Daejeon


Daejeon is South Korea's fifth-largest metropolis, with a population of nearly 1.5 million. Located in a central lowland valley between the Sobaek Mountains and the Geum River, the city is known both as a technology and research center, and for its close relationship with the natural environment. Daejeon is a major transportation hub, having grown up as a railway town, and is approximately 50 minutes from the capital, Seoul, by KTX or SRT high speed rail.
Daejeon is one of South Korea's administration hubs. The city is home to 23 universities and colleges, including Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Chungnam National University, as well as government research institutes, and research and development centers for many chaebols such as Samsung, LG, mostly located in the city's Daedeok Yeongu Danji.
From the 1980s, multiple national administrative functions were moved from Seoul to Daejeon, most of which are now located in the Daejeon Government Complex, resulting in another population increase. The city was a sub host for the 1986 Asian Games, hosted the Expo 1993, the International Mathematical Olympiads in 2000 and will be the main host city of the 2027 Summer World University Games. Daejeon and was elevated to the status of Metropolitan City in 1989.
Daejeon is situated in a lowland valley with three major rivers, all of them eventually flowing into the Yellow Sea by way of the Geum river. The city is surrounded by several small mountains, and is located approximately south of Seoul and north of Busan, and east of the Yellow Sea. Daejeon experiences a monsoon-influenced, four-season climate with wet, hot summers and drier, cold winters.
Daejeon is bordered to the east by Boeun County and Okcheon County in North Chungcheong Province, to the west by Gongju and Gyeryong in South Chungcheong Province, to the south by Geumsan County and Nonsan in South Chungcheong Province, and to the north by Sejong Special Self-Governing City and Cheongju in North Chungcheong Province. Its geographical coordinates range from 127°14′ to 127°33′ east longitude and 36°10′ to 36°29′ north latitude. Daejeon covers an area of 539.98 square kilometers and has a population of 1,518,775 as of 2015. Administratively, the city is divided into five districts and 79 administrative neighborhoods. The metropolitan city hall is located in Dunsan-dong, Seo District, Daejeon.
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Etymology

The earliest record of the modern name 'Daejeon' is in the 1481 geography book, Tongguk yŏji sŭngnam. 'Daejeon' is a Hanja translation of the native placeword for the area, 'Hanbat', meaning Great fields. Hanbat, is a compound word that adds 'Han' , that means Great or big, and the word 'Bat', meaning field, leading to Big/Great Field.The 'Han' translated into 'Dae' - both meaning big, and 'Bat' translated to 'Jeon', both meaning fields.
The name Hanbat is still in use as a road name for Hanbat-daero, or Hanbat road'', a road of 12.7 kilometers connecting Daejeon's Yuseong district to Dong-gu.

History

Ancient history to the Later Three Kingdoms Era

It is unclear exactly when humans first inhabited the Daejeon area. However, the Paleolithic site of Seokjang-ri in nearby Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do, and the Yongho-dong site in Daedeok District, Daejeon, suggest that people lived here from around that time. From the Bronze Age, artifacts such as bronze items, dwelling sites, and pottery have been excavated, providing concrete evidence of sustained human habitation.
During the Proto–Three Kingdoms Period, the area was part of Mahan, one of the Three Han states. It is believed to have been home to Sinheunguk, one of the small states that made up Mahan. However, some theories place Sinheunguk in Seosan or Yesan County in South Chungcheong Province, so its exact location is uncertain. Proponents of the Daejeon theory speculate that "Sinheung" is related to Jinhyeon-hyeon, which will be discussed later and eventually connects to the place name Jinjam-dong. Meanwhile, the area around the now Yuseong District is thought to have been the site of Naebiri-guk of Mahan. This is because the Three Kingdoms-era place name for Yuseong District, Nosaji, is also recorded as Naesaji, and both names share the element "Nae".
In the Three Kingdoms Period, the area became part of Baekje's territory and was known as Usul-gun, centered around Eumnae-dong in Daedeok District and including Hoedeok-dong. Also on Usul-gun, in the city exists the remains of Bakjae's mountain fortress Usul-fortress '', which was declared a city-designated monument in 1989. This name is a transcription of the native Korean place name "Bisul" or "Bisuri," where they took the meaning "rain" from the character 雨 and the sound "sul" from 述. At Gyejoksan Mountain in Jang-dong, Daedeok District, there is a legend that "when the mountain cries during severe drought, rain comes," leading to the place name "beak-dal-san" or "beakdal" mountain, and "Bisuri," meaning "rainy peak." This legend is also recorded in early Joseon-era texts like the Veritable Records of the [Joseon Dynasty|Geographical Appendix to the Annals of King Sejong] and the Sinjŭng Tongguk yŏji sŭngnam, the version of Tongguk yŏji sŭngnam, updated in 1530.
Under Usul-gun, there were Nosaji-hyeon in the area of Guseong-dong, Yuseong District; Sobipo-hyeon in Deokjin-dong; and Jinhyeon-hyeon in Bonggok-dong, Seo-gu. Among these, Jinhyeon-hyeon was the only one not under Usul-gun but belonged to Hwangdeungyasangun, centered around Yeonsan-myeon in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. Based on the Five Divisions established during King Seong's reign, the area around Gongju was the Northern Division, and the area around Nonsan was the center of the Eastern Division, so it likely belonged to one of these two. Considering that the Daejeon area later generally moved in conjunction with Gongju, the dominant theory is that it belonged to the Northern parts of regional classification.
During this period, the area was one of the main frontlines among Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla, resulting in many mountain fortress ruins in Daejeon, leading to an oral tradition that the name of Sikjang Mountain originated from the Baekje army storing provisions on the mountain. There are also numerous fortifications that are closer to small forts than large mountain fortresses. Notably, after Baekje's King Gaero had Wiryeseong captured by Goguryeo's King Jangsu, Baekje faced a critical crisis due to continued southward advances by Goguryeo. The Goguryeo army reached as far as the Daejeon area, creating an unprecedented situation where Baekje's Ungjin Fortress was pressured from both the northeast and southeast. Relics left by the Goguryeo army from this time can be found in Wolpyeong-dong in Seo District, Daejeon, as well as in Bugaang-myeon, Saerom-dong, and Naseong-dong in Sejong.
It was not until the reign of King Dongseong that Baekje, allied with Silla, succeeded in driving out the Goguryeo forces from the Daejeon area. Baekje recovered the entirety of Sejong, most of Cheongju, and most of Daejeon. However, they had to tolerate Silla's occupation of the entire Goesan area—which was originally part of Hanseong Baekje's territory—as well as the northern half of now Daedeok District and the southwestern part of Cheongju. Goesan was recovered from Silla during the reign of King Uija of Baekje, but the Sintanjin area and the southwestern part of Cheongju were never regained until Baekje fell. Therefore, the northern region of Daedeok District has deep historical connections not only with Baekje but also with Silla.
During the wars for the unification of the Three Kingdoms in 660, there is a record that the Silla army stationed at Nosurisan during the Battle of Hwangsanbeol, which broke out on July 9. Given the phonetic similarity to Nosaji-hyeon located in Yuseong District, it is considered to be the same place. As the Daejeon area was a border region adjacent to Hwangdeungyasangun, a fierce battleground, it would have been suitable for the Silla army to set up camp.
After the fall of Baekje, the area became the backdrop for the Baekje Revival Movement. The Ongsanseong, where the revival forces blocked the Silla army's path and fought around August 661, is presumed to be Gyejoksanseong Fortress on Gyejoksan Mountain in Jang-dong, Daedeok District. After a three-day siege, Ongsanseong fell on September 27. Subsequently, Usul-gun was attacked by Kim Pumil, the governor of Sangju, and over 1,000 people were executed. According to records, Jo Bok, the last military commander of Usul-gun and a second-rank Dalsol, surrendered to Silla along with a third-rank Eunsol named Paga and their followers. Later, in August 662, remnants of the revival forces gathered and fortified themselves at Naesajiseong, presumed to be the fortress located in the aforementioned Nosaji-hyeon which corresponds to the now Yuseong District area, and resisted, prompting the dispatch of 19 generals, including Kim Heumsun, to defeat them.
In the Unified Silla period, based on Silla's nine provinces and five secondary capitals'' policy, the area belonged to Ungcheonju. Later, due to King Gyeongdeok's Sinicization policy in 757, Usul-gun was renamed Bipung-gun, Nosaji-hyeon became Yuseong-hyeon, Sobipo-hyeon became Jeokjo-hyeon, and Jinhyeon-hyeon was renamed Jinryeong-hyeon. Jinryeong-hyeon still belonged separately to Hwangsan-gun, the renamed Hwangdeungyasangun. Ungcheonju was also renamed Ungju.
During the Later Three Kingdoms period in the early 900s, the area came under the territory of Later Baekje. Compared to the original Baekje, Later Baekje's domain extended much further east beyond Daejeon, deeply into Gyeongsang-do, and had also reclaimed the northern part of Daedeok District, which had previously been occupied by Silla. Therefore, the area of Daejeon belonged to Later Baekje until its collapse in 936.

Goryeo Dynasty

Entering the Goryeo period, Bipung-gun was renamed Hoedeok-hyeon, Jeokjo-hyeon became Deokjin-hyeon, and Jinryeong-hyeon was changed to Jinjam-hyeon, while Yuseong-hyeon remained unchanged. According to the ten provinces established during King Seongjong's reign, the Daejeon area belonged to Hanam-do. All four prefectures were subordinate to Gongju-mok, which had been elevated to one of the twelve administrative districts known as "mok."
Later, during King Hyeonjong's reign, the implementation of the Five Provinces and Two Frontier Regions system placed the four prefectures under Yanggwang-do. Gongju-mok was downgraded back to simply Gongju, but the four prefectures remained its subordinate counties.
Subsequently, during King Myeongjong's reign, Hoedeok-hyeon and Jinjam-hyeon were promoted to "ju-hyeon", and officials known as "Gamwu" were dispatched, initiating independent administration. This autonomy continued into the Joseon Dynasty, where they remained separate districts. However, Yuseong-hyeon and Deokjin-hyeon did not gain independence and continued as subordinate counties of Gongju.
Meanwhile, there were special administrative districts called "hyang," "bugok," and "so." Among these, the most famous was Myeonghakso, known as the site of the Mang Yi and Mang Soi Rebellion. This area is believed to have been located in what is now Tanbang-dong in Seo-gu.

Joseon Dynasty

During the Joseon period, Hoedeok-hyeon and Jinjam-hyeon were each elevated to Hoedeok-gun and Jinjam-gun, respectively. The area that is now the central part of Daejeon remained a small rural village within Gongju, which had been re-elevated to Gongju-mok during the reign of King Chung-hye of Goryeo. Notable figures like Song Si-yeol of the Eunjin Song clan lived in this vicinity, and the place name Songchon-dong, related to them, still exists as one of Daejeon's districts. Additionally, the Hoedeok Hwang clan established their base in the Hoedeok-hyeon area. Meanwhile, the name "Daejeon", which is the Hanja transcription of the native term "Hanbat" for Great Fields, first appeared in records in the early Joseon period, in Tongguk yŏji sŭngnam, and continues to be used today.
Until 1906, the current central area of Daejeon was part of Gongju, not Hoedeok or Jinjam, before it was incorporated into Hoedeok-gun. Of course, that elongated territory of Gongju wasn't Gongju land in the narrow sense; rather, as the concept of subordinate prefectures like Yuseong-hyeon and Deokjin-hyeon disappeared and were absorbed into Gongju itself, the territory expanded accordingly.
However, the now Yuseong area remained part of Gongju until it was transferred during the establishment of Daejeon-gun in 1914. With Yuseong joining Daejeon-gun, the region roughly restored the combined territory of the central area and its subordinate prefectures from the times of Usul-gun and Bipung-gun.
What transformed the history of Daejeon was the finalization of the Gyeongbu Line railway route in 1900. After Daejeon Station was established in Daejeon-ri, Sannae-myeon, Gongju County, in 1904, population influx began and urbanization took off. In 1906, when Sannae-myeon was incorporated into Hoedeok County, the Hoedeok County Office also moved from its original location in Hoedeok town to the urban area of Daejeon.

Japanese Occupation

In 1914, during the major reorganization of administrative districts by the Japanese Governor-General of Korea, the existing Hoedeok County and Jinjam County, along with Yuseong-myeon of Gongju County, were merged to form Daejeon County. Had the name Hoedeok County been retained, the city might be called "Hoedeok Metropolitan City" today. Instead, the name "Daejeon," which was simply the name of the village where the train station was located, was adopted as the new county name, replacing the traditional name Hoedeok.

Modern day

In 1963, Daejeon expanded its territory by incorporating the entire Yucheon-myeon of Daedeok-gun, and parts of Sannae and Hoedeok-myeon. From this point, Sannae-myeon of Daedeok-gun became an actual exclave.
In 1973, Buk-myeon and Yuseong-myeon of Daedeok-gun were each elevated to Sintanjin-eup and Yuseong-eup, respectively. In 1977, the ward system was implemented in Daejeon, establishing two wards: Jung-gu and Dong-gu. In 1983, Daejeon further expanded by incorporating the entire areas of Yuseong-eup and Hoedeok-myeon of Daedeok-gun, and parts of Tan-dong, Gujeok, Jinjam, and Giseong-myeon. At this time, Daedeok-gun was split into two separate parts. This situation continued until 1989, when Daedeok-gun was abolished and Daejeon was elevated to a Directly Governed City. Just before this elevation in 1988, Seo-gu was separated from Jung-gu. In 1989, Daedeok-gun was abolished and merged into Daejeon, and the integrated Daejeon of Chungcheongnam-do was elevated to Daejeon Directly Governed City. Simultaneously, Yuseong District was separated from Seo-gu, and Daedeok District from Dong-gu, completing the current system of five districts.
In 1993, the city hosted the 1993 Daejeon Expo, which increased its national profile. The yellow alien mascot "Kumdori" appeared in various products such as plush toys and animations, becoming one of Daejeon's mascots. After the Expo ended, the facilities and site were utilized to open the Expo Science Park, but some exhibition halls are now almost closed. Although it had the smallest population among the five Directly Governed Cities, it surpassed Gwangju Metropolitan City in population in 1995. In the same year, it was renamed to the current Daejeon Metropolitan City.
In the late 1980s, Daejeon was elevated to the status of Special City, thus became a separate administrative region from South Chungcheong Province. In 1995, all South Korean Special Cities were again renamed as Metropolitan Cities, which is reflected in the current official name of Daejeon, Daejeon Metropolitan City.
In the 1980s, the Korean administration began moving various national government operations from Seoul to Daejeon, eventually opening the Daejeon Government Complex in 1997. Today, the national government offices in Daejeon include Korea Customs Service, Small and Medium Business Administration, Public Procurement Service, National Statistical Office, Military Manpower Administration, Korea Forest Service, Cultural Heritage Administration, Korean Intellectual Property Office, Korail, Korea Water Resources Corporation, Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation and Patent Court of Korea.
The population of Daejeon increased dramatically as a result of the government center. With the construction of Sejong Special Self-Governing City in 2013 for the division of capital functions and balanced local development, many of the public institutions that had previously headed to Daejeon were moved to Sejong, and many public institutions in Seoul were also moved to Sejong. With the launch of Sejong City, large-scale development began, resulting in infrastructure construction and large-scale apartment complexes. Sejong is located immediately north of Daejeon, and Daejeon citizens began to outflow to Sejong. As of July 2020, there was net outflow of more than 100,000 people from Daejeon to Sejong.

Geography

Daejeon lies between latitudes N36°10'59" and N36°30'1" and longitudes E127°14'48" and E127°33'35" near the middle of South Korea. It is from Seoul, from Busan and from Gwangju.
Known historically as 'big field,' the city lies inside a great circle surrounded by several mountains, with Gyeryongsan National Park straddling the city border on the west, and the foot of the Sobaek Mountain range just beyond the city to the south and east. Three rivers run through the center of the city: Gapcheon, Yudeungcheon, and Daejeoncheon. These flow roughly from south to north, eventually joining the Geum River which borders the city on the northeast. The river changes direction after leaving Daejeon, turning to the southwest and eventually emptying into the Yellow Sea near Gunsan.

Climate

Daejeon has a monsoon-influenced, four-season climate that lies between the humid subtropical and humid continental climatic classifications, with slightly more mild temperature extremes compared to Seoul. Winters are cold and dry with monthly mean temperature of in January. Summers are hot and humid with a monthly mean temperature of in August. The heaviest rainfall during the year typically occurs from July through August during the Korean monsoon season.

Administrative divisions

Daejeon is divided into five political "gu" or "districts": Seogu, Donggu, Yuseonggu, Daedeokgu, and Junggu.
SubdivisionKoreanArea Population
Daedeok District68.71174,791
Dong District163.68223,409
Jung District62.18232,077
Seo District95.53474,444
Yuseong District176.53350,337

Demographics

Daejeon is the fifth most populous city in Korea, with 1,467,468 registered residents as of 2023. The most populous district is Seo District, although the district lost 32,219 residents since 2006, it remains the most densely populated in the city at 4,960 inhabitants per square kilometer.
As of 2023, the number of registered foreign residents in Daejeon was 21,949 with the largest representations being Vietnamese, and Chinese or Korean-Chinese. There are also smaller numbers of registered residents from Uzbekistan, Mongolia, United States, Philippines, Indonesia, India, Japan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal, Taiwan, Pakistan, Russia, France, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and Turkey.

Religion

According to the census of 2005, of the people of Daejeon, 21.8% follow Buddhism and 31.2% follow Christianity. There is a large mosque, namely the Islamic Center of Daejeon, occupying a converted residential building within the KAIST-CNU university triangle and is extremely popular.

Education

During the Joseon Dynasty, education institutions in Daejeon included Hoedeok Hyanggyo in Eumnae-dong, Daedeok District, and Jinjam Hyanggyo in Gyochon-dong, Yuseong District. Additionally, there were institutions such as Sungheon Seowon, Dosan Seowon, and Jeongjeol Seowon. Sungheon Seowon was rebuilt in 1609 by Song Nam-su after being destroyed during the Imjin War, and its ruins remain in Wonchon-dong.
Jeongjeol Seowon was established in Geyang-dong in 1684, and Dosan Seowon was founded in Tanbang-dong in 1711, contributing to the education of local yangsengs. However, it was abolished by the Seowon Abolition Order issued by Heungseon Daewongun during King Gojong's reign. In addition, much education was conducted through privately established seodangs and ganghakdang.
In 1585, Nambunbong 's Bongsojae was established in Seokgyo-dong. During King Injo's reign, Kim Gyeong-yeo established Song-aedang in Hoedeok 2-dong. During King Sukjong's reign, Song Si-yeol established Namganjeongsa, and in the late Joseon period, Song Byeong-seon established Seoknamjae in Seongnam-dong.
As of the current period, there are 146 elementary schools, 88 middle schools, 62 high schools, 5 special schools, and 5 technical colleges,11 universities.
Regarding libraries, Daejeon is home to the Daejeon Lifelong Learning Center, Student Education and Culture Center, Hanbat Library, Yongun Library, Galma Library, Seongnam Library, Yuseong Library, Ansan Library in Daedeok District, Braille Library, Gasuwon Library, Donggu Gaowol Library, and Panam Library.
Major public universities in Daejeon include:
Major private universities in Daejeon include:
Specialized high schools and academies include:
Other Private schools include:

Research and development

Daejeon is known as the research and development hub of Korea. In addition to KAIST and the Institute for Basic Science, it is home to more than 20 other government research institutions, and various corporate research centers, mostly located around Daedeok Innopolis in Yuseong District north of the Gapcheon river.
Fields of research undertaken in Daejeon include telecommunications, nanofabrication, biotechnology, water, nuclear and hydro power, nuclear fusion, design, measurement technologies, mechanical engineering, fuel cells, aeronautics, new materials, robotics, new drugs, and environmental technologies. Daedeok Innopolis' membership includes 898 corporations, 35 government-invested and sponsored institutions; six universities, and 15 public organizations.Research institutes in Daedeok include the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Electronic and Telecommunications Research Institute, Korea Aerospace Research Institute, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Korea Fusion Energy Research Institute, National Nanofab Center, Korea Basic Science Institute, Institute for Basic Science, Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Marine and Ocean Engineering Research Institute, Institute of Information Technology Advancement, Korea Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources, Agency for Defense Development, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Korea Institute of Nuclear Non-proliferation and Control, National Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Rare Isotope Science Project, National Research Foundation of Korea, and the National Security Research Institute. Among the technology produced in Daedeok are ETRI's wireless communications systems CDMA, WIBRO, and DMB, KRIBB's nano biochips, KARI's KOMPSAT satellites, and NFRI's KSTAR nuclear fusion experimental reactor.
Daedeok is also home to 21 corporate research centers with global reach surrounded by an equal number of smaller firms. Some of the notable corporate research centers are Dongbu Advanced Research Institute, GS-Caltex Value Creation Center, Hanwha Chemical Research, Honam Petrochemical Daeduk Research Institute, LG Chemical LTD. Research Park, Samyang R&D Center, and SK Institute of Technology.
Public corporation research institutes such as Korea Electric Power Research Institute, Korea Institute of Construction Materials, and Korea Institute of Aerospace Technology are also part of the Daedeok system.
On 16 May 2013, Daejeon was selected as the core of the International Science and Business Belt.
Besides a tire production facility, Hankook has its main research & development centre in Daejeon.

Culture

Museums and arts centers

Daejeon is the home of multiple arts and culture complexes, mostly centered around the Daedeok area. These include:
  • Daejeon Museum of Art which hosts primarily technology-oriented modern and contemporary exhibitions
  • Daejeon Arts Center which is home to local music and theater groups including the Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Laurent Beaudouin-designed Lee Ungno Museum, a large permanent collection of works by or related to the prominent Korean artist Lee Ungno
  • Expo Science Park, built on the grounds of the former international exposition is home to the Institute for Basic Science and the National Science Museum, Korea's flagship science museum which features a main exhibition hall highlighting harmony between nature, man, and technology, as well as dedicated buildings related to natural history, future technology, biosphere, a children's science museum, and an astronomical observatory.
  • Geological Museum, belonging to the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources
  • Daejeon Citizen's Observatory which houses a 10-inch refracting telescope and is the first citizen observatory in Korea
Other arts spaces in the city include the six-floor Daejeon Artist House, performing arts center, and the Natural Ecology Center at Daecheong Lake.

Parks and nature

Daejeon citizens are recognized for their fondness of nature, with most mountains, hot springs, and rivers freely open for public use. Many of the city's modern-day traditions, festivals, attractions, and industries are linked in some way to important mountains, rivers, and forests.
Eight "beautiful sights" are designated by city government, including the mountains Sikjangsan, Bomunsan, Gubongsan, Jangtaesan, and Gyejoksan, the lake Daecheonghosu, as well as Yuseong Foot Spa, and Expo Science Park, which includes landmarks such as the Hanbit Tower and Expo Bridge. The Daejeon Hanbat Arboretum, built on the former parking lots of the World Expo, also holds the distinction of being the largest manmade arboretum in Korea.
Overlooking Daejeon from the south, Bomunsan Mountain park was established as a park in 1965. The park contains water springs, trails, Buddhist temples, and some heritage sites dating back as far as the Bronze Age. Facilities include a nature healing center, outdoor concert hall, and Daejeon O-World, a theme park which includes Daejeon Zoo, Joy Land, and Flower Land. The park is home to 160 species of 600 animals, 17 rides and themed gardens including Sounds garden, Herb Garden, and Rose Garden.

Media

Daejeon is a provincial center for the television, newspaper and publishing industries. Major television broadcasting companies, such as KBS and MBC, have branches in Daejeon; Daejeon Broadcasting Corporation is a local television broadcaster based in Daejeon. Cable TV services are available in most apartments. Eight channels of Mobile TV are provided with the digital radio channels. Several FM radio stations provide news and music on the air. KBS, MBC, TJB have their FM radio channels, there are Christian radio channels, FEBC and CBS, and traffic news channel TBN. Daejeon Ilbo is the major local newspaper which covers South Chungcheong Province.

Festivals

Daejeon is home to both traditional folk festivals, and contemporary cultural celebrations. These include the Daejeon Science Festival, the Hyo Culture Root Festival, a Full Moon Festival, Yuseong Oncheon Festival, Geumgang Rojas Festival, Diku Festival, Gyejoksan Mountain Manbal Festival, Gyeonwoojik Women Festival, and various international food, drink, and music festivals throughout the seasons.

Sports

Daejeon is home to multiple professional teams and national and internationally active sports facilities. The Daejeon World Cup Stadium was constructed for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, hosting several games including the South Korea vs. Italy match in the round of 16. The facility is now the home of the city's football club. The Daejeon Hanbat Sports Complex was built in 1964, and was one of the host sites of the 1986 Asian Games, and also hosted preliminaries during the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. Today, with several of the facilities renovated, it hosts the city's professional baseball, K3 League football, and volleyball teams. The city is also home to LPGA golfers Pak Se-ri and Jang Jeong, and is the hometown of former New York Mets left-handed reliever Dae-sung Koo.

Football

The city is home to the K League 1 football club Daejeon Hana Citizen, playing home games at Daejeon World Cup Stadium, and the K3 League side Daejeon Korail, which plays home games at Daejeon Hanbat Sports Complex.

Baseball

The Hanwha Eagles of the KBO League were founded in Daejeon in 1985. Between 1986 and 2024, they played their home games at the Daejeon Hanbat Baseball Stadium, built in Busa-dong in 1964, with an iconic view of Bomunsan in the outfield. The stadium was renovated and expanded in 2013, moving the outfield wall and expanding seating to 13,000. Before the 2025 season, they moved to the newly-built Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark with a capacity of 20,000 spectators.

Volleyball

The V-League men's volleyball club Daejeon Samsung Fire Bluefangs and the V-League women's volleyball club CheongKwanJang Red Sparks both play their home games at the Chungmu Gymnasium of the Daejeon Hanbat Sports Complex.

Transportation

Daejeon is a center of transportation in South Korea, where two major expressways, Gyeongbu Expressway and Honam Expressway Branch, and two major railway lines, Gyeongbu railway and Honam railway, are joined. Travel time between Daejeon and Seoul using the KTX high-speed rail system is about 50 minutes. The nearest airport is Cheongju Airport, about a thirty-minute drive north. Direct bus connections to Incheon International Airport exist.

Bus

Daejeon has an extensive bus network that connects all districts of the city and surrounding areas. The system includes both local and intercity routes, operated primarily by Daejeon Metropolitan Express Transit Corporation and private bus companies. The main bus terminals, such as Daejeon Complex Terminal and Yuseong Intercity Bus Terminal, provide connections to other major cities across South Korea.

Subway

One line, Daejeon Subway Line 1, of a planned five-line subway system has been operating since 17 April 2007. This subway line connects Daejeon Station, located in the original city centre, with the more modern and more recently developed sections of this city, including Dunsan, where the city hall and a number of national government buildings are located.
Notable differences between the Daejeon subway and the Seoul subway include narrower cars, no doors connecting cars, four cars per train rather than ten, and storage space under the seats for use by passengers. Originally, plastic tokens for toll were read by a proximity sensor when entering the turnstiles, and then inserted into a slot when exiting. The design of the tokens allowed them to be used for advertising. The system now employs the T-money system, a rechargeable series of Smart cards and other "smart" devices used for paying transportation fares. Platform screen doors are installed in the subway stations.

Cycling

The name of the public bicycle in South Korea is different for each region, and the name of the public bicycle in Daejeon is Tashu. Tashu is an unmanned rental public bicycle service operated in Daejeon since 2008, and the basic rental fee is 500 won, and if one purchases a daily ticket, the bicycle can be used within an hour on that day.

Notable people

Sister cities

Daejeon has sister city relationships with the following fourteen cities: