GANGWON-DO © by yetemptyandforeigner-scarce enoughtogive ataste ofKorean life beyondthecapital. the yearover theEastSea. At othertimesGangwon-docanbearestful changefromSeoul,close their fillofsummer. Beachesare swarmedonNewYear’s Daytoo,forcatchingthefirstsunriseof your binocularsonthelegendarymountainKumgangsaninNorth. near Cheorwon,crumblingbutnotforgotten,train oratGoseongUnificationObservatory Korean submarine. Notfarfromtheborder,youcanwanderthroughbullet-ridden buildings the division:barbedwire, militarylookoutpostsand,atJeongdongjin, acaptured North boundary.Alongthecoastyou’llseesoberingreminders of Zone (DMZ)liningitsnorthern museum dedicated toitsfounder’slifelong obsessionwithallthingsEdison. sculptures standingcheekbyjowlwithahumblefishingvillage,while Gangneunghasa Gangwon-do canbequirkytoo. NearSamcheokyou’llfindaparkfullofunabashedphallic have –’s400-year-old DanoFestival, forinstance–itcelebrates withzest. And dish dakgalbi orthecoastaltowns’rawfish,leapintoafrenzy ofadventure sports. Seoulites escape–togetlostinthemountains,chowdownonChuncheon’sfierychicken Sea, vacation.This iswhereGangwon-do hasalltheelementsforapostcard-perfect many From thesoaringpeaksofSeoraksanNationalPark tothetranquilbeachesabuttingEast Gangwon-do 172 

L In JulyandAugust, asurge ofdomestictouristsarrives onthebeachesandmountainstoget ,Politics turnedGangwon-dointoaborderprovince withtheDemilitarised withNorth While theprovince maynothave thatmuchbywayofculturalantiquities,what itdoes

     HIGHLIGHTS

o TELEPHONE CODE: 033 n Squint at North Korea fromthewarruinsat SquintatNorth apilgrimagetothemountaintop Make GetyourfillofquirkyKorea –gramophones atthelimestonewondersof Marvel peaksofSeoraksan thebreathtaking Hike e Cheorwon (boxed text, p183 ) (p196) Park altar toDanguninTaebaeksan Provincial Edison Museum galore atthe Chamsori Gramophone & cavecathedral-like (p182) National Park 14) n Sinnam in ( p194) phallic sculptures at l y

P l a n e t

( p187 ) inGangneungand (p194) Hwaseongul Haesindang Park  POPULATION: 1.5 MILLION

강원도 Cheorwon  AREA : 16,874 SQKM Chamsori Gramophone & EdisonMuseum Hwaseongul National Park Seoraksan Provincial Park Taebaeksan Haesindang Park 7 GANGWON-DO

173 5 (Japan) To Niigata Hosan Imwon Maengbang To Ulleung-do Jangho Sinnam Samcheok Yonghwa Mangsang (Russia) Gungchon ( p197 ) offer Jeongdongjin Unification Park E A S T S E A Yongeunsa To Zarubino & Vladivostok To Zarubino Samcheok ( p196 ) occupies a occupies a ) p196 ( ( S e a o f J a p a n ) ( S e a o f J a p a Mukho Naksan Provincial Park Park DONGHAE Expressway Chiaksan Provincial GANGNEUNG Valley Taebaeksan Mureung Hwaseongul Jumunjin Jeungsan Taebaeksan Provincial Park GYEONGSANGBUK-DO Yongpyong Ski Resort Sunrise Park Suinumsan Naksan Provincial Park Hoenggye County Park Coal Museum Naksan Beach 00 50 km 30 miles Naksan-sa 44 Gujeol-ri Jodo National Park ὈὈ Jinbu ( p191 ) and 4 ( p182 ) is the most well-loved and ) is the most well-loved p182 ( Yeongwol (North Korea) Hwajinpo Beach Jeongseon Park Park Map (p192) To Kumgangsan Yangyang 56 Ganseong Daejin National 14 Sobaeksan Observatory Goseong Unification Alps Ski Resort See Odaesan National Odaesan Provincial Park Taebaeksan Jinburyeong Seoraksan

special place in the hearts of the Korean peo- the Korean special place in the hearts of ple for its mist-shrouded associations with the country, the mythical founding father of at Dangun. Meanwhile, National & Provincial Parks National & Provincial Parks national parks, three Of the province’s Seoraksan at- with stunning peaks that have well-hiked, status.tained legendary the hikes, views and challenging incredible the highest temples boasting some of latter and peaks in the country. statue Mercy Goddess of ), a demure p182 ( can be found basking in a glorious location by the seaside. National Park Sunwoo Deokda-ri Osaek See Sokcho & Map (pp180-1) ὈὈ ὈὈὈ ὈὈ Ὀ ὈὈ ὈὈ Ὀ ὈὈ Pyeongchang Misan Valley Yuljeon-ri Hyeon-ni Inje Woraksan Chungjuho 14 Wontong National Park

Park National See Chiaksan National Park Map (p197) Chiaksan 14 Hongcheon Soyang Lake DMZ Yanggu Dam ὈὈ Ὀ Ὀ Bonghwasan (486m) Paroho Hwacheon Chuncheonho Ski Resort Gangchon N O R T H K O R E A N O R T H K O Gangchon (645m) CHUNGCHEONGBUK-DO GANGWON-DO •• History Forest Samaksan 10 Chiktang Falls Jipdarigol GYEONGGI-DO Recreational Sincheorwon Pyongyang

Namhan Sanseong Provincial Park

Valley Sundam Cheorwon 1 During the war this province saw many saw many During the war this province GANGWON-DO

SEOUL History History tourism. native employment opportunities, such as as opportunities, such employment native fierce battles for strategic mountaintops. mountaintops. fierce battles for strategic Subsequently resources, natural its rich industrial- including coal and timber, were road and ised, spurring the development of rail links. When many coal mines closed in alter- had to create the 1990s, the province the North from 1945 till the end of the Korean the Korean the North from 1945 till the end of War, and it’s not uncommon to come across in the North. families with relatives half is romanised as Kangwon-do). Some Some half is romanised as Kangwon-do). to belonged the 38th Parallel north of areas Gangwon-do is the southern half of a province a province of Gangwon-do is the southern half that once straddled the border (the Northern

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