Suwon

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Suwon :: Suwon_Women's_College

Suwon (Suwon-si) is the provincial capital and largest city of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Suwon is approximately 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of Seoul. It is sometimes called the capital of Korean football because the popularity of the Suwon Samsung Bluewings.

History

King Jeongjo made an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to make Suwon the nation's capital in 1796 with the construction of Hwaseong Fortress, a fortified wall running around the entire city intended to guard the tomb of his father which he had located there. The fortress was constructed under the guidance of philosopher Jeong Yag-yong, and still exists today. It is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. The walls once encircled the entire city, but recent urban growth has seen the city spread out far beyond the fortress.

Administrative divisions

See: Administrative divisions of South Korea

The city is divided into 4 gu (major districts): Jangan-gu, Gwonseon-gu, Yeongtong-gu and Paldal-gu. The newest of these is Yeongtong-gu, divided from Paldal-gu in 2003. These districts are in turn divided into 42 dong.

Food

Suwon is famous for Suwon kalbi, a variation on the original kalbi theme enjoyed throughout Korea.

Education

Institutions of higher education in Suwon include Ajou University, Dongnam Health College, Gukje Digital University, Hapdong Theological Seminary, Kyonggi University, Kyunghee University, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon Catholic University, Suwon Science College, Suwon Women's College, and the University of Suwon. In addition, the agricultural campus of Seoul National University is located in the city.

Recreation

Many residents and visitors regard a walk around the fortification wall of the old city as an essential activity for sightseeing and keeping fit. Manseok Park in northern part of Suwon is a mecca for walkers, cyclists and roller bladers. Furthermore there are facilities for tennis (indoor & outdoor), soccer and skateboarding, the latter courtesy of the Suwon X-Games skatepark.

Entertainment

Suwon is home to the Suwon World Cup Stadium, a venue during the 2002 World Cup tournament and home to K-League side Suwon Samsung Bluewings. The city is also home to Korean Baseball Organization team Hyundai Unicorns.

People

Famous people from Suwon include Manchester United football player Park Ji-Sung. A street in the city was recently named after him.

Suwon is also home to many foreign language teachers, the vast majority teaching English. This large expatriate community is spread throughout the city, with a particularly high concentration in the Yeongtong-dong district.

Transport

Suwon is a regional transportation hub and an important stop on the Gyeongbu railway line going from Seoul to Busan, although the new KTX,high-speed train, has changed things slightly. Suwon is connected to Seoul with city and express buses and the Seoul subway network. Suwon is also a stop on Seoul Subway Line 1, which runs from Cheonan in the south all the way to Uijeongbu in the north-east.

Notes

External links

Cities in South Korea

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