Jung District, Seoul Explained

Jung District
Native Name Lang:ko
Official Name:Korean: {{nobold|중구 · 中區
Settlement Type:Autonomous District
Flag Alt:Flag of Junggu
Pushpin Map Caption: 
Coordinates:37.556°N 126.97°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:South Korea
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Sudogwon
Subdivision Type2:Special City
Subdivision Name2:Seoul
Subdivision Type3:Administrative dong
Subdivision Name3:15
Leader Party:People Power
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Kim Kil-sung
Leader Title1:MNA
Leader Name1:Park Sung-joon (Democratic)
Area Total Km2:9.96
Population Total:131452
Population As Of:2013[1]
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:Korea Standard Time
Utc Offset1:+9
Postal Code Type:Postal code..
Postal Code:04500 ~ 04699
Area Code Type:Area code(s)
Area Code:+82-2-2200,700
Blank Name:Bird
Blank Info:Korean magpie
Blank1 Name:Flower
Blank1 Info:Rose
Blank2 Name:Tree
Blank2 Info:Japanese red pine
Website:Jung-gu official website
Governing Body:Jung-gu Council

Jung District is one of the 25 districts of Seoul, South Korea.

Jung has a population of 131,452 (2013) and has a geographic area 9.96 km2 (3.85 sq mi), making it both the least-populous and the smallest district of Seoul, and is divided into 15 dong (administrative neighborhoods). Jung is located at the centre of Seoul on the northern side of the Han River, bordering the city districts of Jongno to the north, Seodaemun to the northwest, Mapo to the west, Yongsan to the south, Seongdong to the southeast, and Dongdaemun to the northeast.

Jung is the historical city center of Seoul with a variety of old and new, including modern facilities such as high rise office buildings, department stores and shopping malls clustered together, and also a center of tradition where historic sites such as Deoksugung and Namdaemun can be found.[2] Jung is home to cultural sites such as the landmark N Seoul Tower on Namsan Mountain, the Myeongdong Cathedral, the Bank of Korea Museum, and the Gwangtonggwan, the oldest continuously-operating bank building in Korea and one of city's protected monuments since March 5, 2001.[3] [4] The Myeongdong neighborhood is one of the most famous shopping areas and popular tourist destinations in South Korea.The district has undergone significant redevelopment in the recent decades, especially with the remodeling of Seoul Plaza and the opening up of Cheonggyecheon, previously covered by an elevated highway.

Administrative divisions

NeighborhoodHangulHanja
Cheonggu-dong청구동靑丘洞
Dasan-dong다산동茶山洞
Donghwa-dong동화동東化洞
Euljiro-dong을지로동乙支路洞
Gwanghui-dong광희동光熙洞
Hoehyeon-dong회현동會賢洞
Hwanghak-dong황학동黃鶴洞
Jangchung-dong장충동奬忠洞
Jungnim-dong중림동中林洞
Myeong-dong명동明洞
Pil-dong필동筆洞
Sindang-dong신당동新堂洞
Sindang 5-dong신당제5동新堂第5洞
Sogong-dong소공동小公洞
Yaksu-dong약수동藥水洞

Economy

Jung District is one of the most significant business cores of Seoul with many companies being based around Sejong-daero or Eulji-ro. Notable companies based in Jung District include Hanhwa, Shinsegae, Hanjin, Doosan Corporation, SK Telecom, LG U+, Daewoo International, Daehan Logistics, Ssangyong Cement, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, Lotte Shopping and many more. Also, many banking and other financial companies have headquarters in Jung District, such as KB Financial Group, Woori Financial Group, Shinhan Financial Group, Hana Financial Group, Korea Life Insurance, Samsung Life Insurance, Industrial Bank of Korea, Korean Exchange Bank, Samsung Card. Major newspapers such as The Chosun Ilbo and JoongAng Ilbo, The Dong-a Ilbo are also based in Jung District.

The headquarters of South Korean food company CJ Cheil Jedang is in the CJ Cheiljedang Building in Ssangnim-dong, near the Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station.[5]

Tourism

Jung-Gu contains numerous popular tourist spots, both modern historical & modern.[6] These include Deoksugung, Cheonggyecheon, Seoul Plaza, Namsan Tower, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the Myeongdong Cathedral, the Bank of Korea Museum and the popular shopping district of Myeongdong. To support tourists visiting the district there are tour buses which operate from Sejong-daero and the Seoul Metropolitan Government provide tourist support services.

Jung District also hosts several major duty free stores, including Shilla, Shinsegae & Lotte. These, along with Myeongdong, constitute the busiest tourist shopping area in the city.[7]

One of the most recent tourist developments in the district in Seoullo 7017. The development, also known as the Seoul Skygarden or Skypark, is an elevated, linear park built atop a former highway overpass connecting the western and eastern sides of Seoul Station. The development was modeled on the High Line in New York City.

Foreign operations

Air France operates a ticketing office on the 11th floor of the Korean Air Building in Jung District.[8] Air China has an office on the 1st and 2nd floors of the Hansuang Building in Seosomun-dong in Jung District.[9] All Nippon Airways operates the Seoul Office in Room 1501 on the 15th floor of the Center Building in Sogong-dong, Jung District.[10] Hainan Airlines operates its South Korea office in Suite 1501 of the Samyoung Building in Sogong-dong.[11] MIAT Mongolian Airlines has its Seoul Branch Office in the Soonhwa Building in Sunhwa-dong.[12]

Former operations

In the 1980s Korean Air had its headquarters in Jung District.[13] Its current headquarters are located in Gonghang-dong, Gangseo-gu.

Transport

Rail and Metro

Being the central district of the city, Jung District is connected to numerous subway lines and shares Seoul Station with Yongsan-Gu (the station straddles the border between the two districts). Seoul Station is served by intercity rail services run by KORAIL (KTX, ITX, Mugunghwa & tourist services) as well as AREX Airport Railroad services. Seoul Station is also served by Lines 1 and 4 of the Seoul Metro. the station also features a large multi-lane bus station immediately adjacent to the eastern (main) entrance.

Buses

Aside from Seoul station, the district is well served by both buses and subway lines. Lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 all run through the district. Local (green), city (blue) and express (red) buses operate throughout the district.

Government

Seoul City Hall is located within Jung District. The current building, which was opened in 2012, sits beside the former building, which is now home to Seoul Metropolitan Library.The National Human Rights Commission of Korea has its headquarters in the Gumsegi Building in Jung District.

The Korean Maritime Safety Tribunal (KMST) formerly had its headquarters in the S1 Building in Sunhwa-dong, Jung District.[14] [15] The offices of the KMST are now in Sejong City.

Diplomatic missions

Being at the center of the city, the district hosts numerous foreign embassies.[16]

Education

Tertiary education

Dongguk University, a private university established in 1906, is located in Jung District. The University achieved full university status in 1953 and is one of the few Buddhist-affiliated universities in the world.

Primary & Secondary Education

The Russian Embassy School in Seoul[17] It was established on May 31, 2002 and operates as part of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Seoul Chinese Primary School (also known as Hanxiao Chinese Primary School) in Myeong-dong[18] It is a Taiwanese-oriented international primary school.

Symbol

Historic figures

Jung District has long been considered the center of Seoul. As a result, historically it was considered a fitting place for many scholars who stayed in Seoul to discuss and pursue crucial academic or political subjects during the Joseon Dynasty.

Landmarks

Sister cities

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 월별인구통계 | 중구통계 . 2013-09-15 . 2013-09-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130928162938/http://www.junggu.seoul.kr/web/w03/w03040300.php?mode=view&seq=1378109753 . dead .
  2. 김. 백영. 제국의 스펙터클 효과와 식민지 대중의 도시경헙. 사회와 역사. August 2007. 75. 77–113.
  3. News: Lee . Jun-Ho . 最古 은행건물 우리銀 종로점 (The Oldest Bank Building the Woori Bank Jongno Branch) . . 2005-08-14 .
  4. Web site: 광통관 (廣通館) (Gwangtonggwan) . . 2002 . 2009-04-05.
  5. Web site: Company location. CJ Cheil Jedang. 9 October 2012.
  6. Web site: Travel Highlights Bucket List: Most Popular Korean Attractions of 2019 . English.visitkorea.or.kr . 2022-01-25 . 2022-04-04.
  7. Web site: Duty Free Shops.
  8. "11th floor, Korean Air Building ." Air France. Retrieved on January 16, 2009.
  9. "International Offices ." Air China. Retrieved on January 18, 2009.
  10. "ANA city offices Asia ." All Nippon Airways. Retrieved on August 13, 2011. "Seoul Office Room 1501, 15F Center Bldg. 91-1, Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul"
  11. "Contact Us ." Hainan Airlines. Retrieved on January 18, 2009.
  12. "Contact Us ." MIAT Mongolian Airlines. Retrieved on June 27, 2010. "SEOUL BRANCH OFFICE 9th Floor, Soonhwa Building 5–2 Sunhwa-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul 100–130, Korea"
  13. "World Airline Directory." Flight International. May 16, 1981. 1444.
  14. "footer_copy.gif." Korean Maritime Safety Tribunal. Retrieved on January 17, 2012. "168 S1building, Sunhwa-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea 110-793"
  15. "Location." (Archive of Related Page) Korean Maritime Safety Tribunal. Retrieved on January 17, 2012. "168 S1building, Sunhwa-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, 100-773, Republic of Korea"
  16. Web site: 주한공관주소록. 외교부. 25 April 2022.
  17. "Основные сведения ." Russian Embassy School in Seoul. Retrieved on March 30, 2016. "11 гил-43, Сеосомун-ро, Чунг-гу, г. Сеул, 100–120, Республика Корея"
  18. "SEOUL CHINESE PRIMARY SCHOOL." International School Information, Government of South Korea. Retrieved on March 30, 2016.
  19. News: Seoul's most expensive hotel suites. 3 June 2012. CNN Go. 3 January 2012. Tey-Marie Astudillo. Frances Cha. https://web.archive.org/web/20120724054230/http://www.cnngo.com/seoul/visit/seouls-most-expensive-hotel-suites-005921. 2012-07-24. dead.
  20. Web site: 어지럽게 솟는다 용산 615m, 중구 960m : 이슈추적 : 특집 : 한겨레21. legacy.h21.hani.co.kr.
  21. Web site: Archived copy . 2020-06-20 . 2018-07-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180713192607/http://www.sistercitiesaustralia.com/images/images_media/Documents/Aust_SCA_Affiliations.pdf . dead .