# Bonghwa County

Bonghwa County (Bonghwa-gun) is a county in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It lies inland, at the northern edge of the province, and borders Gangwon province to the north. To the east it is bounded by Yeongyang and Uljin counties, to the south by Andong, and to the west by Yeongju. The county is ringed by the Taebaek and Sobaek Mountains, the highest of which is Taebaeksan (1,566.7m). Because of its mountainous location, Bonghwa has a colder climate than most of the province, with an average annual temperature of 10 °C (50 °F).
Bonghwa is connected to the national rail grid by the Yeongdong Line, which stops at Bonghwa station on its way between Yeongju and Gangneung. The Yeongdong Line, which is not known for its speed, stops at a total of 13 stations as it winds through Bonghwa, before ambling north into the next province.
Korean National Treasure No. 201, a rock-carved seated Buddhist statue, is located in Bukji-ri, Murya-myeon.
Famous people from Bonghwa include director Kim Ki-duk. The county is also the setting of the 2008 documentary film Old Partner, which has won numerous awards for its portrayal of rural life.

## Administrative divisions

Bonghwa is divided into ten primary divisions: one eup (large village) and nine rural districts (myeon).
| Name | Hangeul | Hanja |
| Bonghwa-eup | 봉화읍 | 奉化邑 |
| Beopjeon-myeon | 법전면 | 法田面 |
| Bongseong-myeon | 봉성면 | 鳳城面 |
| Chunyang-myeon | 춘양면 | 春陽面 |
| Jaesan-myeon | 재산면 | 才山面 |
| Murya-myeon | 물야면 | 物野面 |
| Myeongho-myeon | 명호면 | 明湖面 |
| Sangun-myeon | 상운면 | 祥雲面 |
| Seokpo-myeon | 석포면 | 石浦面 |
| Socheon-myeon | 소천면 | 小川面 |
The eup and myeon are further divided into numerous small villages (ri).
| eup/myeon | ri | Hangeul |
| Bonghwa-eup | Samgye-ri | 삼계리 |
| Bonghwa-eup | Yugok-ri | 유곡리 |
| Bonghwa-eup | Geochon-ri | 거촌리 |
| Bonghwa-eup | Seokpyeong-ri | 석평리 |
| Bonghwa-eup | Haejeo-ri | 해저리 |
| Bonghwa-eup | Jeokdeok-ri | 적덕리 |
| Bonghwa-eup | Hwacheon-ri | 화천리 |
| Bonghwa-eup | Dochon-ri | 도촌리 |
| Bonghwa-eup | Mundan-ri | 문단리 |
| Bonghwa-eup | Naeseong-ri | 내성리 |
| Beopjeon-myeon | Beopjeon-ri | 법전리 |
| Beopjeon-myeon | Pongjeong-ri | 풍정리 |
| Beopjeon-myeon | Cheokgok-ri | 척곡리 |
| Beopjeon-myeon | Socheon-ri | 소천리 |
| Beopjeon-myeon | Nulsan-ri | 눌산리 |
| Beopjeon-myeon | Eoji-ri | 어지리 |
| Beopjeon-myeon | Soji-ri | 소지리 |
| Bongseong-myeon | Bongseong-ri | 봉성리 |
| Bongseong-myeon | Oesam-ri | 외삼리 |
| Bongseong-myeon | Changpyeong-ri | 창평리 |
| Bongseong-myeon | Dongyang-ri | 동양리 |
| Bongseong-myeon | Geumbong-ri | 금봉리 |
| Bongseong-myeon | Ugok-ri | 우곡리 |
| Bongseong-myeon | Bongyang-ri | 봉양리 |
| Chunyang-myeon | Uiyang-ri | 의양리 |
| Chunyang-myeon | Haksan-ri | 학산리 |
| Chunyang-myeon | Seodong-ri | 서동리 |
| Chunyang-myeon | Seokhyeon-ri | 석현리 |
| Chunyang-myeon | Aedang-ri | 애당리 |
| Chunyang-myeon | Dosim-ri | 도심리 |
| Chunyang-myeon | Seobyeok-ri | 서벽리 |
| Chunyang-myeon | Uguchi-ri | 우구치리 |
| Chunyang-myeon | Soro-ri | 소로리 |
| Jaesan-myeon | Hyeondong-ri | 현동리 |
| Jaesan-myeon | Nammyeon-ri | 남면리 |
| Jaesan-myeon | Dongmyeon-ri | 동면리 |
| Jaesan-myeon | Galsan-ri | 갈산리 |
| Jaesan-myeon | Sang-ri | 상리 |
| Murya-myeon | Orok-ri | 오록리 |
| Murya-myeon | Gapyeong-ri | 가평리 |
| Murya-myeon | Gaedan-ri | 개단리 |
| Murya-myeon | Ujan-ri | 오전리 |
| Murya-myeon | Apdong-ri | 압동리 |
| Murya-myeon | Dumun-ri | 두문리 |
| Murya-myeon | Susik-ri | 수식리 |
| Murya-myeon | Bukji-ri | 북지리 |
| Myeongho-myeon | Docheon-ri | 도천리 |
| Myeongho-myeon | Samdong-ri | 삼동리 |
| Myeongho-myeon | Yangguk-ri | 양곡 |
| Myeongho-myeon | Gogam-ri | 고감리 |
| Myeongho-myeon | Pungho-ri | 풍호리 |
| Myeongho-myeon | Gogye-ri | 고계리 |
| Myeongho-myeon | Bokgok-ri | 북곡리 |
| Myeongho-myeon | Gwanchang-ri | 관창리 |
| Sangun-myeon | Gagok-ri | 가곡리 |
| Sangun-myeon | Ungye-ri | 운계리 |
| Sangun-myeon | Munchon-ri | 문촌리 |
| Sangun-myeon | Hanul-ri | 하눌리 |
| Sangun-myeon | Toil-ri | 토일리 |
| Sangun-myeon | Gocheon-ri | 구천리 |
| Sangun-myeon | Seolmae-ri | 설매리 |
| Sangun-myeon | Sinra-ri | 신라리 |
| Seokpo-myeon | Seokpo-ri | 석포리 |
| Seokpo-myeon | Daehyeon-ri | 대현리 |
| Seokpo-myeon | Seungbu-ri | 승부리 |
| Socheon-myeon | Hyeondong-ri | 현동리 |
| Socheon-myeon | Goseon-ri | 고선리 |
| Socheon-myeon | Imgi-ri | 임기리 |
| Socheon-myeon | Dueum-ri | 두음리 |
| Socheon-myeon | Seocheon-ri | 서천리 |
| Socheon-myeon | Namhoeryong-ri | 남회룡리 |
| Socheon-myeon | Buncheon-ri | 분천리 |

## Climate

Bonghwa has a monsoon-influenced humid continental climate (Köppen: Dwa) with cold, dry winters and hot, rainy summers.
Climate data for Bonghwa (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1988–present) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.2 (55.8) | 19.5 (67.1) | 25.2 (77.4) | 31.2 (88.2) | 33.0 (91.4) | 34.6 (94.3) | 36.6 (97.9) | 37.8 (100.0) | 33.8 (92.8) | 27.8 (82.0) | 24.4 (75.9) | 16.2 (61.2) | 37.8 (100.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 3.0 (37.4) | 5.9 (42.6) | 11.2 (52.2) | 18.1 (64.6) | 23.3 (73.9) | 26.6 (79.9) | 28.0 (82.4) | 28.6 (83.5) | 24.5 (76.1) | 19.5 (67.1) | 12.1 (53.8) | 5.1 (41.2) | 17.2 (63.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.0 (24.8) | −1.6 (29.1) | 3.7 (38.7) | 9.9 (49.8) | 15.5 (59.9) | 19.6 (67.3) | 22.8 (73.0) | 22.9 (73.2) | 17.8 (64.0) | 11.1 (52.0) | 4.2 (39.6) | −2.1 (28.2) | 10.0 (50.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −10.6 (12.9) | −8.4 (16.9) | −3.2 (26.2) | 1.9 (35.4) | 7.7 (45.9) | 13.4 (56.1) | 18.5 (65.3) | 18.5 (65.3) | 12.4 (54.3) | 4.4 (39.9) | −2.2 (28.0) | −8.3 (17.1) | 3.7 (38.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −25.0 (−13.0) | −27.7 (−17.9) | −16.2 (2.8) | −9.1 (15.6) | −1.0 (30.2) | 1.2 (34.2) | 8.2 (46.8) | 7.5 (45.5) | 1.9 (35.4) | −7.3 (18.9) | −14.6 (5.7) | −21.4 (−6.5) | −27.7 (−17.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 16.5 (0.65) | 25.9 (1.02) | 46.6 (1.83) | 80.7 (3.18) | 101.5 (4.00) | 143.2 (5.64) | 277.7 (10.93) | 246.8 (9.72) | 135.1 (5.32) | 48.1 (1.89) | 33.2 (1.31) | 20.3 (0.80) | 1,175.6 (46.28) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 5.2 | 5.1 | 7.6 | 8.0 | 8.7 | 10.3 | 15.4 | 14.5 | 9.2 | 5.5 | 6.6 | 5.4 | 101.5 |
| Average snowy days | 6.5 | 5.5 | 4.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 4.1 | 22.3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 63.8 | 62.0 | 62.0 | 59.9 | 65.2 | 71.0 | 79.7 | 79.9 | 78.0 | 74.7 | 70.9 | 66.4 | 69.5 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 187.3 | 183.8 | 203.5 | 215.4 | 234.5 | 196.0 | 145.1 | 155.8 | 152.8 | 176.9 | 164.2 | 182.5 | 2,197.8 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 59.1 | 58.6 | 53.5 | 56.7 | 52.4 | 44.8 | 32.6 | 38.9 | 42.4 | 54.2 | 56.1 | 60.2 | 49.9 |
| Source: Korea Meteorological Administration (snow and percent sunshine 1981–2010) ||||||||||||||

## Twin towns – sister cities

Bonghwa is twinned with:
* Gangdong-gu, South Korea
* Bucheon, South Korea
* Yeonje-gu, South Korea
* Tongchuan, China
* Selenge Province, Mongolia