Sokcho

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 (known as the East Sea in Korea). 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

Main article: 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

Main article: Sinheungsa

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

Main article: Abai 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

Main article: Sokcho 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 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. File:Ojingeo Sundae.jpg|Ojingeo Sundae File:Godeungeo Hoe.jpg|Godeungeo Hoe File:Jeon Bok.jpg|Jeon Bok Hoe File:Mae Un Tang.jpg|Mae Un Tang File:Sundubu Jjgae.jpg|Sundubu Jjigae

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).

| Jan record high C = 15.8 | Feb record high C = 19.1 | Mar record high C = 26.9 | Apr record high C = 32.5 | May record high C = 34.4 | Jun record high C = 35.3 | Jul record high C = 37.1 | Aug record high C = 38.7 | Sep record high C = 34.1 | Oct record high C = 29.9 | Nov record high C = 27.5 | Dec record high C = 17.8 | year record high C = 38.7

| Jan record low C = -16.4 | Feb record low C = -16.2 | Mar record low C = -11.6 | Apr record low C = -3.5 | May record low C = 3.8 | Jun record low C = 6.6 | Jul record low C = 12.6 | Aug record low C = 13.7 | Sep record low C = 9.5 | Oct record low C = -0.3 | Nov record low C = -8.7 | Dec record low C = -14.9 | year record low C = -16.4

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220129211110/https://data.kma.go.kr/resources/normals/pdf_data/korea_pdf_0106_v2.pdf | archive-date = 29 January 2022 | access-date = 31 January 2022 | access-date = 5 October 2021 | script-title = ko:순위값 - 구역별조회 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161207185450/http://www.kma.go.kr/down/Climatological_2010.pdf | archive-date = 7 December 2016 | access-date = 7 December 2016

Sister cities

• ROK Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province since June 13, 1996
• ROK Jung District, Seoul since January 22, 1997
• US Gresham, Oregon, United States since June 23, 1985
• ROC Taitung County, Taiwan since April 16, 1992
• PRC Hunchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China since August 22, 1994
• JPN Yonago, Tottori, Japan since October 18, 1995
• RUS Khasansky, Primorsky Krai, Russia since July 19, 1996
• JPN Nyūzen, Toyama, Japan since October 3, 1996
• JPN Sakaiminato, Tottori, Japan since April 9, 2002
• RUS Partizansk, Primorsky Krai, Russia

Gallery

File:Korea-Seorak Mountains behind Sokcho-01.jpg|Seorak Mountains adjacent to Sokcho File:Korea-Sokcho-Squid.Market-01.jpg|Squid drying at the Taepo Fish Market in Sokcho File:Seolak Bridge, Sokcho.jpg|Sinsuro Arched Bridge over Lake Cheongchoho in Sokcho File:Korea-Sokcho-Squid boats on Cheongchoho Lake-01.jpg|Squid boats on Lake Cheongchoho in Sokcho File:Lighthouses in Sokcho.jpg|Cheongho Beach

Notable people from Sokcho

• Shin Ye-eun (), a South Korean actress
• Park Kwang-su (), a South Korean filmmaker
• Hwang Keum-chan (), a poet born in Sokcho, Gangwon-do
• Kim Kang-min (), a South Korean actor under the label of Mystic Story
• Monday (birth name: Kim Ji-min, ), singer, dancer, rapper and K-pop idol, member of K-pop girlgroup Weeekly
• D1 (birth name: Jang Dong-il, ), leader of DKB (band)

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.

References

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