Nonsan

Nonsan 논산 論山
—  Municipal City  —
Korean transcription(s)
• Hangul	논산시
• Hanja	論山市
• Revised Romanization	Nonsan-si
• McCune-Reischauer	Nonsan-si
Emblem of Nonsan
Country	South Korea
Region	Hoseo
Administrative divisions	2 eup, 11 myeon, and 2 dong
Government
• Mayor	Lim Sung-kyu
Area
• Total	554.82 km2 (214.22 sq mi)
Population (2003)
• Total	136,356
• Density	246/km2 (640/sq mi)
• Dialect	Chungcheong

Banya-San Park.

Nonsan is a city in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It is located at 36°12′N 127°5′E / 36.2°N 127.083°E / 36.2; 127.083. Nonsan is also called Nolmoi, meaning dusk(y) or yellow mountain^{[citation needed]}; "Nonsan" means rice paddies + mountain(s).

History^[1]

During the Samhan period, Nonsan is believed to have been part of Mahan territory. In the Baekje period, the district belonged to Hwangdeungyasan-gun. The crucial battle in which Silla defeated Baekje is thought to have taken place in the general area of Nonsan. Later, in the Silla period, Nonsan was divided into two different towns: Deogeun and Hwangsan.

The modern city of Nonsan was established in 1914, by the merger of the four counties of Yeonsan-gun, Eunjin-gun, Noseong-gun and Seoksung-gun.

Transportation

Nonsan is served by the national railroad system and city, regional and national bus lines. An expressway connects the city to Daejeon and other cities. Many streets have bike paths, sharing pavement with sidewalks. The stream running through the city proper is not navigable, but downstream it joins the Geum River, and an outlying subdivision of the city serves as a significant fishing port.

Economics and industry

Nonsan is an agricultural city, with rice being the most important crop. Other important crops include strawberries, ginseng, napa cabbage,^[2] watermelons, ^[3] and Korean pears. According to The Chosun Ilbo,^[4] the farmers are growing new varieties of strawberry produced in Japan without the producer's permission, while the JoongAng Daily says "Strawberries grown in Nonsan are of various types: seolhyang, maehyang, geumhyang, janghi (akihime) and yukbo (red pearl). The first three were developed in Nonsan while the latter two are from Japan. Janghi is the most commonly grown in Korea. However, seolhyang is the sweetest".^[5] Sesil [pronounced "say -shill"] company is the world's third leading producer of insects for natural pest control. The prominent yogurt company, Yakult, has its headquarters in Nonsan. Agro-Fisheries Trade Corp. is a regional supplier of food products.^[6]

The greater Nonsan area includes the national army training center.

Education

Higher education

• Konyang University, founded 1991, has its main campus in Nonsan. It has a university hospital with educational programs for medical technicians, nurses and doctors in Daejeon
• Hanmin University, in Yeonsan-myeon
• Geumgang University, a recently founded Buddhist university, in rural Nonsan, near Gyeryongsan
• Korea Bio Polytechnic is a two-year college run by the nation's Department of Labor.

Secondary education

Nonsan has a number of high schools, including a girls' high school, a technical high school, and two private schools which attract students from across the province and beyond.

Tourism

Local attractions include the Eunjin Mireuk, a large standing Buddhist sculpture of the Goryeo period and its accompanying temple, Gwanchoksa,^[7] as well as the Baekje Military Museum. The spring Strawberry festival is another popular tourist event.

Other

The city has a concert hall, where various cultural activities such as concerts and lectures are held. Konyang University's auditorium also hosts free cultural activities for the community.

In June 2011, the multipurpose culture hall Sangsang Madang was completed. It is dedicated to "indie art". ^[8]

Donam Academy, one of the nine neo-Confucian seowon established in Korea during the Choseon dynasty, is in greater Nonsan. It was made a UNESCO provisional world heritage site in December 2011.^[9]

Administrative divisions

Nonsan City has jurisdiction over 2 eup, 11 myeon, and 2 dong.

Sister cities

• Jinzhou, China
• Seocho-gu, South Korea

Notable people

• Lim Sung-kyu, South Korean Minister of Finance and Economy
• Noh Sang-Kyoon, contemporary artist ^[10]
• Rhee In-je, three-time South Korean presidential candidate, was born in Nonsan.^[11][12]
• Chun Sung-gwan, Head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office (2009)^[13]
• Yeom Hong-chul, Mayor of Daejeon^[14]
• Go Soo, film and television actor was born in Nonsan.
• Park Beom-shin, writer, is from Nonsan.

See also

• List of cities in South Korea
• Geography of South Korea

References

External links

• Official government website
• WikiCity's Nonsan site: a guide to living in and visiting the city
• Video slide-show

v t e South Chungcheong Daejeon (capital) Cities Asan Boryeong Cheonan (Dongnam-gu · Seobuk-gu) Dangjin Gongju Gyeryong Nonsan Seosan Counties Buyeo Cheongyang Geumsan Hongseong Seocheon Taean Yeongi Yesan