Anjwa-myeon


Anjwa-myeon (, is a myeon located in Shinan County, South Jeolla, South Korea. It has an area of 59.97 km2 and its population in March 2022 was 3,071. The myeon is composed of 63 islands, 10 inhabited and 53 uninhabited. Its largest island is Anjwa Island ( which comprises the majority of its land area. This island is also the largest island of Shinan County. Its northern coast is connected by a bridge to neighboring Palgeum-myeon, while to west of the island lies Bigeum-myeon. To the southwest of the myeon lies Haui-myeon, whilst Jangsan-myeon lies to its southeast.
WWW shinan.go.kr/home/www/shi...

History

Anjwa Island itself was reclaimed from mudflats in 1917. Before then, it consisted of two islands, Anchang Island to the west and Gijwa Island to the east. The modern name of the island is formed as a portmanteau of these two names.

Administrative history

Geography

The three highest points of the myeon and of Anjwa Island are marked by Bongsan at a height of 182m in the northwest of the island, and Daesan at 151m and Hudongsan also at 151m, in the southeast.
The geology of the islands is principally that of acidic igneous rock. However, due to the sedimentation caused by coastal currents as well as governmental land reclamation projects, along the eastern coast of Anjwa Island a plain has formed. The native tree flora include a species of evergreen oak, camellia, evergreen spindle, and red machilus.

Administrative subdivisions

Anjwa-myeong has 25 ri.
Name of RiKorean name of 리Hanja nameVillage names
Notes
Geumsan-ri금산리琴山里금산 On Anjwa Island
Tandong-ri탄동리炭洞里탄동 On Anjwa Island
Sandu-ri산두리山斗里산두 On Anjwa Island
Bokho-ri복호리伏虎里복호 On Anjwa Island
Dae-ri대리大里대리 On Anjwa Island
Jara-ri자라리者羅里자라1, 자라2 Comprises Jara Island, Jeungsan Island and Hyu'am Island, as well as some smaller islands
Jonpo-ri존포리存浦里존포 Comprises Banggu Island and part of Anjwa Island
Hyangmok-ri향목리香木里향목 On Anjwa Island
Yeoheul-ri여흘리如屹里여흘 On Anjwa Island
Namgang-ri남강리南江里남강 On Anjwa Island
Daecheok-ri대척리大尺里대척 On Anjwa Island
Changma-ri창마리唱馬里창마 On Anjwa Island
Sogok-ri소곡리所谷里소곡, 두리 On Anjwa Island
Bakji-ri박지리朴只里박지 Comprises Bakji Island, one of the Purple Islands
Banwol-ri반월리半月里반월 Comprises Banwol Island, one of the Purple Islands
Gudae-ri구대리舊垈里구대, 우목 On Anjwa Island
Mamyeong-ri마명리馬鳴里마명 On Anjwa Island
Sinchon-ri신촌리新川里신촌 On Anjwa Island
Dae-u-ri대우리大芋里대우 On Anjwa Island
Bangwol-ri방월리方月里방월, 전진 On Anjwa Island. Site of the Stone Tombs, a set of dolmens.
Naeho-ri내호리內湖里내호 On Anjwa Island
Han'un-ri한운리閑雲里한운, 사치 Comprises the Upper and Lower Sachi Islands and part of Anjwa Island
Siseo-ri시서리枾西里시서, 오동 On Anjwa Island
Eupdong-ri읍동리邑洞里읍동, 와우 On Anjwa Island; location of the Administrative Welfare Center
Majin-ri마진리馬津里마진 On Anjwa Island

Economy

Land use is composed of of rice paddies, of agricultural fields, and of forest. Major agricultural products include rice, barley, beans, sweet potatoes, tobacco, and onions; additionally, jujubes are abundant as forest products. Anchovies, cutlassfish, octopus, and croaker are caught in the coastal waters. Production of oysters, gim seaweed, miyeok seaweed and salt are all active industries; local specialties include garlic, gim seaweed, rice and gamtae.

Transportation

Regular passenger ferries link Anjwa-myeon to Mokpo on the mainland of South Korea, as well as between the islands that make up the myeon. There are also road bridges that connect Anjwa Island to other myeon, with Local Route 805 being the principal trunk road leading out from National Route 2. This local route currently finishes on Jara Island, one of the southernmost parts of the myeon. However, the more touristy smaller islands of the myeon are only connected to Anjwa Island by footbridge.

Education

Anjwa Island has one middle school, located in Changma-ri. The myeon has several elementary schools.

Purple Islands

Anjwa-myeon also includes Banwol Island and Bakji Island, which have been given the name the Purple Isles or the Purple Islands. Each of these islands forms a ri in its own right within Anjwa-myeon.
Banwol Island historically depended on fishing and agriculture, with both deep-sea fishing and marsh fishing being practiced. The traditional cultivation of kohlrabi as well as the abundance of native bellflowers inspired a purple-themed rebrand for the region in 2015, with 400 buildings in the region painting their roofs purple, as well as telephone boxes. The planting of 21,500 m2 of lavender fields, as well as fields of Aster daisies, lily magnolia, lilac, hollyhock and purpletop vervain have contributed to the aesthetic and environmental appeal of the region throughout the seasons. Since the initial revitalization efforts in 2018, more than 490,000 visitors had come to the island as of 2021. Because of the close association of the color purple with the fandom of South Korean boy band BTS, photo zones dedicated to the group and a sculpture of the catchphrase 'I purple you' are found on the island.
Banwol Island is connected to Bakji Island and thence to Anjwa Island by a large two-section wooden pedestrian bridge called the "Purple Bridge" due to its color. This has also been referred to as Cheonsa Bridge or Angel Bridge, not be confused with a suspension road bridge of much greater dimensions, also located in Shinan County. The bridge was first built to honor the wishes of Kim Mae-geum, a resident of Bakji Island, "to walk on two feet onto the mainland".