Hongcheon 홍천군 |
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County | ||
Korean transcription(s) | ||
• Hangul | ||
• Hanja | ||
• Revised Romanization | Hongcheon-gun | |
• McCune-Reischauer | Hongch'ŏn-gun | |
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Location in South Korea |
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Country | South Korea | |
Region | Gwandong | |
Administrative divisions | 1 eup, 9 myeon | |
Area | ||
• Total | 1,817.9 km2 (701.9 sq mi) | |
Population (2004) | ||
• Total | 70,401 | |
• Dialect | Gangwon |
Hongcheon (Hongcheon-gun) is a county and city in Gangwon Province, South Korea. The city lies on the northern bank of the Hongcheon River, southeast of Chuncheon. The terrain of the county is mainly mountainous and contains hot springs in the Hongcheong River valley. The county produces ginseng, corn, and vegetables. As of 2012 the county had a population of 70,401 people (including foreigners) in 29,894 households.
Hongcheon's historic name was BulRyeokChunHyeon during the rule of Goguryeo. King Gyeongduk of Silla changed the name to YoungHyeon of Sak-Ju, In 1043, it was named Hongcheon during the reign of King In-Jong. Following the independence of the country on 15 August 1945, many administrative changes were made, affecting the jurisdiction of various units under its control.
Korean Federation for Environmental Movement (KFEM) opened an educational facility in Hongcheon in 1995.
The emblem of Hongcheon County represents it as the “County of Culture and Tourism”. It also signifies “patriotism and the love of one's home. To represent these aspects, the pictorial depiction consist of a leaf and dew—symbolic of the clean environment.
Hongcheon is located in Gangwon Province. The county, located in the middle of the peninsula, is the largest in Korea with an area of about 1,818 square kilometres (702 sq mi) and is reported to be three times the size of Seoul. It is bounded by Chuncheon city on the north, the Inje County and Yangyang County to the northeast, by Gapyeong County of Gyeonggi-do to the west, by Hoengseong and Pyeongchang counties to the north, and Pyeongchang county to the south. The county is a middle-level mountainous region, an offshoot of the Baegdu mountain range. The eastern end of the mountain range, where Myeonggae village and Nae township are located, runs in an east–west direction for a length of 93.1 km The western part of the mountain range which has Dongmak village and Seotown extends over a length of 39.4 km in an east–west direction. While the southern part of the hill range covers the Sidong village and the Nam town, the northern part has Jangnam village and Duchon township. The Palbong Mountain (327.4 m) has scenic views of the course of the Hongcheon River; the river forms white sandy banks. The Hongcheon river system which rises the Taebaek mountain watershed, joins the Hongcheon River which forms a small plain area at Seorak-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do. It then flows in to the Cheongpyeong Dam in Gyeonggi Province. Gachilbong Sambong Spring is located in Gwangwon-ri, Nae-myeon and originates from the Palbong Mountain; Garyeong Waterfall is located in Waya-ri, Naechon-myeon at the foot of Mt. Baekam (1,099m) which drops through rapids over a height of 50 m. The area is known for medicinal herbs, wild flowers and mountain birds.