Yangyang

Infobox Korean settlement
logo=Yangyang_logo.gif
hangul=양양군
hanja=襄陽郡
rr=Yangyang-gun
mr=Yangyang-gun
area_km2=628.68
pop=30141
popyear=2000
popden_km2=50
divs=1 "eup", 5 "myeon"

Yangyang County ("Yangyang-gun") is a county in Gangwon Province, South Korea. The county is located in the northeast of the country, along the shores of the Sea of Japan (East Sea). Its population is about 31,000 (2004).

The Yangyang area is well known for its pine mushrooms ("song-i"), its fish—particularly salmon—and its sunrises.

In 2002, Yangyang opened its own airport, serving Busan and two cities in China. The airport also serves Gangneung to the south and Sokcho to the north. It is important for the many tourists attracted the Seorak-san national park.

The county is proud to unite the five major religious influences in South Korea: Confucianism, Buddhism, Shamanism, Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. There are sites for all these movements in Yangyang. The "Seonghwangsa" is a shamanistic altar which was traditionally used for sacrificial rites. "Yangyang Hyanggyo" is a Confucian school, built in 1340. Today the school mainly serves as a shrine, but some classes are still held at the site. In 1921 the "Yangyang Cathedral" was built. During the Korean War it was burnt to the ground, but rebuilt after.

The county is also proud of its five-day market. It is the largest traditional market in the area and renowned for the quality of its produce. The market is held on days ending in 4 and 9.

External links

* [http://www.yangyang.gangwon.kr/htmlfunc/eng/index.html Yangyang County government English-language home page]