Gunsan is located on South Korea’s west coast in the North Jeolla Province. It covers an area of 397 km2 and has a population of approximately 260,000. It comprises 1 eup (town), 10 myeons (townships), and 16 dongs (neighborhoods). Gunsan is located 231 km from Seoul and 337 km from Busan, and serves as the central hub for the Saemangeum Project, one of the largest reclamation projects in South Korea. The city is easily accessible via multiple international air routes and stands as a key port city on South Korea’s west coast, as well as an important industry hub and an international trade center.
Gunsan’s main industries are modern heavy industry (shipbuilding), mechanical engineering, chemical manufacturing, electronics, and solar energy. The city is home to more than 500 small and medium-sized enterprises spanning across various sectors such as machinery, electrical equipment, electronics, and food.
The Saemangeum Comprehensive Development Project, a national initiative started in 1991, has constructed the world’s longest seawall, stretching 33.9 km long, and reclaimed 401 km2 of land from the sea. The project aims to build an economic center of Northeast Asia by creating a comprehensive development area that encompasses industries, tourism, scientific research, and ports.
Gunsan has highly-developed culture, education, healthcare and social welfare sectors. It is a member of the International Association of Educating Cities (IAEC) and has Kunsan National University, Howon University, Kunsan College of Nursing, and other four-year comprehensive universities. The city is known for its diverse cultural events and festivals, such as the Gunsan Time Travel Festival, Gunsan Culture Night for exploring modern cultural heritage after dark, Gunsan Barley Festival, Saemangeum International Marathon, and Jinpo Art Festival.
Kunshan established a friendly-exchange relationship with Gunsan in September 1997.
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