Gangwon

Gangwon is a mountainous, forested province in northeast South Korea. Ski resorts, Yongpyong and Alpensia, in the county of Pyeongchang are host sites of the 2018 Winter Olympics. In the east, Seoraksan National Park has mountainside temples and hot springs. Odaesan National Park’s gentle slopes lead to the Stone Seated Buddha, while the steep cliffs of Chiaksan National Park offer more challenging trails.

Gangwon-do is bounded on the west by Gyeonggi-do province, on the south by the provinces of Chungcheongbuk-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do. To the north lies the province’s North Korean counterpart, Kangwon province. The province’s landscape is dominated by the Taebaek Mountains (called Taebaek Sanmaek) which almost reach the sea. As a consequence the coast is very steep.

Gangwon-do and its North Korean counterpart Kangwŏn are together referred to as the Gwandong region. The region west of the Taebaek Mountains is called Yeongseo, while the region east of the mountains is called Yeongdong. The term “Yeongdong” is frequently used in reference to transportation services from Seoul, the national capital. Thus, one might catch a bus or train on the “Yeongdong Line,” or drive to Gangneung on the Yeongdong Expressway.