Jeonju

Jeonju
전주시
Specific city
Korean transcription(s)
 • Hangul 전주시
 • Hanja 全州市
 • Revised Romanization Jeonju-si
 • McCune-Reischauer Chŏnju-si

Pungnammun

Emblem of Jeonju

Location in South Korea
Coordinates: 35°49′N 127°09′E / 35.817°N 127.150°E / 35.817; 127.150Coordinates: 35°49′N 127°09′E / 35.817°N 127.150°E / 35.817; 127.150
Country  South Korea
Region Honam
Administrative divisions 2 Gu, 40 dong
Government
 • Type City Government
 • Mayor Kim Seung-soo (Democratic)
 • Council Jeonju City Council
Area
 • Total 206.22 km2 (79.62 sq mi)
Population (2015)
 • Total 653,887
 • Density 3,170.8/km2 (8,212/sq mi)
 • Dialect Jeolla
ZIP codes 560011-561870
Area Code +82 63
Website Official website

Jeonju (Korean pronunciation: [tɕʌndʑu]) is a city in South Korea, and the capital of North Jeolla Province. It is a city that has a mix of both urban and rural due to the closeness of nearby Wanju County which almost entirely surrounds Jeonju. Nearby Wanju County also has many people living there who work in Jeonju, proper. The name, Jeonju literally means "Perfect Region" (from the hanja 全(전; Jeon) for perfect, 州(주; Ju) for region). It is an important tourist center famous for Korean food, historic buildings, sports activities and innovative festivals.

In May 2012, Jeonju was chosen as a Creative Cities for Gastronomy as part of UNESCO's Creative Cities Network. This honour recognize the city's traditional home cooking handed down through generations over thousands of years, its active public and private food research, a system of nurturing talented chefs, and its hosting of distinctive local food festivals.[1]

History

Located in the fertile Honam plain, famous for Jeonju Hanok Village and exceptional produce, Jeonju has been an important regional center in the province for centuries. Once, the city was the capital of Hubaekje Kingdom, which was founded by Gyeon Hwon. The city was regarded as the spiritual capital of the Joseon Dynasty because the Yi royal family originated there. The Chŏnju Kim in North Korea, of whom Kim Il-sung was descended from, have their ancestral seat (pon’gwan) in Jeonju as well.

The town was occupied by the Donghak peasants' movement in 1894. Jeonju was given metropolitan status in 1935, and the city was founded in 1949.

Since Joseon, it was a metropolis, but left behind the industrialization, it declined compared to before. it does not have the various infrastructure, manufacturing or heavy industries found in other Korean major cities. Today, Traditional Tour is a major industry in the city.

Culture

People and everyday life

The local mountains and parks are popular for outdoor recreation due to its rural location. There are also various historical sites in the area. The city also has a zoo, a park, and the Hanguk Sound and Culture Hall, a large, modern concert complex on the Chonbuk National University campus.

Notable People

Administrative districts

Jeonju is divided into 2 wards, Deokjin-gu (덕진구) and Wansan-gu (완산구), which in turn are divided into approximately 40 neighborhoods.

Transportation

Many city buses and taxis are available in Jeonju. However, tourists are often advised to walk between points of interest when possible, as many attractions are near each other.[3]

Attractions

Sports

Jeonju hosts K League team Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC. The team's home ground is the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.[5]

Climate

Climate data for Jeonju (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 4.4
(39.9)		 6.9
(44.4)		 12.4
(54.3)		 19.6
(67.3)		 24.5
(76.1)		 27.9
(82.2)		 30.2
(86.4)		 31.0
(87.8)		 27.0
(80.6)		 21.5
(70.7)		 13.9
(57)		 7.1
(44.8)		 18.9
(66)
Daily mean °C (°F) −0.5
(31.1)		 1.5
(34.7)		 6.3
(43.3)		 12.8
(55)		 18.2
(64.8)		 22.5
(72.5)		 25.8
(78.4)		 26.2
(79.2)		 21.5
(70.7)		 15.0
(59)		 8.3
(46.9)		 2.2
(36)		 13.3
(55.9)
Average low °C (°F) −4.6
(23.7)		 −3.0
(26.6)		 1.2
(34.2)		 6.7
(44.1)		 12.5
(54.5)		 17.8
(64)		 22.4
(72.3)		 22.6
(72.7)		 17.1
(62.8)		 9.8
(49.6)		 3.5
(38.3)		 −2.2
(28)		 8.6
(47.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 32.7
(1.287)		 40.0
(1.575)		 54.3
(2.138)		 77.3
(3.043)		 91.5
(3.602)		 167.9
(6.61)		 299.6
(11.795)		 277.5
(10.925)		 137.6
(5.417)		 53.5
(2.106)		 50.2
(1.976)		 31.1
(1.224)		 1,313.1
(51.697)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 9.3 7.8 10.3 8.6 9.2 10.7 15.9 15.5 9.7 6.7 9.1 9.4 122.2
Average relative humidity (%) 68.6 66.5 63.7 60.6 65.3 71.3 77.5 76.7 74.1 70.4 69.1 68.9 69.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours 151.6 157.7 185.9 211.7 217.9 172.7 136.7 160.6 168.1 194.6 154.5 142.3 2,054.5
Source: Korea Meteorological Administration[6]

Jeonju, like all of Korea, has 4 distinct seasons. They are spring, summer, fall, and winter. The winters can have a mix of days that are cool to days that are quite cold. The colder days are often influenced by a high pressure front that brings cold air from Siberia. In the summer, the humidity over the Korean peninsula from June through September comes from south east Asia. Temperatures in spring (late April and through May) and fall (after September 25 and though October) are often in the mid 20's℃ and with low humidity. Summer is the best time to visit for those accustomed to hot climates or southern countries. Spring and, especially, fall are the best time to visit for those from northern countries. (From the end of September through October, the climate often takes on a Mediterranean feel and is a great time to visit many nearby mountains and rivers, either in Jeonju or nearby Wanju.)

Sister cities

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Jeonju's Gastronomic Greatness Recognized by UNESCO". Chosun Ilbo. 16 May 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  2. ↑ Jeonju Hanok Village. Visitkorea.or.kr. Retrieved on 2013-07-12.
  3. ↑ "Travel Highlights". visitkorea. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "Jeonju Int'l Film Fest to Open This Week". Chosun Ilbo. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  5. ↑ Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2016-04-14). "Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors".
  6. ↑ "평년값자료(1981–2010) 전주(146)". Korea Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 2011-05-21.
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