Naju
Naju is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea.
The capital of South Jeolla Province was located at Naju until it was moved to Gwangju in 1895. The name Jeolla Province actually originates from the first character of Jeonju and the first character of Naju. Dongshin University is situated in Naju. Naju is famous for the Naju Pear which is a large round pear that forms its district logo.
History
- In the Later Three Kingdoms period of Korean history, Wang Geon occupied the Naju area, which was then part of Later Baekje Kingdom and came to become large base of his political support. He also married the daughter of the Magistrate of Naju, Lady Janghwa, who became the mother of Goryeo's second King Hyejong of Goryeo.
- In 1986, the governmental name was changed from Geumseong to Naju.
- In 1995, Naju was expanded to include Naju county.
Products
A well-known local product is the Naju pear, which has long been cultivated along the Yeongsan River.Naju pears and Oriental melons are popular as gifts for Lunar New Year and other holidays.
Innovation city
Naju was designated an and the opening ceremony for city construction was held on November 8, 2007. President Roh participated in the opening events.As the city won the title of "Innovation City", several public organizations have relocated to here from Seoul. Start of the construction was 4th in line after Jeju, Gimcheon and Jinju.
The organizations that were the targeted for moving are:
Energy
IT & Communications
*Agriculture
*Culture & Others
The new city is set to be in area with the grand plan of developing it into a cultural center in the southwestern economy.Near the Innovation City is the Naju Pear Museum and Pear Orchard for Tourists, which is dedicated to the Asian pear; all of its displays are in Korean.
Notable people
- Jin Hyeon Ju - member of K-Pop group Cignature and leader of UNIS
- Yumi Hogan - former First Lady of Maryland
Symbols
- Flower: Pear blossoms
- Bird: Dove
- Tree: Ginkgo Tree
Festivals
- Naju Pear Blossom Festival in April
- Naju Rapeseed Festival in May
- Naju Yeongsanpo Skate Festival in May
International relations
Twin towns and sister cities
Naju is twinned with:- Kurayoshi, Tottori, Japan
- Wenatchee, Washington, United States
- Isaac, Queensland, Australia
- Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
Culture
The drama Jumong was filmed in Naju. An amusement park called 'Samhanji Theme Park' was used for the film set because of its traditional sceneries. The 2021 drama Nevertheless also had scenes filmed in Naju.It hosts events such as hands-on experience on natural dyeing process for children. Many elementary schools are registering for this program.