Gimcheon
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Gimcheon (; ) is a
city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
in
North Gyeongsang Province North Gyeongsang Province (, ) is a province in eastern South Korea, and with an area of , it is the largest province in the Korean peninsula. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, and remaine ...
, South Korea. It is situated on the major land transportation routes between
Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
and
Busan Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second list of cities in South Korea by population, most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economi ...
, namely the
Gyeongbu Expressway The Gyeongbu Expressway (; Asian Highway Network ) is the second oldest and most heavily travelled expressway in South Korea, connecting Seoul to Suwon, Daejeon, Gumi, South Korea, Gumi, Daegu, Gyeongju, Ulsan and Busan. It has the route numb ...
and
Gyeongbu Line The Gyeongbu line (''Gyeongbuseon'') is a railway line in South Korea and is considered to be the most important and one of the oldest in the country. It was constructed in 1905, connecting Seoul with Busan via Suwon, Daejeon, and Daegu. It is ...
railway. In ancient times, Gimcheon was famous for its three mountains (Geumo, Daedeok, Hwangak) and two rivers (Gamcheon, Jikjicheon). During the Chosun Dynasty, Gimcheon had one of the five largest markets in the region. The town has also served as the gateway and traffic hub of the Yeongnam region and is particularly proud of its patriots, history and conservative lifestyle. The slogan of Gimcheon is 'Central Gimcheon', a recognition of the fact that it is situated almost at the center of South Korea.


History

*
Samhan Samhan, or Three Han (), is the collective name of the Byeonhan, Jinhan, and Mahan confederacies that emerged in the first century BC during the Proto–Three Kingdoms of Korea, or Samhan, period. Located in the central and southern regions o ...
Period : called Gammun-guk, Jujoma-guk *
Three kingdoms The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from AD 220 to 280 following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and followed by the Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Jin dyna ...
: Silla united Gammun-guk and Jujoma-guk and established Gammunju * Unified Silla : Gammunju was renamed as Gaeryeonggun. Gimsanhyeon, Jiryehyeon, Eomohyeon and Mupunghyeon were placed. *
Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...
period : Gaeryeonggun was changed into Gaeryeonghyeon. Gimsanhyeon and Jiryehyeon were included into Gyeongsanbu. *
Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
period : It was located in Gimsan-gun, Jirye-hyeon, and Gaeryeong-hyeon, Gyeongsang-do. With the opening of the Gyeongbu Railway in 1905, it was developed as a collection area for agricultural products and other products. * 1914 Gimsan, Jirye (except Gilbangri Jeungsanmyeon), Gaeryeonggun and Singokmyeon of Seongju were united into Gimcheongun(20myeons). * 1917 : Gimcheonmyeon was promoted to Gimcheon special myeon. * 1931 : Gimcheon special myeon was promoted to Gimcheoneup ( 1eup, 15 myeons). * 1949 : Gimcheoneup was promoted to Gimcheon city, Gimcheongun wa renamed geumneunggun. * 1983 : 4 ris of Geumneunggun were included into Gimcheon city. 2 ris of geumneunggun were included into Seonsangun. * 1998 : arrangement of 13-dongs in Gimcheon city into 9-dongs (1-eup, 14-myeons, 9-dongs), arrangement of 9-dongs in Gimcheon city into 8-dongs (1-eup, 14-myeons, 8-dongs).


Culture and sightseeing


Sights

Gimcheon's claim to fame is the temple Jikjisa (), located at the foot of the mountain Hwangaksan. The temple was constructed in 418 (the 2nd year of King Nulji's reign, Silla Dynasty). Jikjisa is an important head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. This temple is in perfect harmony with the nearby valley and pine forest. The foliage in fall is particularly breathtaking. It features Birojeon Hall (also known as 'Cheonbuljeon Hall'), in which approximately 1,000 Buddha statues are enshrined, along with a thousand year old arrowroot. Iljumun Gate, Daeungjeon Hall (one of the most famous architectural structures of the Joseon Dynasty) and a 1.63m-tall Seated Stone Buddhist Statue (Treasures No. 319) from the Unified Silla Period, can also be found on the temple grounds. Jikjisa is believed to have been first constructed by the Goguryeo monk Ado in the year 418, long before Buddhism gained general acceptance in Silla. Jikjisa was largely destroyed during the Seven Year War in the 1590s. The reconstruction of the temple spanned from 1610 to about 1670. Jikjisa is possibly one of the oldest temples in South Korea and it is relatively well-connected to a convenient train and bus service. Jikjisa Station is located at the foot of the mountain, along the Gyeongbu Line railroad. It is served only by local commuter trains, which run twice daily in each direction. Overnight or weekend temple stay programs are available at the main complex. Temple admission fees: Adults: 2,500 won Youth: 1,500 won Children: 1,000 won *Free: ages under 6 and over 65 Directions to Jikjisa: - Dong Seoul Terminal to Gimcheon (Departure 3 times a day (10:10, 14:10, 18:10), 3 hour ride). - Get on the bus (No. 11, No. 111) to Jikjisa Temple at Gimcheon Station or Gimcheon Bus Terminal(25 minute ride).


Hiking & mountains

Mt. Hwangaksan (1,111m in elevation), home of Jikjisa, is located in the Sobaeksan Mountains. The area is a habitat for many cranes that reside on this mountain. This location is also known for its pine forests, streams, fall foliage and snowscapes. Other natural and outdoor cultural properties: * Sudo Valley * Yongo Waterfall * Yetnalsomssimaeul Culture Village * Sculpture Park * Riverside Park * Yeonhwaji Pond


Festivals

* Grape Sale Promotional Event Various events including a beauty pageant, a grape fair, sales and food fair introducing various grape foods are offered every July in the downtown area. * Half-Marathon Race An annual sporting event held at the Sport City every May. Traditional military band performances and ballroom dancing are also offered, in addition to various food events. * Family Drama Festival An annual festival at the Gimcheon Art Hall every October emphasizing the importance of family through plays and dramatic performances.


Museums

* Bitnae Nong-ak Training Center * World Ceramic Museum


Temples and cultural sites

* Cheongamsa Temple * Sudoam Temple * Gyerimsa Temple * Gaenyeong Hyangyo Confucian School * Jirye Hanggyo Confucian School * Hahoe House of the Seongsan Yeo Family * Seated Buddha Statue, Gahangsa Temple * Bangchojeong Pavilion * The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints * The House and Residence of Local Man Jang-Yeoul Lee


Other places of interest

* Baegsu Literature Hall * Culture & Art Hall * Gimcheon Municipal Library * Citizen's Bell * Obong Reservoir * Sports City
Gimcheon University


Cuisine


Traditional food

Traditional restaurants can be found in almost all of Gimcheon's districts but the largest concentration of such establishments is located at the base of Jikjisa Temple, in the Jikji Culture Park. The Culture Park features an ample selection of both local and traditional specialities.


Transportation


Road

Gimcheon is located along the
Gyeongbu Expressway The Gyeongbu Expressway (; Asian Highway Network ) is the second oldest and most heavily travelled expressway in South Korea, connecting Seoul to Suwon, Daejeon, Gumi, South Korea, Gumi, Daegu, Gyeongju, Ulsan and Busan. It has the route numb ...
and many major roadways connect the city to other surrounding areas.


Rail

Main transportation connections are via the
Gyeongbu Line The Gyeongbu line (''Gyeongbuseon'') is a railway line in South Korea and is considered to be the most important and one of the oldest in the country. It was constructed in 1905, connecting Seoul with Busan via Suwon, Daejeon, and Daegu. It is ...
and the Gyeongbuk Line train lines. In 2010, a newly constructed KTX station, Gimcheon-Gumi Station opened on the outskirts of the city center The district around this new KTX station is slowly expanding, however, currently it is only accessible by vehicle, local bus or taxi. From the KTX station to Gimcheon Train Station (the main downtown shopping center) via taxi, it is roughly a 15,000 to 20,000₩ expense.Gimpo city homepage(Kor)


Community and expat information

In 2004, it was reported that the population was 144,587, including 143,527 Koreans and 1,060 non-Koreans. While Gimcheon is much smaller compared to its nearby counterparts, there is a sizeable expat community scattered amongst the seven district neighborhoods. As of 2013, there are an estimated 40 to 60 expats residing within the city limits, most employed as English teachers through the government run EPIK (English Program in Korea) and TaLK programs.


Local specialties

* Grapes - Gimcheon is responsible for 11% of total grape production in Korea. * Plums - 29% of the total plum production in Korea stems from Gimcheon. They are high in vitamin A and known for aiding with fatigue. * Gwahaju - Literally named "post-summer wine", this local drink is made from glutinous rice and yeast. Fresh water for production is sourced from Gimcheon's Gwahacheon Stream. * Jirye Wild Boar Meat - Said to be especially beneficial for young children due to a high concentration of protein, healthy fats and DHA. * Brassware and gong production. * Joma Potatoes


Administrative districts

The outlying regions of Gimcheon are divided into fourteen ''myeon'' (or townships) and one ''eup'' (or large village). In addition, the city center is divided into seven ''dong'', or precincts.


Notable people

* Shin Hyun-joon, first commandant of the South Korean marine corps * Song Yoon-ah, South Korean actress * Kang Hae-rin, member of South Korean girl-group
NewJeans NewJeans (), also known as NJZ (), is a South Korean girl group formed by ADOR, a sub-label of Hybe Corporation, Hybe. The group is composed of five members: Minji (singer), Minji, Hanni (singer), Hanni, Danielle Marsh, Danielle, Haerin, and H ...
* Shin Hak-chul, artist


Sister cities

*
Chengdu Chengdu; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ; Chinese postal romanization, previously Romanization of Chinese, romanized as Chengtu. is the capital city of the Chinese province of Sichuan. With a ...
,
Sichuan Sichuan is a province in Southwestern China, occupying the Sichuan Basin and Tibetan Plateau—between the Jinsha River to the west, the Daba Mountains to the north, and the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau to the south. Its capital city is Cheng ...
, China * Nanao, Ishikawa, Japan


See also

* Hwanggeum-dong, Gimcheon *
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'' (List of special cities of South Korea#Position in hierarchy and types, Special ...


References


External links


City government website (in English)City government website (in Korean)Jikjisa Temple
{{Authority control Cities in North Gyeongsang Province