# North Gyeongsang

North Gyeongsang (경상 북도 Gyeongsangbuk-do, 慶尙北道) is a province of South Korea where Buddhist traditions of the Silla kingdom and the center of Confucian philosophies meet.

## Cities

* 36.5667128.71671 Andong — home to the Hahoe Folk Village and Confucian teachings, as well as being famous for growing among the most delicious apples in all of Korea.
* 35.8667128.62 Daegu — the largest city in the province.
* 36.1194128.34443 Gumi — industrial city considered the hub of the Korean electronic industry.
* 36.133333128.14 Gimcheon — the city with a number of beautiful parks and the famous temple, Jikjisa.
* 35.85129.21675 Gyeongju — the former capital of the Silla kingdom.
* 36.593889128.2013896 Mungyeong — a former coal-mining town.
* 36.032222129.3657 Pohang — center of steel production, and the largest port city on the east coast where ferries leave for Ulleungdo.
* 35.973196128.9386128 Yeongcheon — historic city full of temples.
* 35.822089128.7434649 Gyeongsan — satellite city

## Other destinations

* 35.643611128.7430561 Cheongdo County — a key transportation hub for highways, railways, and national roads
* 36.432778129.062 Cheongsong County — known among Koreans for its apples and for the Cheongyang Pepper.
* 35.994404128.3997033 Chilgok County —
* 37.242131.8664 Dokdo island — east of Ulleungdo, a small disputed island rich in natural resources beneath the sea.
* 35.730278128.2688895 Goryeong
* 36.234722128.5727786 Gunwi County
* 36.411981129.1931637 Juwangsan National Park — smallest of the national parks, known for its striking shaped limestone peaks and clear waterfalls.
* 36.790859128.9177018 Cheongnyangsan Provincial Park — remote with few crowds even in peak season, also one time residence of several notable scholars, kings and holy men.
* 36.052039128.6309859 Palgongsan Provincial Park — sprawling forests, near Daegu, it's home to numerous cultural assets.
* 35.919119128.28301910 Seongju County
* 37.5130.866711 Ulleungdo island — a remote scenic island in the middle of the east sea.
* 36.41129.37512 Yeongdeok County — known for its Snow Crab Festival
* 36.983333129.38333313 Uljin County
* 36.655556128.45694414 Yecheon

## Understand

Dotted with historic temples and grandiose park reserves, this region is the cultural centre of the country. Gyeongju, listed as one of the world's 10 most important ancient cultural cities by UNESCO, is where you'll find the venerated remnants of the longest-running state in Korean history, the Silla kingdom. Andong is the gateway to Confucian teachings and Korean traditions. Still guided largely by Confucian rules, this area is considered one of the more conservative regions in South Korea.
Geographically, North Gyeongsang is bordered by Sobaek-san, a mountain range that includes Songni-san, in the north and in the west. And in the east before meeting the sea are the Taebaek Mountains that reach down from North Korea.

## Talk

The Gyeongsang province including the south as well as the north have a distinctive accent that many Koreans consider harsher than, say, the Seoul accent. The accent has more tones to it and sounds more rhythmic. It may be compared to how Japanese sounds.

## Get in

There's an international airport in Daegu (TAE) with limited connections to China and Japan. Other international flights come to Busan and Seoul, and the KTX high-speed train passes through North Gyeongsang on its way between those cities. There's also several normal-speed train lines in the province, and buses run just about everywhere.
Ferries run from Pohang to Ulleungdo island.

## Get around

Buses and taxis.

## See

Most of the attractions are naturally around the historically rich Gyeongju area.
* Bulguksa has a representative relic from the Silla Dynasty.
* Goryeong Daegaya Historic Site features historical remains of the Gaya confederacy that flourished for 520 years during the Three Kingdoms period.
* Hahoe Village is a well preserved, living, functioning traditional village from the Jeoson era based on Confucian traditions.
* Yeongyang Firefly Eco Park
* Seokuram Grotto has one of the world's finest shrines of Buddha. Both Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa have been inducted into the list of World Cultural Heritage sites from UNESCO.
* Buseoksa is the home of the second oldest wooden structure and head temple of the Hwaeom sect of Mahayana Buddhism
* Jijiksa in the town of Gimcheon is one of the oldest temples in South Korea.
* One of the sites of the world heritage site Gaya Tumuli (grave mounds from the Gaya Confederacy ruling the area around the 1st-6st centuries CE) is in North Gyeongsang, near Goryeong.

## Eat

Not normally distinguished for its food, the region's best known regional speciality is the Andong jjimdak — chunks of chicken with potatoes and transparent noodles in a sweet and spicy dark sauce. Andong, the city rich in Confucian traditions, is where you will find restaurants that serve the dish.

## Drink

Also from Andong, the best known beverages are soju and sikhye. Soju is well-known nationwide, but Andong's version of sikhye has a little twist. Normally a cloudy white colour elsewhere in Korea, the drink is made here with red pepper powder, which makes the liquid pink and the taste a little spicy. Best drunk with peanuts or pine nuts.