Gwangju, South Korea

Gwangju is the 6th largest city in South Korea. It is a metropolitan city under direct control of the central government. The city is located on the southern part of the Korean peninsula. It has a population of 1.4 million people and an area of 501 sq km.

Gwangju was founded in 57 BC and has acted as a regional political and economic centre. In modern times, however, the city only began to enjoy rapid economic development once the railroad was built to link it to Seoul. Among the industries that flourished in Gwangju include rice milling, breweries and textile manufacturing.

It was also in Gwangju that a civil demonstration took place in 1980 against the military government of Chun Doo-hwan, which resulted in the killing of hundreds by the military, including the firing of automatic weapons on unarmed demonstrators.

Travel to Gwangju

Most budget travelers arrive here by bus from Seoul. Alternatively, the KTX high-speed train covers the distance between Seoul and Gwangju in just 3 hours, and costs ₩39,000. There are also more economical local trains making the same journey for a longer time.

Travel within Gwangju

The main forms of transportation in Gwangju are the buses and taxis. The city also has a single subway line, which is not the most practical, but quite cheap, at just ₩1,000 per ride to any location. Presently a second subway line is under construction, and will form a loop around the city center.

Photos of Gwangju

Gwangju Democracy Bell

Places of Interest in Gwangju

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