Jeonju

Jeonju
전주시
Special-status 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
Country  South Korea
Region Honam
Administrative divisions 2 gu, 40 dong
Area
 • Total 206.22 km2 (79.62 sq mi)
Population (2012)
 • Total 654,040
 • Density 3,171.6/km2 (8,214/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 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 strawberries 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.

Culture

People and everyday life

Education is a major industry in the city, but it does not have the manufacturing or heavy industries found in other Korean cities. 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 large park, and the Hanguk Sound and Culture Hall, a large, modern concert complex on the Chonbuk National University campus.

Notable People

Kim Tae-yeon (born March 9, 1989), leader of the girl group Girls' Generation was born here.

Kim Sung-kyu, leader of South Korean boy band Infinite.

Kim Kyu Jong, center of SS501, was born here (born February 24, 1987)

Lee Min-woo, member of Shinhwa

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

When touring to Jeonju, it is good to use local city busses and taxis. Everything is in close so walking between points is suggested. Take advantage of one of the many local city busses.[3]

Attractions

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)
Avg. 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[5]

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 25th 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

Gallery

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jeonju.

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Jeonju's Gastronomic Greatness Recognized by UNESCO". Chosun Ilbo. 16 May 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  2. ↑ Jeonju Hanok Village [Slow City] (전주한옥마을 [슬로시티]). 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. ↑ "평년값자료(1981–2010) 전주(146)". Korea Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 2011-05-21.

Coordinates: 35°49′N 127°09′E / 35.817°N 127.150°E