Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
With industry and commerce heavily concentrated in a handful of cities, the region has
a nature- and culture-crammed hinterland to explore that includes the “open-air museums”
of Gyeongju and Andong, the snow-dusted cliffs and plunging waterfalls of Seoraksan Na-
tional Park, and sandy coastal beaches. Even the cities themselves tend to be smaller and far
more manageable than the sprawling Seoul agglomeration, with tighter-knit foreign com-
munities and, some would say, fewer stressed-out locals. And while they can't match the
capital area for sheer variety, major eastern towns all have a decent assortment of restaur-
ants and watering holes, plenty of sporting opportunities, and good medical and educational
facilities. Transport links to Seoul are also myriad and excellent, and many expatriates find
they need to use them a lot less than they originally anticipated.
The Lay of the Land
The eastern region is divided into three provinces. Gyeongsangnam-do (South Gyeongsang
Province), which occupies the southeastern corner of the country, is the most populous
by a large margin and also contains two of the region's largest cities—Busan and Uls-
an—although both are administered independently. With most of its residents on or within a
few miles of the coast, this is a place that moves to the rhythm of the sea, heavily dependent
on its ports, fishing, and shipbuilding. Not surprisingly, the province is treasured by South
Koreans for its beaches and fresh seafood.
Gyeongsangnam-do's northern neighbor, Gyeongsangbuk-do, is less populated, made
up largely of broad river-crossed plains abutted by a scenic coastline, and neatly encircled
by mountain ranges. Its major settlements include Pohang, an important port and center for
the domestic steel industry, and, farther inland, Daegu, South Korea's fourth-largest city.
North of Gyeongsangnam-do is Gangwon-do, where the lengthy north-south Taebaek
mountain range crests in a series of deep valleys and craggy peaks. The province's limited
amount of arable land and rugged terrain contained its growth, and to this day it remains
the most thinly populated part of the country. The upside to this is that it has become a
refuge for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and just about anyone else looking to escape
South Korea's urban sprawl, provided they can tolerate a scarcity of foreign amenities and
goods. Gangwon-do's expansive national parks, ski slopes, rushing rivers, and dramatic
coastline—well, at least the bits that aren't fenced off and rigorously patrolled due to the
province's proximity to North Korea—offer an array of alpine scenery, tranquil hideaways,
and outdoor activities that can be tapped into year-round.
 
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