1. History of Gyeonggi Province

Gyeonggi Province was a politically important area ever since 18 B.C., when Korea, a homogeneous nation, was divided into three nations during the Period of the Three Kingdoms. Ever since King Onjo, the founder of Baekjae (one of the three kingdoms), had founded the government in Wuirae Castle of Hanam, the Hangang (River) valley was absorbed into Goguryeo in the mid-fifth century, and became Silla's territory in the year 553(14th year of King Jinheung). Afterwards, the current location of Gyeonggi Province, one of the 9 states of Unified Silla (nation unifying the three kingdoms), was called Hansanju.

The Gyeonggi region started to rise as the central region of Korea’s history as the first Emperor of Goryeo (dynasty following Unified Silla), Wanggeon, set up the capital in Gaesong. Since 1018 (9th year of Goryeo’s King Hyeonjong), this area was officially called ‘Gyeonggi.’ In the Joseon Dynasty, which was founded after the Goryeo Dynasty, King Taejo set the capital in Hanyang, while restructuring Gyeonggi’s area to include Gwangju, Suwon, Yeoju, and Anseong, along with the southeast region. Since the period of Kings Taejong and Sejong, The Gyeonggi region became very similar to the current administrative area of Gyeonggi Province. In 1895, the 23-Bu system, which reorganized administrative areas at that time, was put in effect, and the Gyeonggi region was divided into Hanseong-Bu, Incheon-Bu, Chungju-Bu, Gongju-Bu, and Gaesong-Bu.

During Japan’s colonial rule of Korea, Hanseong-Bu was incorporated into Gyeonggi Province on October 1st, 1910, to be renamed as Gyeongseong-Bu, and had a provincial government placed in Gyeongseong-Bu according to the reorganization of administrative districts. After liberation and the foundation of Korea’s government, Gyeonggi Province and its capital Seoul were separated, with partial regions of Gyeonggi Province being incorporated into Seoul hereafter. In 1967, the seat of Gyeonggi provincial government was transferred from Seoul to Suwon. After Incheon was separated from Gyeonggi Province in 1981, Gyeonggi regions such as Gimpo, Ongjin, and Ganghwa were incorporated into Incheon in 1989 and 1995.

2. Geography of Gyeonggi Province

Gyeonggi Province is the western central region of the Korean Peninsula, which is vertically situated in Northeast Asia, and is located between east longitude of 126 and 127, and north latitude of 36 and 38. Its dimension is 10.2% of Korea’s territory, 10.114㎢. It is in contact with 86km of cease-fire line to the north, 413km of coastline to the west, Gangwon Province to the east, Chung-cheong Province to the south, and has Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea, situated in its center. The location of its provincial government is Suwon, and situates its 2nd government buildings in Uijeongbu for the administrative conveniences of the northern region.

2.1 Climate

The climate of Gyeonggi Province is the continental climate, which has a severe differentiation of temperature between summer and winter, and has distinctions of four seasons. Spring is warm, summer is hot and humid, autumn is cool, and winter is cold and snowy. The annual temperature is between 11~13C°, where the temperature in the mountainous areas to the northeast is lower and the coastal areas to the southwest is higher. For January’s average temperature, the Gyeonggi Bay is -4C°, the Namhangang (River) Basin is -4 ~ -6C°, and the Bukhangang (River) and Imjingang Basins are -6 ~ -8 C°. It becomes colder and higher in temperature differentiation from coastal to inland areas. Summer has a lower local differentiation compared to winter, and since the inland areas are hotter than the Gyeonggi Bay area, the hottest area is Pyeongtaek, making the average temperature of August 26.5C°.

The annual average precipitation is around 1,100mm, with a lot of rainfall. It is rainy in summer and dry during winter. The northeastern inland areas of Bukhangang and the upper stream of Imjingang has a precipitation of 1,300 ~ 1,400mm, whereas the coastal area has only 900mm of precipitation.

2.2 Nature/National Park

The topography of Gyeonggi Province is divided into southern and northern areas by the Han River, which flows from east to west. The area north to the Han River is mainly mountainous, while the southern area is mainly plain.

The configuration of Gyeonggi Province is represented by Dong-go-seo-jeo (high in the east and low in the west), where the Gwangju Mountain Range and the Charyeong Mountain Range spreads from the east and drops in elevation in the west. The fields of Gimpo, Gyeonggi, and Pyeongtaek extend to the west.

Gyeonggi Province boasts a beautiful nature stocked with rivers, lakes, mountains and seas. Its representing rivers are Hangang, Imjingang, and Anseongcheon (Stream), which flows into the Yellow Sea, with Gyeonggi Plain, Yeonbaek Plain and Anseong Plain forming a fertile field area around the rivers. There are Gwangju Mountain Range and Charyeong Mountain Range stretching towards China in Gyeonggi Province. Most of the mountains that rise above 1000m, such as Myeongjisan (1,267m), Gukmangbong (1,168m) and Yongmunsan (1,157m), are included in the Gwangju Mountain Range. It has a developed granite area which, due to the granite’s exfoliation effect, makes it full of strangely shaped cliffs and deep valleys. The Charyeong Mountain Range forms the boundary between Gyeonggi Province and North Chungcheong Province, but is a relatively low-altitude hilly area.

For National Parks within Gyeonggi Province, there is Bukhansan National Park located in Uijeongbu. For Provincial Parks, there are the Chukryeongsan Natural Recreation Area, Namhan-sanseong Provincial Park, Gapyeong Yeoninsan Provincial Park, and Mulhyanggi Arboretum. Besides the listed, the scenery of well-known mountains including Soyosan of Dongducheon City, Yongmunsan of Yangpyeong-gun, and Gwanaksan of Anyang·Gwacheon Cities, along with Hangang and Imjingang are the famous tourism sites of Gyeonggi Province.

3. Population

Gyeonggi Province has shown a rapid increase in population due to the modernization and urbanization of the Republic of Korea. Its population has increased from 2,748,765 in 1960 to 3,296,950 in 1970, 4,933,862 in 1980, 6,619,629 in 1992, and 8,982,298 in 2000. The current households in 2000 are numbered at 2,944,148 with an average of 3 people per family. There are 4,545,929 men with 4,436,369 women, making it nearly 110,000 more men than women. The population density is higher than the national average of 472 people/㎢, with the value of 882 people/㎢.

The most heavily populated area as of 2000 is Seongnam (924,812) followed by Suwon (912,697) and Bucheon (779,978). The lowest populated area is Yeoncheon (53,955) followed by Gapyeong (56,485) and Gwacheon (71,635).

4. Economy

As the backbone of Seoul in the means of manufacturing complex, Gyeonggi Province is evenly developed in various industries such as heavy industry (electronics, machine, heavy and chemical industry, steel), light industry (textile), and farm, livestock and fisheries industry. Due to the influence of recent high wages, the weight of various manufacturing industries has decreased in Korea’s economy. Gyeonggi Province is also making efforts in many ways to improve and modernize the conventional industry structure. Gyeonggi Province is unsparingly investing in the promotion of service industries related to soft competitive power such as state-of-the-art IT industry, designing, conventions and tourism, along with its great leap as a commercial hub in Northeast Asia using the Pyeongtaek Harbor. Besides this, it is famous for its special local products such as Icheon rice and Icheon/Gwangju ceramics. Also, the manufacturing base of global IT industries that represent Korea, such as Suwon Samsung Semi-conductor, Paju LG LCD Complex, and Icheon Hynix are located in Gyeonggi Province.

5. Administrative Area

Gyeonggi Province is, as of May 7th, 2008, consisted of 27 cities (special: 7, normal: 20) and 4 districts. This is because many districts have had status promotion from district to city due to the influence of Seoul’s new town development plan. Special cities are especially concentrated in the southern area of Gyeonggi Province.

5.1        City

Suwon, Seongnam, Uijeongbu, Bucheon, Gwangmyeong, Pyeongtaek, Dongducheon, Ansan, Goyang, Gwacheon, Guri, Namyangju, Osan, Siheung, Gunpo, Uiwang, Hanam, Yongin, Paju, Icheon, Anseong, Gimpo, Hwaseong, Gwangju, Yangju, Pocheon, Anyang

5.2        District

Yeoju-gun, Yeoncheon-gun, Gapyeong-gun, Yangpyeong-gun

6. Transportation

Gyeonggi Province is extremely well-developed in international aerial transportation. It is nearby Incheon International Airport, said to be the gateway to Korea, with the 2nd international airport of Gimpo International Airport situated within Gyeonggi Province. The area is cut through by the Gyeongin Line, Korea’s first railroad, and the Gyeongin Expressway, Korea’s first expressway. It is in close relation with the Metropolis of Seoul, making it well-developed in transportation. The road pavement rate is at an average of 86.5%. The subway cuts through the Metropolis of Seoul so that the subway’s National Railroad Line #1 is connected to Cheonan past Gyeonggi Province to the southwest, and Dongducheon to the north. Line #3 is connected to Goyang to the north, while #4 is connected to Gwacheon and Ansan to the southwest, #7 is connected to Uijeongbu to the north and Gwangmyeong to the south, #8 is extended to Sungnam to the south, and finally the Bundang line is connected from Suseo to Bojeong, Yongin, making subway transportation within the metropolitan area extremely convenient. The usage of sea transportation utilizing Pyeongtaek Harbor is high, and this is due to the fact that nearby regions including Seoul are playing an important role as the door to trade and commerce along with imports and exports.

7. Education

Gyeonggi Province is focusing proportions of its investments into education to foster talented people suitable for the global era. It is currently promoting campus transfer of reputable universities into Gyeonggi Province, while driving forth additional foundations of special purpose high schools for high-quality education. It has also founded and is operating the largest domestic scale of Paju English Community, along with Ansan and Yangpyeong English Villages for English education.

Universities within Gyeonggi Province

[National]

Korea National Police University, Hankyong National University

[Private]

Kangnam University, Kyonggi University, Kyungwon University, Kyung Hee University, Dankook University, Daejin University, Luther University, Myongji University (science departments campus), Seoul Theological University, Seoul Jangsin University and Theological Seminary, Sungkyul University, Suwon Catholic University, Shingyeong University, Asia United Theological University, Ajou University, Anyang University, Yongin University, Chung-Ang University (Anseong Campus), Calvin University, Pyongtaek University, College of Medicine Pochon CHA University, Korea Polytechnic University, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Korea Aerospace University, Hanbuk University, Hansei University, Hanshin University, Hanyang University, Hyupsung University

8. Culture

8.1 Historical Landmarks

Gyeonggi Province has long been, historically, a capital area, which left many historic relics and ruins. For royal tombs (called reung), there are Donggureung of Guri, and Gwangreung, Hongreung and Yureung of Namyangju. For castles (called seong), there are Suwon Hwaseong, which is designated as the World Cultural Heritage, Namwonsanseong, Haengjusanseong, and Ganghwasanseong. For Buddhist temples, there are many aged temples within Gyeonggi Province where one can experience ‘temple stay’, besides Ganghwa Pusoksa Muryangsujeon, the oldest wooden building in Korea. You can view folk culture in the Korean Folk Village in Yongin, and the scene of Korea’s division at Panmunjeom in Paju.

8.2 Performance/Art

Gyeonggi Province is investing a lot of money at a provincial level so that one doesn’t have to go to Seoul to enjoy a high-class cultural life. There are various performances at Gyeonggi Arts Center in Suwon and as well as Gyeonggi Korean Traditional Music Center in Yongin. Gyeonggi Provincial Museum in Yongin, Nam June Paik Art Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Museum of Art in Ansan, and Ceramics Museum in Gwangju are some of the facilities that are currently founded and being operated by the province. Besides, there are famous sightseeing opportunities at Jangheung Art Park, Publication Art Complex at Heyri, Paju, and the Icheon Ceramics Exposition.

8.3 Sports

The 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup matches were held in Suwon World Cup Stadium. As for the professional soccer teams with Gyeonggi Province as their home ground, there are the Suwon Samsung Blue Wings and Sungnam Ilhwa Cheonma. Also, there is the professional basketball team of Guri Red Wings, sponsored by Kumho Life Insurance.

9. Tourism

9.1 Entertainment

There are many famous theme parks and resorts spread across Gyeonggi Province. Everland, which is considered as one of the top 10 theme parks in the world considering admission number, is located in Yongin, while the Hallyu Wood Theme Park, which is based on the ‘Korean Fever’, is under construction in Goyang. Sites that are also worth visiting with one’s family are the Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon, which has the Korea’s National Museum of Contemporary Art and a zoo, along with the Korean Folk Village in Yongin. Besides, Gyeonggi Province has a number of famous ski and golf resorts that aims to attract the citizens of Seoul, along with its Icheon Hot Spring.

9.2 Gourmet

Gyeonggi Province has long been famous for its Icheon rice, Yangpyeong Korean beef, Suwon cow ribs and Korean court cuisine, and marine delicacies made of fresh marine products from the west coast.