- Source: Sokcho
Sokcho (Korean: 속초; Korean pronunciation: [sʰo̞k̚.tɕʰo̞]) is a city and major tourist hub located in the northeast of Gangwon Province, South Korea.
History
From around the 3rd century to the early 5th century AD, Sokcho was part of Dongye. Originally a sparsely inhabited fishing village on the shores of Lake Cheongchoho, it became a major port due to its location on the Sea of Japan. Sokcho later became a mineral transfer port in 1937.
When the Korean peninsula was divided into two countries following World War II, Sokcho was placed under North Korean control, before being captured by the South Korean army on August 18, 1951. Since the Korean Armistice Agreement (1953), it has been a part of South Korea.
Tourism
= Seoraksan National Park
=Seoraksan National Park is located in the vicinity of Sokcho and attracts local and international tourists. The city is known for its beach, natural hot springs, golf courses, and fine fishery products.
= Lakes
=Sokcho is home to two lakes, Yeongrangho and Cheongchoho. Yeongrangho lake is renowned for its beauty. The reflection of Mt. Seorak and Ulsanbawi are particularly popular.
Marina Yacht is located in Cheongchoho Lake Park and provides yachting tours on the Sea of Japan. The tours start and finish at Cheongcho Marina, passing Seorakdaegyo Bridge, and Dongmyeonghang Port, Jodo. Marina Yacht rents boats to people with a boat license; it also has a café.
Yeongrangho Hwarangdo Center provides various experiences, including horse riding. Daepo harbour is located in Daepo-dong, Sokcho. Its attractions include a sea fountain and beach cable car.
= Buddhist temples
=There are a number of well-preserved Buddhist temples in the area around Sokcho. The main building of the Sinheungsa temple (Geukrakbojeon) is a major tourist destination (originally built in the 15th century). Also notable is the Hyangseongsaji samcheung seoktap - a three-storey pagoda of 4.3 metres. It dates from 652 and is located at the site of the Hyangseongsa temple. Yeonggeumjeong, a pavilion built on the shores of Sokcho, is popular for its views of the sunrise.
= Traditional village
=Abai village near Seoraksan was originally established to house North Korean refugees due to the separation of Korea. Consequently, many of the inhabitants have relatives in North Korea. The village has seen increased tourism due to the popularity of Korean Drama Autumn in My Heart on KBS.
= Festivals
=In 1999, the Gangwon International Tourism Expo was held in Sokcho. In July 2016, Sokcho became one of the few locations in South Korea where Pokémon Go could be played due to government restrictions on mapping data. Players flocked to the city, causing public transport tickets to sell out. Many tourists are also attracted by the close proximity of the DMZ.
Infrastructure
= Airport
=Sokcho used to have its own airport, linking the city to Seoul. Currently, the city is served by the Yangyang International Airport.
= Station
=The opening of KTX Gyeonggang Line has made it convenient for travellers to visit Gangwon Province, a 86-minute train ride from Seoul.
= Stadium
=Sokcho Stadium
Food
Sokcho's traditional market, established in 1953 as the Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market, offers a variety of items for sale, including fresh fish, dried fish, and various vegetables. It was recently included in the Korea Tourism Organization's list of "Best Traditional Markets for Foreign Tourists". The market is notable for its vibrant atmosphere, where visitors can observe fishmongers bargaining with local shoppers.
Sokcho is known for Hoe, which is a raw fish. The coastal waters provide good fishing grounds for Ojingeo, Myeongtae, Gwangeo and Godeungeo.
Sundubu can be found in the streets of the tofu towns such as Sinheung Sundubu and Haksapyeong Sundubu — it is made from Seoraksan and water from the Sea of Japan.
Sokcho offers a unique twist to Sundae (not the eponymous dessert) by using Ojingeo instead of pork intestines. The Ojingeo-sundae consists of squid stir-fry, made with noodles and blood sausage, with carrots, onions, seaweed and spices mixed together, covered with thin fried egg yolk.
Culture
Local cuisine can be experienced in the various food districts of the city. "Foodtown" is a two block area dedicated to restaurants where visitors can find mainly Korean style beef pork and chicken restaurants. Daepo harbor, outside of Sokcho on the road to Yangyang offers more than 100 individual mini restaurants serving diverse seafood dishes. An own unique stuffed squid dish, Abai Sundae, can be found in Abai village.
In October Sokcho comes to life with the Seorak Cultural Festival, which includes parades, stage shows, contests, races and various other forms of entertainment. The rice cake making sampling contests are particularly popular. Another unusual event is the Gaet-Bae, or raft, race. Two teams propel the rafts across the course by pulling on long handled hooks catching the cable that straddles the deck of each raft.
Climate
Sokcho straddles the line between a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa) and a humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfa).
Sister cities
Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province since June 13, 1996
Jung District, Seoul since January 22, 1997
Gresham, Oregon, United States since June 23, 1985
Taitung County, Taiwan since April 16, 1992
Hunchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China since August 22, 1994
Yonago, Tottori, Japan since October 18, 1995
Khasansky, Primorsky Krai, Russia since July 19, 1996
Nyūzen, Toyama, Japan since October 3, 1996
Sakaiminato, Tottori, Japan since April 9, 2002
Partizansk, Primorsky Krai, Russia
Gallery
Notable people from Sokcho
Shin Ye-eun (신예은), a South Korean actress
Park Kwang-su (박광수), a South Korean filmmaker
Hwang Keum-chan (황금찬), a poet born in Sokcho, Gangwon-do
Kim Kang-min (김강민), a South Korean actor under the label of Mystic Story
Monday (birth name: Kim Ji-min, 김지민), singer, dancer, rapper and K-pop idol, member of K-pop girlgroup Weeekly
In literature
The novel Winter in Sokcho, by Elisa Shua Dusapin, which won the National Book Award for Translated Literature in 2021, takes place in Sokcho. It was subsequently adapted into the 2024 film Winter in Sokcho by director Koyo Kamura.
See also
Seorak Cultural Festival
List of cities in South Korea
Dae Jo-yeong (TV series)
References
External links
Sokcho city government home page
Sokcho city government English-language home page
Sokcho-si Tourism Org
Sokcho-si :Official Site of Korea Tourism Org
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- Bandar Udara Internasional Yangyang
- Museum Keramik Seokbong
- Lee Yong-jin
- Shin Ye-eun
- AH6
- Daftar kota di Korea Selatan
- Perang Korea
- Kim So-hyun
- Gangwon (Korea Selatan)
- Gunung Seorak
- Sokcho
- 1998 Sokcho submarine incident
- Winter in Sokcho
- Sokcho Airport
- Winter in Sokcho (film)
- Elisa Shua Dusapin
- Gangwon Province, South Korea
- Race Across the World series 4
- Sokcho Stadium
- Korean War
