semi-public bus system has been explored, with the intent of expanding the role of the city government in determining bus routes. The core goal is to share responsibility for operations as well as control over spending and income. However,
NGOs A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in ...
have withheld support for the idea, resulting in the policy having not been implemented.


Airport

Muan International Airport Muan International Airport () is an airport in Muan County, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. Construction of the airport began in 1997 and the airport opened on November 9, 2007. The airport serves the province of Jeollanam-do, especially the cities ...
is the airport serving Mokpo. Previously,
Mokpo Airport Mokpo Air Base is an air base in Mokpo, South Korea . In 2006, 16,909 passengers utilized the airport. This airport was closed when the nearby Muan International Airport opened in November 2007. Overview Mokpo Airport opened as a stopover betwe ...
operated as the region's airport. The crash of
Asiana Airlines Flight 733 Asiana Airlines Flight 733 (OZ733, AAR733, registration HL7229) was a domestic Asiana Airlines passenger flight from Seoul-Gimpo International Airport (SEL at the time, now GMP) to Mokpo Airport (MPK), South Korea. The Boeing 737 crashed on July ...
in 1993 increased concerns about the airport, resulting in extending the runway 50 meters. However, the site still had fundamental drawbacks due to common foggy weather and the lack of related facilities.
Korean Air Korean Air Co., Ltd. (), operating as Korean Air (Korean Air Lines before 1984), is the flag carrier of South Korea and its largest airline based on fleet size, international destinations and international flights. The present-day Korean Air ...
abolished the Gimpo-Mokpo route and
Asiana Airlines Asiana Airlines Inc. ( ) is a South Korean airline headquartered in Seoul.Home
." Asiana Airlines. Retrieved 13 September 2 ...
started to slash services in 2004 with the removal of the Mokpo-Jeju route. The air companies announced deficits due to the high-speed railroad. The alternative to Mokpo Airport was Muan International Airport, whose construction was delayed for many years, leading to disappointment among the local people. Eventually, however, the airport was constructed, and Mokpo Airport closed its doors in 8 November 2007.


Sea

Mokpo has three harbors: one each for ferry service, trading and fishing. The main harbor is used to ferry customers and cargoes around nearby islands, while North harbor conducts ferry service to
Nonghyup The South Korean National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (initialized as NH (in Korean, derived from NongHyup) or NACF) was established in 1961 to enhance the social and economic status of its membership and to promote a balanced developmen ...
. Additionally, the newly built harbor is used for container shipping to China. Over 80 sea-going lines have been available, notably for Heuksando,
Hongdo Hongdo is an island in the Yellow Sea located 115 km from the southwest coast of Mokpo port, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. It covers an area of 6.47 km² and consists of steep mountain range, the highest peaks of which are Gitdaebong ( ...
and
Jeju Jeju may refer to: * Jeju Island (Jejudo), an island near South Korea * Jeju Province (formerly transliterated Cheju), a province of South Korea comprising Jejudo **Jeju City, the biggest city on Jejudo **Jeju dog, a dog native to Jejudo ** Jeju l ...
, as well as ferries linking Sinan county. In 2002, the first cruise-line to Shanghai was opened for operation, however, bankruptcy concerns forced the discontinuance of the cruise line after only five months. In July 2004, another attempt to start a cruise route to Shanghai, with a newly designed, smaller boat, failed due to Chinese objections. The Mokpo coastal terminal was originally built during the 1980s, with the government beginning an update in 2003. The 30bn won, 4-story terminal opened in February 2007. Mokpo coastal terminal is currently configured to divide coastal from international travel. The newly built harbor in Mokpo has seen a growing number of cargoes since it opened in 2004. The harbor set a record for civil investment in a seaport in South Korea. Currently, sea routes have been established for China, Japan,
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
, and
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
with municipal support. In January 2011, Samsung electronics decided to choose Mokpo as their chief exporting harbor for merchandise from its factory in Gwangju.


Ferries at coastal terminal


Nonghyup ferry at North harbor


Culture


Festivals

A flower festival is held at Yudal mountain every April and May. The festival of
Largehead Hairtail The largehead hairtail (''Trichiurus lepturus'') or beltfish is a member of the cutlassfish family, Trichiuridae. This common to abundant species is found in tropical and temperate oceans throughout the world. The taxonomy is not fully resolved, ...
() takes place around Yeongsan Lake every October. The festival is extremely popular among fishing fans and family tourists. A fishing contest is held, wherein great numbers of people take part, which is followed by a fireworks display. The Nanyeong Singing Memorial celebrates the famous singer, Lee Nan-young, whose song, "The Tear of Mokpo" gained wide popularity. The memorial was started in 1968 by the Honam Maeil newspaper but was stopped, but was restarted by MBC Mokpo and is held every autumn.


City of Light

The city has a plan for promoting tourism in the old downtown, and South Jeolla province agreed to offer support for the city's plan. This city's population decline has resulted in the closure of many shops, as well as a drastic reduction in the city's school system. For example, student enrollment at Sanjeong Elementary School has dropped to below 300 from a high of more than 3,000. The project, entitled, "A City of Light", called for establishing a light show along the street which runs next to the railway station. However, environmentalists have lodged objections, arguing that the plan will have an irrevocable impact, harming the ecological balance of the mountain. In the new downtown area, there is now a fountain, which times its waters and light show to the beat of the song. This was to be expanded, but has confronted opposition from several civil groups since 2009.


Islands offshore

Outside of the harbor, thousands of islands dot the
Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour terms ...
, several of which are actually part of Mokpo. The government has promoted a program of constructing infrastructure on each island. With the slogan of "Lovely island, Uai-dal",
Hanok A ''hanok'' () is a traditional Korean house. ''Hanok'' were first designed and built in the 14th century during the Joseon dynasty. Korean architecture considers the positioning of the house in relation to its surroundings, with thought g ...
residences on these islands, each with a saltwater pool, have served as accommodations for tourists during the summer. One of the most famous islands, Goha-do, was used as a base for naval forces in the late 16th century when Japan invaded Joseon. The Japanese navy created artificial caves on this island to conceal armaments from the
Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
during the Second World War. Two air-raid shelters have been found. The Mokpo Bridge was publicly opened in June 2012.


Museums

Many museums in Mokpo are located near Gatbawi street, due to the city concentrating its investment to exhibition space in this area. The National Maritime museum is one of the oldest museums dedicated to the Korean naval and shipping traditions. The museum changed its name in 2009 to the Research Institute for Maritime History, due to its broadened function. The Institute conducts surveys and research related to ancient ships, trade routes and relics, and is the only research institute for maritime relics in
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
. The Mokpo Natural History Museum has a large collection of fossils from all over the world. It originally began as a single building, but has expanded into a second building, the Cultural Heritage Hall, which specializes in local relics dating as far back as prehistoric time. The museum has an extensive collection of samples and data regarding everything from dinosaur fossils to insects and
cetacean Cetacea (; , ) is an infraorder of aquatic mammals that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Key characteristics are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size and exclusively carnivorous diet. They propel them ...
s found in the Yellow Sea. One of the most significant displays is a nest of dinosaur eggs, found on Aphae island, which was restored and opened to the public in 2010. The eggs reach lengths greater than 40 cm, and have been dated to approximately 80 million years ago, during the
Mesozoic The Mesozoic Era ( ), also called the Age of Reptiles, the Age of Conifers, and colloquially as the Age of the Dinosaurs is the second-to-last era of Earth's geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceo ...
period. The
Korea Forest Service The Korea Forest Service is an independent agency specializing in forestry that is overseen by the South Korean Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It is charged with maintaining South Korea's forest lands. The current minis ...
chose the museum to record its samples of insects in a national database for biological resources in 2009. Namnong Memorial Hall commemorates the famed
calligrapher Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...
, Heo Gun. The Hall is situated within a Korean traditional garden and features exhibitions on different series of his works. The Mokpo Ceramic Museum opened in 2008, was funded by the government to establish ceramics and china exhibits from notable manufacturers. Meanwhile, the Literature hall of Mokpo () is not far from the ceramic museum, and hosts literature classes for the general public, featuring specific writers or novels, to promote literature among the local population.


Cuisine

Being located close to the sea, the city's cuisine is characterized by
seafood Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs (e.g. bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters and mussels, and cephalopods such as octopus an ...
dishes. Mokpo is famous for
hongeo-hoe ''Hongeo-hoe'' * () is a type of fermented fish dish from Korea's Jeolla province. ''Hongeo-hoe'' is made from skate and emits a very strong, characteristic ammonia-like odor that has been described as being "reminiscent of an outhouse". Orig ...
(), a strong smelling fermented dish featuring the
skate Skate or Skates may refer to: Fish *Skate (fish), several genera of fish belonging to the family Rajidae * Pygmy skates, several genera of fish belonging to the family Gurgesiellidae * Smooth skates or leg skates, several genera of fish belongin ...
, a kind of
ray fish Batoidea is a superorder of cartilaginous fishes, commonly known as rays. They and their close relatives, the sharks, comprise the subclass Elasmobranchii. Rays are the largest group of cartilaginous fishes, with well over 600 species in 26 fa ...
. Other delicacies of Mokpo are: kimchi and
pyeonyuk ''Pyeonyuk'' () is a traditional Korean dish, which consists of thinly sliced meat that has been boiled and pressed. Either beef or pork may be used to make the dish. It is eaten as '' anju'' (an accompaniment to alcoholic drinks), or used as ...
(); a variant of yeonpo-tang containing long arm octopus; hoe; and seasoned ''
Portunus trituberculatus ''Portunus trituberculatus'', the ''gazami'' crab, South Korea's blue crab or horse crab, is the most widely fished species of crab in the world. It is found off the coasts of East Asia and is closely related to '' Portunus armatus''. Fishery ' ...
''. The city started a public market for vendors selling their own delicacies, located downtown.


Facilities for sports and cultural entertainment

Yudal Stadium is located next to the 100 Year Memorial Avenue. The stadium consists of ballpark and an eight lane track. Behind the stadium, local groups are able to use public tennis courts. The ground floor of the stadium houses committees of diverse sports. The city has attracted many athletes to train in the area during the winter, due to sunny and warm weather, and numerous accommodations. The city has been very successful in reaching agreements with 127 teams, totaling almost 6,000 athletes, who trained during the winter in 2004. Since 2005, the focus has been on track and field sports to boost the number of visiting athletes. Recreational parks are located sparsely around Yudal mountain, while the city is in the process of constructing an additional park in the Samhakdo area. The Mokpo Cultural Complex is located along the shore near
Gatbawi Gatbawi or Stone Seated Medicine Buddha at Gwan Peak, Mt. Palgong in Gyeongsan 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 w ...
, consisting of two buildings, one for performance and the other for exhibition. However, the complex is limited by its seating capacity: a maximum of 700 people for the two-story building. The Mokpo Civil Culture & Sports Center was built in 2003 to meet the needs of the increasing population in the downtown area. However, the operating fees have proven a burden to the province. It consists of three halls, with a capacity of more than 1,200 people. There are two libraries in Mokpo. The Civil Library of Mokpo opened in 1974 at the old consulate of Japan. In 1989, it moved closer to Yudal stadium, and consists of 4 stories, with 1,636 seats. The library is home to over 360,000 books, as well as having internet-access research rooms. The Public Library of Mokpo is located near North Harbor. It began as part of the Mokpo Educational Institute, but has since gained independence.


Media

Branch offices of KBS and MBC exist in Mokpo. KBS Mokpo was established in 1942, at a location close to the Yeon dong area, prior to its move next to the current city hall in Yongdang. MBC Mokpo was initially planned as a radio station when it opened in 1967, using a frequency of 1386 kHz. FEBC Mokpo opened an office in 1999, for Christian missions around the
Honam Honam (; literally "south of the lake") is a region coinciding with the former Jeolla Province in what is now South Korea. Today, the term refers to Gwangju, South Jeolla and North Jeolla Provinces. The name "Jeonla-do" is used in the names of th ...
area. For cable broadcasting, Honam Hanguk cable has its office in Hadang. South of Mokpo at 34.679364 N 126.445148 E, there is a VLF-transmitter with two very tall masts ( height unknown).


Notable people from Mokpo

*
Hyginus Kim Hee-jong Hyginus Kim Hee-jong was the 5th Archbishop, and current Archbishop Emeritus, of the Gwangju. Born in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, Korea in 1947, he was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Gwangju in 1975. On 24 June 2003, he was appointe ...
(born 21 January 1947), the 5th
Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
of
Gwangju Gwangju () is South Korea's sixth-largest metropolis. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister. The city was also the capital of South Jeolla Province until the provincial office ...
(
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 김희중) * Seo Su-yeon (born 8 January 1986), South Korean
para table tennis Para table tennis is a parasports which follows the rules set by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). The usual table tennis rules are in effect with slight modifications for wheelchair athletes. Athletes from disability groups can ...
player (
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 서수연) *
Kim Bo-mi Kim Bo-mi (born May 15, 1987) is a South Korean actress. Kim began studying ballet when she was 11 years old, and she later enrolled in Dance at Sejong University, with Ballet as her major subject. Then in 2008, she appeared in the cable show '' ...
(born 7 October 1985), South Korean
field hockey Field hockey is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with ten outfield players and a goalkeeper. Teams must drive a round hockey ball by hitting it with a hockey stick towards the rival team's shooting ci ...
player (
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 김보미) * Eun Mihee (born 20 September 1960), South Korean novelist, writer, columnist, and college lecturer (
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 은미희) *
Choi Jin-hyuk Choi Jin-hyuk (, born Kim Tae-ho, February 9, 1986) is a South Korean actor. He gained attention for his supporting roles in ''Gu Family Book'' and ''The Heirs'', and then went on to star in lead roles in '' Emergency Couple'', ''Pride and Prej ...
(born 9 February 1986),
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
n actor (Real Name: ''Kim Tae-ho'',
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 김태호) *
Jung Man-sik Jung Man-sik (; born December 11, 1974) is a South Korean actor. His name is also romanized as ''Jeong Man-sik'' or ''Joung Man-sik''. Filmography Film Television series * '' Jungle Fish 2'' (KBS2, 2010) * '' Athena: Goddess of War'' (SBS, ...
(born 11 December 1974),
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
n actor (
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 정만식) *
Kim Kyung-ho Kim Kyung-ho (; born June 7, 1971) is a South Korean singer who is often referred to as a "legend of rock" for his efforts in bringing rock music to South Korea and his four octave vocal range. He makes frequent appearances on South Korean v ...
(born 7 June 1971), South Korean singer and rock star (
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 김경호) * Soon-Tek Oh (1932–2018), Korean–American actor (
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 오순택) * Park Na-rae (born 25 October 1985), South Korean comedian (
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 박나래) * Lee Nan-young (1916–1965), South Korean singer and actress (
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 이난영) *
Nam Jin Nam Jin (; born September 27, 1946) is a South Korean trot singer. He debuted in 1965 with the album ''Seoul Playboy'', and became one of South Korea's most popular singers of the 1960s and 1970s. Biography Early life Nam Jin was born Kim Nam ...
(born 27 September 1946), South Korean
trot The trot is a ten-beat diagonal horse gait where the diagonal pairs of legs move forward at the same time with a moment of suspension between each beat. It has a wide variation in possible speeds, but averages about . A very slow trot is someti ...
singer (Real Name: ''Kim Nam-jin'',
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 김남진) * Donghae (born 15 October 1986), singer-songwriter, rapper, dancer, model, producer, actor, businessman and
K-pop idol An idol () refers to a type of celebrity working in the field of K-pop in fandom culture in South Korea, either as a member of a group or as a solo act. K-pop idols are characterized by the highly manufactured star system that they are produced b ...
, member of
K-pop K-pop (), short for Korean popular music, is a form of popular music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, hip hop, R&B, experimental, rock, jazz, gos ...
boygroup
Super Junior Super Junior (; stylized in all caps), also known as SJ or SuJu, is a South Korean boy band formed by Lee Soo-man, the founder of SM Entertainment in 2005. They are also dubbed by the media as the "King of Hallyu Wave" due to their prominent ...
and its subgroups
Super Junior-D&E Super Junior-D&E ( ko, 슈퍼주니어-동해&은혁, also known as Donghae & Eunhyuk, D&E or SJ-D&E) is the fifth sub-unit of South Korean boy band Super Junior, formed by SM Entertainment in 2011. It is composed of two Super Junior members: D ...
and
Super Junior-M Super Junior-M (stylized as SJ-M), an initialism for Super Junior-Mandarin, is a Chinese sub-unit of the South Korean boy band Super Junior. The sub-unit is the first international music group in the Chinese music industry to have members of both ...
(Real Name: ''Lee Dong-hae'',
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 이동해) * Youngjae (born 17 September 1996), singer, dancer, actor, radio DJ, songwriter, producer and
K-pop idol An idol () refers to a type of celebrity working in the field of K-pop in fandom culture in South Korea, either as a member of a group or as a solo act. K-pop idols are characterized by the highly manufactured star system that they are produced b ...
, member of
K-pop K-pop (), short for Korean popular music, is a form of popular music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, hip hop, R&B, experimental, rock, jazz, gos ...
boygroup Got7 (Real Name: ''Choi Young-jae'',
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 최영재) *
Zelo Choi Jun-hong (Hangul: 최준홍; born October 15, 1996), better known by his stage name Zelo, is a South Korean rapper, singer, beatboxer and dancer best known as the former member of the South Korean boy group B.A.P. He made his recording de ...
(born 15 October 1996), singer, rapper, dancer, model, beatboxer and
K-pop idol An idol () refers to a type of celebrity working in the field of K-pop in fandom culture in South Korea, either as a member of a group or as a solo act. K-pop idols are characterized by the highly manufactured star system that they are produced b ...
, former member of
K-pop K-pop (), short for Korean popular music, is a form of popular music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, hip hop, R&B, experimental, rock, jazz, gos ...
boygroup
B.A.P B.A.P (; an acronym for Best Absolute Perfect) was a South Korean boy band formed in 2012 under TS Entertainment. B.A.P made their musical debut with the single "Warrior" on January 26, 2012, followed by the release of their debut EP ''Warrio ...
(Real Name: ''Choi Jun-hong'',
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 최준홍) *
Oh Ji-ho Oh Ji-ho (born April 14, 1976) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for the television dramas '' Couple or Trouble'' (2006), '' The Slave Hunters'' (2010), ''Queen of the Office'' (2013) and ''My Fair Lady'' (2016). Career Oh was born and r ...
(born 14 April 1976), a South Korean actor. (
Hangul The Korean alphabet, known as Hangul, . Hangul may also be written as following South Korea's standard Romanization. ( ) in South Korea and Chosŏn'gŭl in North Korea, is the modern official writing system for the Korean language. The let ...
: 오지호)


Health care

As of 2008, the number of doctors per capita was 11.41 per thousand, increasing from 10.45 of the prior year. The council of doctors in Mokpo city has stated that the ongoing economic improvement, as well as the growing populations, will cause the need for the construction of middle-sized or larger hospitals and clinics. Mokpo National hospital was established in 1962, specifically for the treatment of
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
. Originally a city hospital, the state took over operations in 2002. The ministry of Health chose Mokpo and Incheon as a sites for operating medical helicopters. Hankook hospital was officially designated the location for these emergency services. ''Public medical institute'' * Mokpo Medical Center * Mokpo National Hospital ''General hospital'' * Hankook Hospital * Dongshin University Oriental Hospital * Mokpo Christian Hospital * Joongang Hospital * Mokpo Miz-i Hospital * Mokpo MIR Dental Hospital


Sister cities

*
Beppu is a city in Ōita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. As of March 31, 2017, the city had a population of 122,643
, Ōita, Japan (1984.10.01) *
Hammerfest Hammerfest (; sme, Hámmerfeasta ) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. Hammerfest is the northernmost town in the world with more than 10,000 inhabitants. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hammerfe ...
, Norway (1962.03.23) *
Lianyungang Lianyungang () is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, China. It borders Yancheng to its southeast, Huai'an and Suqian to its south, Xuzhou to its southwest, and the province of Shandong to its north. Its name derives from ...
, Jiangsu, China (1992.11.01) *
Changwon Changwon () is the capital city of Gyeongsangnam-do, on the southeast coast of South Korea. With a population of 1.07 million , Changwon is South Korea's ninth-most populous city. A port city, Changwon is bordered by Masan Bay to the south ...
,
South Gyeongsang South Gyeongsang Province ( ko, 경상남도, translit=Gyeongsangnam-do, ) is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World ...
(1998.12.24) *
Seodaemun-gu Seodaemun District (, "Great West Gate") is one of the 25 districts of Seoul, South Korea. Seodaemun has a population of 313,814 (2010) and has a geographic area of 17.61 km2 (6.8 sq mi), and is divided into 14 '' dong'' (administrative neigh ...
,
Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
(2005.04.18) *
Xiamen Xiamen ( , ; ), also known as Amoy (, from Hokkien pronunciation ), is a sub-provincial city in southeastern Fujian, People's Republic of China, beside the Taiwan Strait. It is divided into six districts: Huli, Siming, Jimei, Tong'an, ...
, Fujian, China (2007.07.25) *
Jeonju Jeonju () is the 16th largest city in South Korea and the capital of North Jeolla Province. It is both urban and rural due to the closeness of Wanju County which almost entirely surrounds Jeonju (Wanju County has many residents who work in Jeonju) ...
,
North Jeolla North Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollabuk-do''), also known as Jeonbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Jeolla has a population of 1,869,711 (2015) and has a geographic area of 8,067 km2 (3,115 sq mi) located in the Honam region in the southwes ...
, South Korea (2020.08.15)


Symbols of Mokpo

* City Flower – White Magnolia * City Tree –
Loquats The loquat (''Eriobotrya japonica'') is a large evergreen shrub or tree, grown commercially for its orange fruit and for its leaves, which are used to make herbal tea. It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant. The loquat is in the family ...
* City Bird – Crane


Images

File:Fukuyama-Cho in Mokuho.JPG, Bokman neighbourhood during
Korea under Japanese rule Between 1910 and 1945, Korea was ruled as a part of the Empire of Japan. Joseon Korea had come into the Japanese sphere of influence with the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1876; a complex coalition of the Meiji government, military, and business offic ...
's period. Image:MokpoHouses.jpg, Residential area in Mokpo Image:SquidDrying.jpg, Squid out to dry Image:Yudalsan1.jpg, View of Mokpo from Yudalsan Image:Mokpo Street.jpg, Street in Mokpo File:Mokpo Cultural Center(Fmr. Japanese consulate).JPG File:Mokpo Sushi Center.jpg, Hoe center at North Harbor


See also

*
List of cities in South Korea The largest cities of South Korea have an autonomous status equivalent to that of provinces. Seoul, the largest city and capital, is classified as a ''teukbyeolsi'' ( Special City), while the next six-largest cities are classified as ''gwangye ...
*
Geography of South Korea South Korea is located in East Asia, on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula located out from the far east of the Asian landmass. The only country with a land border to South Korea is North Korea, lying to the north with of the border ...


References


Notes

*Two Jeolla provinces which Mokpo pertains to have been the critical base of the Democratic Party of South Korea. Before former president Kim took the presidency, he caught the strongest power in the reason as a root of his political supporting base. In this context, Mokpo and near area has been called the garden of Democrats. *Nonghyup ferries refer to the regular ferry operated by Nonghyup which is kind of banking and cooperating organ for farmers. The ferry connects each branch in several islands in Sinan and Mokpo.


External links


City government home page
* {{Authority control Cities in South Jeolla Province Port cities and towns in South Korea