Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, Honam, South Korea

🇰🇷 Suncheon is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is a scenic agricultural and industrial city near Suncheon Bay. It is located in the south-eastern corner of Jeollanam-do, just over an hour south-east of Gwangju. Forty minutes south of Suncheon is the port city of Yeosu, and twenty minutes to the east of Suncheon is Gwangyang. It is currently experiencing strong development due to being included as part of the Gwangyang Bay Free Economic Zone, one of three newly created Free Economic Zones in South Korea due to open within the next decade. A referendum is planned for a merging of the cities of Yeosu, Suncheon and Gwangyang into a new metropolitan city, taking advantage of the Gwangyang Bay Free Economic Zone, Yeosu's Expo 2012 bid and port facilities, Suncheon's educational institutes and Gwangyang's POSCO plant.

Tourist Industry 2013 Suncheon Garden Exposition • 2013 Suncheon Garden Expo Korea: The 2013 Suncheon Garden Expo Korea was the first of its kind to be held in Korea. The Expo focused on green industry development such as solar energy, sustainable garden development and electronic transportation. It showcased green technologies, international garden exhibits, and wetland conservation. The Expo grounds, its permanent gardens, arboretum, wetland centre, and connecting monorail to Suncheon Bay are maintained for continued tourism.

Temples • Songgwang Temple: It is one of the Three Jewel Temples of Korea and a popular place for Jinul. The temple is located in Sinpyeong-ri, Songgwang-myeon. It is one of the Sambosachal along with Haein temple of Habcheon and Tongdo Temple of Yangsan. Jinul strived here to renew the tradition of Buddhism 800 years ago. The temple bore 16 state monks in the past. Today, the temple is home for monks from overseas and is a place to study the Buddhist culture of Korea. The temple was first built at the end of Silla Kingdom and named Gilsang Temple. It was then renamed in the Goryeo dynasty under the reign of Myeongjong, to Songgwang Temple. Reconstructions were done after it was burnt down in the Joseon dynasty, but was severely damaged again in 1948 and 1951. At present, 33 complexes have been restored after 8 reconstruction projects from 1984 to 1988. The temple has a total of 26 cultural assets, including 17 national cultural assets and 9 local ones. • Seonamsa: Seonamsa of Mount Jogye is located in Jukak-ri, Seungju-eup, Suncheon. In the Baekje Kingdom, Adohwasang had first built a small temple in the mountain and named it Biroam of Cheongnyangsan Mountain. The temple was named Seonamsa later in the Silla Kingdom by state monk Doseon. Seonamsa is known to be a mixture of the various sects of Buddhism of the Goryeo dynasty. Cheontaejong was established here 900 years ago by Ui Cheon and the monk's heirs have been carried down to the present age. Seonamsa, like Songgwangsa, is a library for studies of Korean Buddhist culture. A total of 18 cultural assets are found here, including 7 treasures and 11 local cultural assets. • Cheonjaam, Ssanghyangsu: Belongs to the Chinese juniper family, and is technically named Juniperus Chinensi Limme. The height is 12.5 m and the circumference is 3.98m. The tree is about 700 years old. According to the legend, the cane used by a Buddhist on his way back from China had grown into the tree. The tree is uniquely twisted form. • Natural monument No, 88 (designated on Dec. 3, 1962). • Ieub-ri, Songgwang-myeon (Songgwang Temple). • Area 600 pyeong (1.98 km²).

Castles • Nagan Castle, the only remaining Joseon castle in South Jeolla Province. It is well preserved and has many festivals like the Namdo food festival. • Suncheon Japanese Castle, a Japanese castle built during the Japanese invasions of Korea.

Mountains • Jogyesan: The mountain where Songgwang Temple and Seonamsa are located. • Geumjeonsan: Surrounding north of Nagan Castle. • Bonghwasan: The nearest mountain from the centre of the city. There's Jukdobong Park having a lookout pavilion.

Parks • Suncheon Bay Ecological Park: The world's 5th biggest tideland, featuring reed beds and there many types of birds. the reverve was designated as a preservation zone by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in 2003. • Suncheonman Bay National Garden: This garden is home to over 790,000 trees and was stablished on a plot of 1.112 km² to help protect Suncheon Bay. • Goindol Park, a dolmen park in Hwasun, Suncheon: Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites were designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000. • Suncheon Open Film Location: Drama film set located in the neighborhood of Jorye-dong. This set was created to film movies and dramas in 2006. The village is split in three eras: 1950's Suncheon, 1960's Seoul Bongcheong-dong Village and 1970's Seoul suburb. • Naganeupseong Folk Village: a historic village representing the traditional lifestyle and cultural landscape in the Joseon Dynasty. It was originally and administrative town and has preserved traditional elements such as a fortress, government buildings and private houses.