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. The name Jeonju literally means "Perfect Region" for perfect, . 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 recognizes the city's traditional home cooking handed down over thousands of years, its active public and private food research, a system of nurturing talented chefs, and its hosting of distinctive food festivals.

History

The Paekche kingdom was located in southwestern Korea which included the area Jeonju is now located. It's believed that Jeonju was founded as a market town within Paekche around 57 BCE.
Jeonju was conquered by the kingdom of Silla and their Chinese Tang allies in 660 CE. It soon became part of the Silla kingdom and in 685, Jeonju became one of the nine chu. From 889 and onward, peasant revolts became widespread throughout the kingdom and it also spread to Jeonju where it became the headquarters of one of the most powerful rebel leaders of the time, Kyonhwon. In 892, Kyonhwon renamed the city Wansan and established it as the capital of the Later Paekche kingdom. From Wansan, Kyonhwon campaigned against Silla which climaxed with the destruction of Komsung and the assassination of King Kyongae in 927. With the decline of Silla, Kyonhwon and Wang Kon waged battle for control of the peninsula. However, Wang Kon and his forces invaded Later Paekche in 934 and Jeonju surrendered to him in 935.
Under Koguryo rule, Jeonju reverted to being a provincial capital and enjoyed relative stability and economic growth. However, in 1182, the city was taken by peasant rebels with the aid of governmental troops stationed there who resented being forced to do heavy labor along slaves.The rebellion was soon suppressed forty days after it began.
The Joseon defeated Koguryo and founded a new dynasty in 1392 and took all their possessions including Jeonju. The Joseon considered Jeonju their ancestral home. During the Joseon period, Jeonju became the capital of a reorganized Jeolla. In 1413, Jeonju was given the honor of safekeeping copies of the Annals of the Choson Dynasty which still survives extant in the former Confucian academy in Jeonju.
The town was occupied by the Donghak peasants' movement in 1894. Jeonju was then occupied by the Japanese beginning in 1910. The ancient walls of the old city were destroyed by the Japanese authorities with the P'ungnammum Gate being the only remnant left today. Jeonju's population grew between 1925 and 1949 when it reached 100,000 inhabitants. Jeonju was given metropolitan status in 1935, and the city was founded in 1949. During the Division of Korea, Jeonju was not in the immediate frontline of the war but by the armistice signing in July 1953, Jeonju suffered bombardment and the loss of many male residents who fought during the war.
Jeonju was given its modern boundaries and government system in 1963. It has since then industrialized rapidly. Since the Joseon Dynasty period, it was a metropolis, but it did not experience industrialization in the 20th century compared to other parts of Korea. It does not have the industrial infrastructure, manufacturing, or heavy industries found in other Korean major cities. Today, traditional touring and sight seeing is a major industry in the city.

Culture

The local mountains and parks are popular for outdoor recreation due to its rural location. There are historical sites in the area. The city 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

Jeonju is divided into two wards, Deokjin-gu and Wansan-gu that, 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, as many attractions are near each other.

Attractions

Jeonju hosts K League team Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC. The team's home ground is the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.
In addition, Jeonju KCC Egis, a professional basketball team, is refer to Jeonju.

Climate

Jeonju has a cooler version of a humid subtropical climate with strong humid continental influences.
Jeonju, like all of Korea, has four distinct seasons. 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 of Southeast Asia comes over the Korean peninsula from June through September. Temperatures in spring and fall are often in the mid-20s℃ and with low humidity.

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