Mokpo
Municipal city in South Jeolla, South Korea / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Mokpo?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Mokpo (Korean pronunciation: [mok̚.pʰo]; Mokpo-si) is the third largest and most densely populated city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, located at the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula, close to Yudal mountain. Mokpo has frequent high-speed train services to Seoul, and is the terminus for a number of ferry routes serving islands in the adjacent Yellow Sea and Dadohae National Maritime Park.
Mokpo
목포시 | |
---|---|
Korean transcription(s) | |
• Hangul | 목포시 |
• Hanja | 木浦市 |
• Revised Romanization | Mokpo-si |
• McCune-Reischauer | Mokp'o-si |
Coordinates: 34.7589°N 126.38°E / 34.7589; 126.38 | |
Country | South Korea |
Province | South Jeolla |
Administrative divisions | 22 dong |
Government | |
• Mayor | Bak Hong-ryul (박홍률) |
Area | |
• Total | 50.08 km2 (19.34 sq mi) |
Population (November, 2022) | |
• Total | 217,041 |
• Density | 4,300/km2 (11,000/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+9 (Korea Standard Time) |
Area code | +82-61 |
During the Japanese Occupation (1910–1945), Mokpo served as a crucial port for both commercial ventures and public transportation, due to its location along the sea routes between the Japanese archipelago and the Chinese mainland. The large number of islands surrounding Mokpo have also served as a protective barrier, making the city less vulnerable to high tides and tsunamis. In the occupation era, large residential areas were built to accommodate the Japanese colonists, which are now the city's historic districts. The end of World War II and Korea's independence in 1945 were responsible for the city slowly losing its position as a host to major government organizations and wartime industries. This led to a reduction in the size of Mokpo, which is currently a mid-sized city in the Honam region.