Mungyeong (문경시;聞慶市; listen.fortuitous.city) is a city in Gyeongsangbuk-do. The population as of 2004 was 79,820, including:
- 79,552 Koreans and
- 268 non-Koreans.
Mungyeong is located in the far northwest of the province. The city consists of the urban area of Jeomchon (about 40-45 thousand people), plus several small towns (Nong-an, Kaeul, Maseong, Sanyang, Yeongsun, as well as "old Mungyeong" (or Mungyeong-eup.) When the city was formed it was given the name Mungyeong, even though the city hall, main business and population center is located in Jeomchon. Some maps label Jeomchon as "Mungyeong" and then show a second Mungyeong up the road a ways. But in using public transport, tickets to Mungyeong will take you to "Old Mungyeong." To get to the main population center of Mungyeong-shi, you'd buy a ticket to Jeomchon.
Mungyeong is bounded by Yecheon-gun on its east, Sangju on the south, Goesan-gun on the west, and Chungju, Yecheon, and Danyang-gun on the north.
[edit] Administration
[edit] Administrative districts
[edit] Government offices
- City Hall The Mungyeong shicheong is located in Mojeon-dong, on the busy street running west from the 5-way toward the expressway. It's on the north side of this road, about three blocks west of the "Chom Chon" bus terminal.
- Post Offices
- The Mungyeong Post Office, Jeomchon's main post office, is located a block north and two blocks east of the main intersection.
- Mungyeong Mojeon post office is located on Jung-angno in Jeomchon, past the other side of the hill south of the main intersection.
- There are also post offices in the principal rural centers.
[edit] Businesses and Services
[edit] Bathhouses and hot spring spas
- Jeomchon At least six mogyoktangs here. Cost is 4000 won per adult.
- Hyeondae A block west of Jung-angno, in bukbu. Not a bad place for a soak.
- Maebong 555-9462. A couple blocks west of the Halla Yuttong in Mojeon-dong.
- Nambu On east side of Highway 3, almost three blocks north of the five-way junction in Mojeon-dong.
- Seongjin Jeomchon's only jjimjilbang. It's an old building and attracts a rather rustic crowd. It's on the east side of Jung-angno, a block or two north of the street the local bus terminal is on. That is, it's quite far north in the town.
- Ttaeguk Mokyoktang an older bathhouse, cozy and comfortable. It's right across the street from the Mojeon Post Office on Jung-angno.
[edit] Fitness
In Jeomchon
Cham Sari Yogawan (참살이 요가왼)
- Class times: 11 a.m. 3 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8:20 p.m.
- Location: On the second floor of a building across from and slightly north of the Mungyeong-Mojeon post office on Jung-angno in Jeomchon nambu.
- Address: 62-14 Mojeon-dong Phone (054) 556-5954
- Telephone: (054) 556-5954
Kim Daejun is the owner.
There's also a gym - its up the side street adjacent to the Halla Yutong. Go up the hill a couple blocks and its on the left.
[edit] Restaurants and Bars
[edit] Restaurants
As the average Korean, Japanese, and Chinese restaurants are in abundance throughout Korea and are easy for foreigners to find, the following restaurants reflect a sampling of restaurants considered to be either popular or are western-friendly choices and other ethnic foods.
[edit] Shopping
There are no department stores in Mungyeong-shi - nearest ones are in Chungju, Daegu, Kimcheon, Sangju. None of the supermarkets are large. Convenience stores are to be found in a number of locations.
- Supermarkets
- Halla Yuttong is on Highway 3 in Mojeon-dong, just a block northwest of the five-way intersection.
- Nong Hyup - the agricultural cooperative market - has two Jeomchon locations. One is across from the shinae bus terminal on the north side of Jeomchon. The other is a block past the first stoplight north of the main intersection in Jeomchon, on the west side of Jungangno. It's in the basement below the Nong Hyup bank. There may also be one in Maseong.
- Cosmo Mart is a block east of the stoplight in the middle of Jeomchon. Avoid this place if you don't like noisy loudspeakers blaring ads. For the deaf it offers a reasonable selection.
- A smaller supermarket is on the same road several blocks west, at the top of the hill.
- Another small supermarket is a block or so south of the shinae bus terminal - the back entrance opens onto a corner of the five-day market.
[edit] Public markets
- The main market in Jeomchon is located just southwest of the stoplight in the middle of town. It occupies a street running one block west and parallel to the main Jungangno Street. It also occupies a large building between the two streets. Most of the produce and fish is on the street; most of the meat, textiles and kichenware are in the building. Stores selling ddeok ( 떡 ) are in either location. There are a couple stalls selling snacks like sundae, japchae, etc. And in the middle of the market street there are stands selling twigim and others selling brown-sugar filled pancakes (hodeok). This market is open daily.
[edit] Tourism
[edit] Accomodation
- Jeomchon There are many hotels, motels, and yeogwans in Jeomchon - more that one might expect for a city this size. Many of the newer ones are located just east of the city hall on the south side of Jeomchon, in Mojeon-dong. Some are north of the intercity bus terminal. Others are near the train Station. A few yeoinsuks and some yeogwans are in the downtown area. There's one jjimjilbang in the north part of Jeomchon.
- Jinnam There are several minbak in this scenic area.
- Mungyeong-eup There are some large new hotels here which draw water from the Mungyeong hot springs. These are in the south end of town. Also a few cheaper options are closer to the town center.
[edit] Culture
- Mungyeong Cultural Center
- Address: 118 Jungang-dong, Mungyeong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
- Tel: (054) 555-2571
- Seowons. These Confucian academies used to be a major part of the Korean educational system. Several once operated in Mungyeong-shi - in some cases the building remains, sometimes there is little left. This is not guaranteed to be a complete list:
- Hanjeon Seowan, Nongam-ri, Nongam-myeon.
- Keun-am Seowan, Seojung-ni, Sanbuk-myeon.
- Soyang Seowan, Jeongong-ni, Gaeun-eup.
- Ungyeon Seowan, Seojung-ni, Sanbuk-myeon.
Mungyeong-shi has within its borders parts of two National Parks, Songnisan and Weoraksan. It also contains the entirety of Mungyeong-Saejae Provincial Park.
There are several paths leading to the summit of Maebongsan, the hill on the west side of Jeomchon. On top you will find exercise equipment. Likewise paths climb the hill west of the north part of Jeomchon, and there's a temple up there as well.
The small river running through Jeomchon is lined with cherry trees and has benches for sitting.
Another park is just south of the city center, and a couple blocks east of Jungangno. This occupies much of a hilltop with a lawn, trees and benches. There's also a rest room here.
Jinnam has the ancient fortress and a river beach.
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Getting there
- Air. Nearest service to Jeomchon and Mungyeong-shi is to Daegu or Seoul.
- Rail. Spur lines running to Mungyeong-eup and Gaeun have been discontinued and part of them have become bike paths (with rental rail-running bikes running on the original tracks.) Train service from Jeomchon continues - three times daily in each direction. Trains from Busan come up via Daegu, Gumi, Gimcheon and Sangju, and after leaving Jeomchon they pass through Yecheon on their way to Yeongju.
- Bus.
- Jeomchon bus terminal is located at the south end of Jeomchon. Bus service here connects Jeomchon with many Korean destinations. The Yeongju to Yecheon to Jeomchon bus also stops at the "Jeomchon bukbu" stop in northern Jeomchon.
- Mungyeong-eup: Many intercity buses stop at Mungyeong terminal en route to destinations in the Seoul area, plus Chungju, Jeomchon, Andong, Daegu, etc.
- Gaeun also has a bus terminal for local buses, as well as for a few buses running daily to more distant locations.
- Highway. The Expressway No. 45 opened in the fall of 2004. This provides a more direct route between Seoul and Daegu. There are interchanges at Mungyeong-eup/Maseong and at Jeomchon. Older roads roughly parallel this route. Highway 34 runs past Mungyeong-eup and passes Jeomchon to connect with Yecheon, Andong, and on the the east coast at Yeongdeok. Highway three comes up from Sangju to Jeomchon then goes northwest to join Hwy 34 to Chungju.
[edit] Local transport
Local buses leave from the Shinae bus terminal in the north part of Jeomchon. There are also bus terminals in Kaeul and in Mungyeong-eup. Buses go to housing high-rises around the periphery of Jeomchon, to Mungyeong-eup and Mungyeong SaeJae, and to other towns, villages and temples around the shi. A schedule is posted (in Korean only) at the shinae terminal. One may be able to get a one-sheet printed version there as well. Some run quite regularly, others only once or twice a day. Partial schedules are posted at some bus stops.
[edit] External links
