Pūsan is also a Vedic Hindu god.
Busan Metropolitan City, also commonly referred to as Pusan, is a harbor city and designated Metropolitan City in the southeast of South Korea. With a population of approximately 3.7 million, Busan is the second largest city in South Korea, after Seoul. The densely populated city is situated in the narrow Nakdong River valley, with mountains acting as a check on expansion to either the east or west.
Busan was the host city of the 2002 Asian Games. Kumjung Mountain to the west is a popular weekend hiking spot for Pusan residents. Tourist hotels and a carnival boardwalk line the Haeundae Beach district. To the north, the neighborhoods around Pusan National University sport student cafes, bars, and open air noodle restaurants. Chalgalchi Market (near the very active port) is an area of narrow street stalls and is well known for its fish market. Busan has a relatively large Russian population, one area known as the "Foreigners' Shopping Street" has many Russian businesses, and business is conducted primarily in Korean and Russian. The area was originally known as the Foreigners' Street because so many businesses were set up there during the 1940s and 50s to cater to American soldiers in the area. The Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone Authority, one of two such administrations (the other in the harbor of Incheon), was created to continue the tradition of Busan's status as an international trading center. It is now attracting ships from all over the globe is aspiring to become a regional financial center. In addition, Busan is internationally ranked as the third largest seaport in terms of cargo volume and efficiency by the AAPA.
Busan was one of the few areas in Korea that remained under the control of South Korea throughout the Korean War. UN troops established a defensive perimeter around the city known as the Busan perimiter in the summer and autumn of 1950.
The city is also home to K-League soccer side Busan I'cons.
Since 1982, the city has been home to the Lotte Giants, who play in the Korean baseball league.
Busan is also famous for the Pusan International Film Festival , or PIFF, which is one of the largest international film festivals in Asia.
Busan is served by Gimhae International Airport in the west.
Administrative divisions
Busan is divided into 15 wards ("Gu") and 1 county ("Gun").
- Buk-gu (북구; 北區)
- Busanjin-gu (부산진구; 釜山鎭區)
- Dong-gu (동구; 東區)
- Dongnae-gu (동래구; 東萊區)
- Gangseo-gu (강서구; 江西區)
- Geumjeong-gu (금정구; 金井區)
- Haeundae-gu (해운대구; 海雲臺區)
- Jung-gu (중구; 中區)
- Nam-gu (남구; 南區)
- Saha-gu (사하구; 沙下區)
- Sasang-gu (사상구; 沙上區)
- Seo-gu (서구; 西區)
- Suyeong-gu (수영구; 水營區)
- Yeongdo-gu (영도구; 影島區)
- Yeonje-gu (연제구; 蓮堤區)
- Gijang-gun (기장군; 機張郡)
History
From the beginning of the 15th century onwards, the Korean government designated Pusan as a trading port with Japanese and their settlement. Other Japanese settlements in Ulsan and Jinhae diminished later, but the Pusan settlement, called Waegwan, continued until Japan invaded Korea in 1592. After the war, diplomatic relations with the new shogunate in Japan was established in 1607, and Pusan Waegwan was permitted to be reconstructed. The Japanese settlement, though relocated into Choryang later, continued to exist until Korea was exposed to modern diplomacy in 1876. In the colonial days Pusan developed as a hub trading port with Japan. During the colonial days, the city was the only city to adopt the steam tramway before the electrification was introduced in 1924.
Transportation
Ferries connect Pusan with Shimonoseki (Kanpu Ferry), Fukuoka and Hiroshima in Japan. The ferry to Kokura in Kitakyushu is no longer running.
The ferry to Fukuoka is the Beetle, a high-speed hydrofoil run by JR Kyushu. It takes 2 hours 55 minutes to cross the Tsushima Strait between Korea and Japan.
See also
External links
- http://english.busan.go.kr/index.jsp Busan Metropolitan Government
- http://visit.busan.kr/eng2004/index.html Tourist Information
- http://www.pusan.ac.kr/english Pusan National University
- http://www.piff.org/ Pusan International Film Festival
- http://www.lotte-giants.co.kr/ Lotte Giants baseball team
- http://visit.busan.kr/eng2004/body/content.php?code=05&kind1=01&kind2=01/ Hotel info
Last updated: 05-17-2005 10:24:26
