Sokcho

Sokcho 속초시
Municipal City
Korean transcription(s)
• Hangul	속초시
• Hanja	束草市
• Revised Romanization	Sokcho-si
• McCune–Reischauer	Sokch'o-si
From the left: Geumgang Bridge, Sokcho Central Market, Daepo Port, Ulsanbawi, and Naksansa
Flag
Location in South Korea
Coordinates: 38°12′25″N 128°35′31″E
Country	South Korea
Region	Gwandong
Administrative divisions	10 dong
Area
• Total	105.76 km^2 (40.83 sq mi)
Population  (September 2024[1])
• Total	81,164
• Density	850/km^2 (2,200/sq mi)
• Dialect	Gangwon
Climate	Cfa

Sokcho (Korean: 속초; Korean pronunciation: [sʰo̞k̚.tɕʰo̞]) is a city and major tourist hub located in the northeast of Gangwon Province, South Korea.

History

From around the 3rd century to the early 5th century AD, Sokcho was part of Dongye. Originally a sparsely inhabited fishing village on the shores of Lake Cheongchoho, it became a major port due to its location on the Sea of Japan. Sokcho later became a mineral transfer port in 1937.

When the Korean peninsula was divided into two countries following World War II, Sokcho was placed under North Korean control, before being captured by the South Korean army on August 18, 1951.^[2][3] Since the Korean Armistice Agreement (1953), it has been a part of South Korea.^[4][5]

Tourism

Seoraksan National Park

Main article: Seoraksan National Park

Seoraksan National Park is located in the vicinity of Sokcho and attracts local and international tourists. The city is known for its beach, natural hot springs, golf courses, and fine fishery products.

Lakes

Sokcho is home to two lakes, Yeongrangho and Cheongchoho.^[6] Yeongrangho lake is renowned for its beauty. The reflection of Mt. Seorak and Ulsanbawi are particularly popular.

Marina Yacht is located in Cheongchoho Lake Park and provides yachting tours on the Sea of Japan. The tours start and finish at Cheongcho Marina, passing Seorakdaegyo Bridge, and Dongmyeonghang Port, Jodo. Marina Yacht rents boats to people with a boat license; it also has a café.^[7]

Yeongrangho Hwarangdo Center provides various experiences, including horse riding.^[8] Daepo harbour is located in Daepo-dong, Sokcho. Its attractions include a sea fountain and beach cable car.^[9][10]

Buddhist temples

Main article: Sinheungsa

There are a number of well-preserved Buddhist temples in the area around Sokcho. The main building of the Sinheungsa temple (Geukrakbojeon) is a major tourist destination (originally built in the 15th century). Also notable is the Hyangseongsaji samcheung seoktap - a three-storey pagoda of 4.3 metres. It dates from 652 and is located at the site of the Hyangseongsa temple. Yeonggeumjeong, a pavilion built on the shores of Sokcho, is popular for its views of the sunrise.

Traditional village

Main article: Abai village

Abai village near Seoraksan was originally established to house North Korean refugees due to the separation of Korea. Consequently, many of the inhabitants have relatives in North Korea. The village has seen increased tourism due to the popularity of Korean Drama Autumn in My Heart on KBS.

Festivals

In 1999, the Gangwon International Tourism Expo was held in Sokcho.^[11] In July 2016, Sokcho became one of the few locations in South Korea where Pokémon Go could be played due to government restrictions on mapping data. Players flocked to the city, causing public transport tickets to sell out.^[12][13] Many tourists are also attracted by the close proximity of the DMZ.

Infrastructure

Airport

Main article: Sokcho Airport

Sokcho used to have its own airport, linking the city to Seoul. Currently, the city is served by the Yangyang International Airport.

Station

The opening of KTX Gyeonggang Line has made it convenient for travellers to visit Gangwon Province, a 86-minute train ride from Seoul.^[14]

Stadium

• Sokcho Stadium

Food

See also: Korean cuisine and List of Korean dishes

Sokcho's traditional market, established in 1953 as the Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market, offers a variety of items for sale, including fresh fish, dried fish, and various vegetables. It was recently included in the Korea Tourism Organization's list of "Best Traditional Markets for Foreign Tourists". The market is notable for its vibrant atmosphere, where visitors can observe fishmongers bargaining with local shoppers.^[15][16]

Sokcho is known for Hoe, which is a raw fish. The coastal waters provide good fishing grounds for Ojingeo, Myeongtae, Gwangeo and Godeungeo.^[17]

Sundubu can be found in the streets of the tofu towns such as Sinheung Sundubu and Haksapyeong Sundubu — it is made from Seoraksan and water from the Sea of Japan.^{[citation needed]}

Sokcho offers a unique twist to Sundae (not the eponymous dessert) by using Ojingeo instead of pork intestines. The Ojingeo-sundae consists of squid stir-fry, made with noodles and blood sausage, with carrots, onions, seaweed and spices mixed together, covered with thin fried egg yolk.^[18]

• 
  Ojingeo Sundae
• 
  Godeungeo Hoe
• 
  Jeon Bok Hoe
• 
  Mae Un Tang
• 
  Sundubu Jjigae

Culture

Local cuisine can be experienced in the various food districts of the city. "Foodtown" is a two block area dedicated to restaurants where visitors can find mainly Korean style beef pork and chicken restaurants. Daepo harbor, outside of Sokcho on the road to Yangyang offers more than 100 individual mini restaurants serving diverse seafood dishes. An own unique stuffed squid dish, Abai Sundae, can be found in Abai village.

In October Sokcho comes to life with the Seorak Cultural Festival, which includes parades, stage shows, contests, races and various other forms of entertainment. The rice cake making sampling contests are particularly popular. Another unusual event is the Gaet-Bae, or raft, race. Two teams propel the rafts across the course by pulling on long handled hooks catching the cable that straddles the deck of each raft.

Climate

Sokcho straddles the line between a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa)^[19] and a humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfa).^[20]

Climate data for Sokcho (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1968–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	15.8 (60.4)	19.1 (66.4)	26.9 (80.4)	32.5 (90.5)	34.4 (93.9)	35.3 (95.5)	37.1 (98.8)	38.7 (101.7)	34.1 (93.4)	29.9 (85.8)	27.5 (81.5)	17.8 (64.0)	38.7 (101.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	4.2 (39.6)	6.0 (42.8)	10.6 (51.1)	16.5 (61.7)	20.9 (69.6)	23.5 (74.3)	26.7 (80.1)	27.5 (81.5)	24.0 (75.2)	19.5 (67.1)	13.1 (55.6)	6.6 (43.9)	16.6 (61.9)
Daily mean °C (°F)	0.1 (32.2)	1.9 (35.4)	6.3 (43.3)	11.9 (53.4)	16.3 (61.3)	19.8 (67.6)	23.4 (74.1)	24.1 (75.4)	20.1 (68.2)	15.1 (59.2)	8.8 (47.8)	2.5 (36.5)	12.5 (54.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−3.8 (25.2)	−2.2 (28.0)	1.8 (35.2)	7.3 (45.1)	12.1 (53.8)	16.5 (61.7)	20.6 (69.1)	21.2 (70.2)	16.5 (61.7)	10.8 (51.4)	4.7 (40.5)	−1.5 (29.3)	8.7 (47.7)
Record low °C (°F)	−16.4 (2.5)	−16.2 (2.8)	−11.6 (11.1)	−3.5 (25.7)	3.8 (38.8)	6.6 (43.9)	12.6 (54.7)	13.7 (56.7)	9.5 (49.1)	−0.3 (31.5)	−8.7 (16.3)	−14.9 (5.2)	−16.4 (2.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	43.5 (1.71)	45.9 (1.81)	52.3 (2.06)	73.3 (2.89)	88.5 (3.48)	119.5 (4.70)	265.6 (10.46)	298.0 (11.73)	200.6 (7.90)	87.9 (3.46)	92.0 (3.62)	40.1 (1.58)	1,407.2 (55.40)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	5.8	5.9	8.3	8.6	9.3	11.5	15.7	15.2	11.7	7.0	7.9	4.7	111.6
Average snowy days	5.0	5.1	4.1	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.7	2.2	17.3
Average relative humidity (%)	49.0	53.2	58.0	60.5	68.6	78.7	82.2	82.3	77.8	65.6	56.0	47.9	65.0
Mean monthly sunshine hours	185.4	176.9	194.9	211.9	216.3	172.4	146.3	152.4	166.8	189.8	169.0	184.3	2,166.4
Percent possible sunshine	60.0	56.4	51.4	53.7	48.9	36.8	30.6	35.9	44.2	54.2	55.4	61.4	47.8
Source: Korea Meteorological Administration (snow and percent sunshine 1981–2010)[21][22][23]

Sister cities

• Jeongeup, North Jeolla Province since June 13, 1996
• Jung District, Seoul since January 22, 1997
• Gresham, Oregon, United States since June 23, 1985
• Taitung County, Taiwan since April 16, 1992
• Hunchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China since August 22, 1994
• Yonago, Tottori, Japan since October 18, 1995
• Khasansky, Primorsky Krai, Russia since July 19, 1996
• Nyūzen, Toyama, Japan since October 3, 1996
• Sakaiminato, Tottori, Japan since April 9, 2002
• Partizansk, Primorsky Krai, Russia ^[24]

Gallery

• 
  Seorak Mountains adjacent to Sokcho
• 
  Squid drying at the Taepo Fish Market in Sokcho
• 
  Sinsuro Arched Bridge over Lake Cheongchoho in Sokcho
• 
  Squid boats on Lake Cheongchoho in Sokcho
• 
  Cheongho Beach

Notable people from Sokcho

• Shin Ye-eun (신예은), a South Korean actress
• Park Kwang-su (박광수), a South Korean filmmaker
• Hwang Keum-chan (황금찬), a poet born in Sokcho, Gangwon-do
• Kim Kang-min (김강민), a South Korean actor under the label of Mystic Story
• Monday (birth name: Kim Ji-min, 김지민), singer, dancer, rapper and K-pop idol, member of K-pop girlgroup Weeekly

In literature

The novel Winter in Sokcho, by Elisa Shua Dusapin, which won the National Book Award for Translated Literature in 2021, takes place in Sokcho.^[25] It was subsequently adapted into the 2024 film Winter in Sokcho by director Koyo Kamura.^[26]

See also

• Seorak Cultural Festival
• List of cities in South Korea
• Dae Jo-yeong (TV series)

References

1. "Population statistics". Korea Ministry of the Interior and Safety. 2024.
2. Cho, Young-mee Yu; Jung, Ji-Young; Ha, Jeeyoung Ahn (8 January 2021). Integrated Korean: Accelerated 2 (Page 234). University of Hawaii Press. p. 234. ISBN 978-0-8248-8951-7.
3. Fern, Kelly; Fern, Brad (2012). Songs of My Families: A Thirty-seven Year Odyssey from Korea to America and Back. Lantern Books. ISBN 978-1-59056-321-2.
4. 속초시, 위키백과, 우리 모두의 백과사전 (in Korean), 14 October 2019, retrieved 5 December 2019
5. "Sokch'o | South Korea". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
6. "Sokcho / Yangyang". Gangwon EPIK. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
7. "Tourist Attractions - Marina Yacht 상세화면 | 강원관광-영문 > Trip to Gangwon-do > Tourist Attractions". www.gangwon.to. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
8. "Main | 강원관광-영문 > Main". www.gangwon.to. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
9. 박, 주석 (4 January 2021). 속초해변~대포항 연결 케이블카 조성 탄력. 강원도민일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
10. 이, 종건 (9 July 2020). 대포항의 또 다른 볼거리…속초시 해상분수 시험가동. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved 2 April 2021.
11. 7번 국도의 낭만이 살아있는 '속초' 가볼만한 곳과 맛집 - 트래블바이크뉴스. www.travelnbike.com (in Korean). 20 April 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
12. "South Koreans flock to remote northern area to play Pokémon Go". The Guardian. 13 July 2016.
13. "Will 'Pokemon Go' launch in Korea?". The Korea Herald. 13 July 2016.
14. New KTX Gyeonggang Line opens, taking passengers from Seoul to Gangneung in less than 2 hours, retrieved 4 December 2019
15. "All about Sokcho". iamontheroad.net. 24 May 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
16. "Sokcho has a lot of local specialties sure to delight all travelers". VisitKorea.or.kr. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
17. "Korean Hweh, aka Raw Seafood". Eatyourkimchi. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
18. "Nasty Bits: Korean Blood Sausage". www.seriouseats.com. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
19. Kottek, M.; J. Grieser; C. Beck; B. Rudolf; F. Rubel (2006). "World Map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated" (PDF). Meteorol. Z. 15 (3): 259–263. Bibcode:2006MetZe..15..259K. doi:10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
20. Peel, M. C.; Finlayson B. L. & McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification" (PDF). Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11 (5): 1633–1644. Bibcode:2007HESS...11.1633P. doi:10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007. ISSN 1027-5606.
21. "Climatological Normals of Korea (1991 ~ 2020)" (PDF) (in Korean). Korea Meteorological Administration. pp. II-9, II-10, II-439. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
22. 순위값 - 구역별조회 (in Korean). Korea Meteorological Administration. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
23. "Climatological Normals of Korea" (PDF). Korea Meteorological Administration. 2011. p. 499 and 649. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
24. South Korean Investors Took a Fancy to Partizansk. It is planned to build an enterprise on production of charcoal in the city of miners - Economics - Vladivostok Times. Far East media news. Russian news. Vladivostok Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine. Vladivostoktimes.ru. Retrieved on 2013-07-12.
25. "National Book Awards 2021". National Book Foundation. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
26. Callum McLennan, "Koya Kamura's Toronto Premiere 'Winter in Sokcho': A Dance Between Art and Isolation". Variety, 4 September 2024.

External links

• Sokcho city government home page
• Sokcho city government English-language home page
• Sokcho-si Tourism Org
• Sokcho-si :Official Site of Korea Tourism Org