Hadong County

History

Hadong was originally called Dasachon (, "county of much sand") when it was a part of the Jin state. It later became part of Nangnoguk (), one of the Byeonhan confederacy's twelve statelets. According to the History of the Three Kingdoms, the region was called Handasa-gun () before changing into Hadong-gun in 757 CE during the reign of King Gyeongdeok of Silla. During the Goryeo dynasty, the area was known as Hadong-hyeon (). Amid the reign of the Joseon-era King Taejong in 1414, it became known as Hanamhyeon () with Namhaehyeon (). In 1702, was added to Hadong-gun. Hadong was raised to the status of Hadongdohobu () in 1740, the thirtieth year of King Sukjong's reign.

On April 1, 1914, Seo-myeon () and Geumyang-myeon () were added to Hadong. Part of Seomjin-ri (), Daap-myeon (), and of South Jeolla Province were added to Hadong on January 1, 1915. In 1917, Naehoengbo-myeon () was renamed to Hoengcheon-myeon () while Deokyang-myeon () was renamed to Jingyo-myeon (). Geumyang-myeon () was abolished and incorporated into Jingyo-myeon () and Geumnam-myeon (), formerly Nam-myeon (), on January 1, 1933. On October 1, 1938, Hadong-myeon () was elevated to Hadong-eup ().

During the Korean War, the region was the site of the Hadong Ambush, a North Korean attack on US Army forces.

Local sights and attractions

Nestled between the Seomjin River and Mount Jiri, the county is a popular destination for both domestic and foreign tourists who enjoy nature. Portions of the Jirisan National Park lie within the county, forming the county's hilly, mountainous landscape.

The Ssanggyesa is a historic Korean Buddhist temple of the Jogye Order that has been designated a National Treasure.

Pak Gyeongni's 16-volume novel Land is partially set in the village of Pyeongsa-ri () in Agyang-myeon, Hadong County. A replica of the fictional Choi family's home was built there to commemorate the author's legacy.

Green tea

Hadong has been famous for its green tea since the Silla era when an envoy brought green tea seeds from the Tang Empire to be planted locally. The local government has long promoted this as a major local attraction, including sponsoring a tourism advertisement that aired on CNN in 2007. The annual "wild tea" festival, lasting 25 days, takes place during May and June.

Development

While much of South Korea has experienced rapid industrial development, Hadong remains a destination for those wishing to escape the bustle of city living. However, a lack of industrial sector activity has left the government with little incentive to expand the sometimes inadequate existing road infrastructure. A petition for the allocation of funds for new road construction was signed by a number of Hadong residents.

Former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak has recently announced plans for the construction of a Gyeongsangnam-do leisure resort palace in Hadong.

Notable people

• Jeong Gi-ryong
• Yi Byeong-ju, a novelist, journalist, and reporter
• Jeong Ho-seung
• Kang Man-soo
• Jeong Gongchae, a poet who won the 1960 Contemporary Literature (Hyundae Munhak) Award

Schools

Twin towns – sister cities

Hadong is twinned with:

• KOR Anyang, South Korea
• KOR Gwangyang, South Korea
• KOR Geoje, South Korea
• KOR Seongdong-gu, South Korea
• KOR Haeundae-gu, South Korea
• PRC Zhangqiu, China
• PRC Ya'an, China
• PRC Zhangjiajie, China

References

References

1. (2024). "Population statistics".
2. link. (2016-03-04)
3. (2008-03-13). "Green Tea, Nature and Market at Hadong". [[The Korea Times]].
4. "Asia Society Korea Travel Series 4 – Hadong County". [[Asia Society]].
5. (2018-05-03). "A statue of Pak Kyong-ni to be set up at Toji Foundation". [[The Dong-a Ilbo]].
6. (May 2018)
7. ''하동군 국도 19호선 4차선 확.포장 시급'' Newsis 2008-01-22
8. [이명박 정부 개발 핫 이슈] "동아시아 7대 경제권 도약 꿈꾼다" 2008-01-22 Retrieved 2008-01-26
9. "Prix littéraires 1960".