On the road from Masan to Jinhae. After emerging from a tunnel, the hills are covered in pink blossoms.
The city of Jinhae (진해시), is a special city located on a mountainous stretch of Korea’s namhae, or southern coastline. The town is best known as home to the world’s largest number of flowering cherry trees, or beotkkot namu (벚꽃 나무). For only a few short weeks each spring, an estimated 340,000 trees burst into a virtual sea of pale-pink blossoms. Fortunately, for the past 46 years, the hospitable people of Jinhae have shared their local treasure with the world as hosts of the Jinhae Gunhangjae (군항제), or Naval Port Festival.
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This past weekend, southern Seoul’s COEX center hosted the sixth annual Korea Travel Expo.
The historically weak Korean won and global economic crisis has many Koreans looking at domestic travel destinations instead of holidays in Southeast Asia or the U.S. To meet their needs, this past weekend the Korea Travel Expo 2009 (site in Korean) hosted its sixth annual event at the Atlantic Hall of the COEX center in southern Seoul.
Nearly 500 booths representing 280 different regional governments, transportation companies and local festivals took part in the nation’s largest expo promoting domestic tourism. This being Korea, several booths offered free samples of indigenous liquor.
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Although much of Jeonju’s Hanok Village (전주 한옥마을) is enjoying new construction, there are also rustic sections that retain significant charm.
(A version of this text aired on KBS World Radio on November 22, 2008.)
In Part 1, we explored some of the historic city of Jeonju’s favorite attractions. This time, we’ll taste some of its famous food.
Like most countries, Korea’s provinces tend to have some regional rivalries. But when it comes to food, people from Seoul down to Jeju Island agree that the nation’s best food is found in the Jeolla provinces. And it makes sense that Korea’s southwest corner, also known as the country’s rice-basket, would boast delicious cuisine.
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