Ansan


Ansan is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It lies southwest of Seoul, and is part of the Seoul National Capital Area. It is connected to Seoul by rail via Seoul Subway Line 4. It is situated on the Yellow Sea coast and some islands lie within its jurisdiction. The largest and best-known of these is Daebu Island.
Several higher learning institutions are located in Ansan. They include Ansan University, Ansan College of Technology, Seoul Institute of the Arts, and the ERICA campus of Hanyang University. The Korea Transportation Safety Authority, a government agency, has also been headquartered in Ansan since June 3, 2002. With its high number of foreign workers, Wongokbon-dong has been designated as a multicultural area.

History

Ancient Era

The first humans in Ansan were in the New Stone Age, and many shell middens and prehistoric remains were found at Oido, Sihwaho, Chojidong and Daebudo. In the Seonbu-dong and Wolpi-dong area, over 10 stone dolmen tombs could be found. Also in 1995, Old Stone Age relics were found while constructing the Seohaean Expressway. Most dolmens in Ansan are north dolmen, but the dolmen in Seonbu-dong is table-shaped and another table-shaped tomb was found in Hakon-dong, Gwangmyeong. There are many ancient relics found in the city.

Three Kingdoms and Goryeo Era

Not much evidence or antiquities survive from the Proto-Three Kingdoms and Samhan periods are in Ansan and nearby areas. The Mahan confederacy in Chen Shou in Records of the Three Kingdoms preserves writings about the chiefdom state. Ansan was in communion with Baekje but very little has been saved.
In the Later Three Kingdoms era, the Ansan area was owned by Taebong in Silla Hyogong's 4th year. After then, Gung Ye, who was ruler of Taebong, was overthrown by Wang Geon, and the Ansan area was turned over to Goryeo, founded by Wang Geon. First the Gung Ye Ganggu-gun was changed to Ansan-gun but the state of the military was preserved.

Joseon Era

Ansan belonged to Gyeonggijwa-do in the Joseon dynasty. Taejo's 5th year, Ansan-eoso that is now under direct control of a detached building of Saongwon was set up. After Gyeonggijwa-do and Gyeonggiwo-do were unified in Teajong's 2nd year, Ansan was still called Ansan. Under Teajong's 13th, the whole country was detached into eight provinces.

Modern Era

Until 1914, Ansan City and the southern part of today's Siheung city consisted of Ansan County. In 1914, Ansan County was annexed to Siheung County. This region produced high quality salt from ancient times and valuable marine products. Ansan was then a fishing village.
In 1986, several towns of Hwaseong county became incorporated, representing the beginning of Ansan as a city. With currently over 700,000 residents, Ansan now has two distinct and separate districts: Danwon, which has 12 dongs as of 2009, and Sangnok, with 13.

Geography

Ansan is located in the southwest of Gyeonggi Province and is situated on the coast of the Yellow Sea, at. Portions of various Yellow Sea islands lie within its jurisdiction. The largest and best-known of these is Daebu Island.
Located at the south of the city are Daebudo and Pungdo. Kwonsun, Gunpo, and Anyang are located in the east of Ansan. The Yellow Sea to the west, Hwaseong to the south, and Siheung to the north are other boundaries.

Transportation

Railway

The Ansan Line is a major rail line in Ansan. The Ansan Line is part of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway as Line 4. Service connects to Oido and Songdo in Incheon. The subway is also connected to the public bus system in Ansan. Previously, the first railroad in the city was the Suin Line which was opened by Korea under Japanese rule.
Late 2019, The subway linking Suwon to Ansan is being prepared to open. Its name is Suinseon. This will expand the living space in Ansan.
;*Seoul Subway Line 4
;; ← Banwol — Sangnoksu — Hanyang Univ. at Ansan — Jungang — Gojan — Choji — Ansan — Singiloncheon →

Future expansion

The Suin Line connecting Suwon to Incheon is set to expand in 2017 when the route from Suwon will connect at Hanyang Univ. at Ansan.
;*Suin Line
;; ← Sari — Hanyang Univ. at Ansan — Jungang — Gojan — Choji — Ansan — Singiloncheon →
The Shin Ansan Line will connect Yeouido to Ansan in 2023.
;;;
;;;
;;;Yeouido - Yeoungdeungpo - Dorim Sageori - Daerim Samgeori - Guro Digital Complex - Doksan - Siheung Sageori - Suksu - Gwangmyeong - Mokgam - Sungpo - Jungang - Hosu - Hanyang Univ.
;;;
;;;
;;;It will take only 30 minutes from Yeouido to Ansan.

Bus

The near Ansan Station provides daily bus service to Incheon International Airport and most cities in South Korea including Gimhae-si, Busan-si and so on. Buses travel via Gimpo International Airport and Incheon International Airport. Express buses to Iksan, Dongdaegu, and Gwangju are also available. Near Sangnoksu Station are buses going to Suwon Station and Gangnam Station. Ansan has 53 bus lines with 537 buses operating in and out of the city limits, connecting the city with Seoul and other outlying Gyeonggi cities. The Ansan transfer center also has express city buses, city buses and intercity buses to link to Banwal industrial estate, Sihaw lake and nearby cities.

Pedalro

Pedalro is a public bicycle system in Ansan City. There are 101 Pedalro stations in Ansan. This is run on a membership basis.

Public institutions

The Korea Transportation Safety Authority, a government agency of South Korea, is headquartered in Ansan. Other major institutions in Ansan include:
The administrative district of Ansan is parted into 25 Dong, 1187 Tong and 5884 Ban. The extent of Ansan is 149.06㎢. The population standard was 281,829 households and 761,279 people at the end of 2012, of which the Korean citizen population was 715,108 with 43,465 foreigners recorded.
BoroughAdministrative DongHangulChinese characterextenthouseholdpopulation
Sangnok-gu
상록구
常綠區		Il-dong일동一洞2.4111,21527,580
Sangnok-gu
상록구
常綠區		I-dong이동二洞2.4413,88430,395
Sangnok-gu
상록구
常綠區		Sa 1-dong사1동四洞2.3616,74939,594
Sangnok-gu
상록구
常綠區		Sa 2-dong사2동四洞3.6512,74036,395
Sangnok-gu
상록구
常綠區		Sa 3-dong사3동四洞3.687,14720,835
Sangnok-gu
상록구
常綠區		Bono-dong본오동本五洞6.4517,58943,811
Sangnok-gu
상록구
常綠區		Bono-2 dong본오2동本五洞0.8212,30033,038
Sangnok-gu
상록구
常綠區		Bono-3 dong본오3동本五洞1.19,99225,268
Sangnok-gu
상록구
常綠區		Bugok-dong부곡동釜谷洞6.228,83222,775
Sangnok-gu
상록구
常綠區		Wolpi-dong월피동月陂洞5.5417,39446,734
Sangnok-gu
상록구
常綠區		Seongpo-dong성포동聲浦洞1.79,76730,250
Sangnok-gu
상록구
常綠區		Banwol-dong반월동半月洞13.168,07721,122
Sangnok-gu
상록구
常綠區		Ansan-dong안산동安山洞8.363,84210,026
Danwon-gu
단원구
檀園區		Wadong와동瓦洞3.2319,37246,755
Danwon-gu
단원구
檀園區		Gojan-1 dong고잔1동古棧洞1.759,28224,548
Danwon-gu
단원구
檀園區		Gojan-2 dong고잔2동古棧洞1.879,65025,465
Danwon-gu
단원구
檀園區		Hosu dong호수동湖水洞2.4814,72345,093
Danwon-gu
단원구
檀園區		Wongokbon-dong원곡본동元谷洞8.1214,88449,007
Danwon-gu
단원구
檀園區		Wongok-1 dong원곡1동元谷洞0.954,39916,034
Danwon-gu
단원구
檀園區		Wongok-2 dong원곡2동元谷洞0.565,32317,058
Danwon-gu
단원구
檀園區		Choji-dong초지동草芝洞21.1617,72055,351
Danwon-gu
단원구
檀園區		Seonbu-1 dong선부1동仙府洞0.867,54420,179
Danwon-gu
단원구
檀園區		Seonbu-2 dong선부2동仙府洞2.0711,61927,390
Danwon-gu
단원구
檀園區		Seonbu-3 dong선부3동仙府洞5.8113,77437,439
Danwon-gu
단원구
檀園區		Dea-bu dong대부동大阜洞42.373,6147,384

Education

Ansan had Hyanggyo, nationally sponsored schools, throughout the Joseon Dynasty and Goryeo. Modern institutions of higher learning located in Ansan include Ansan University, Ansan College of Technology, Seoul Institute of the Arts, and the ERICA campus of Hanyang University.
List of universities in Ansan:
There are 24 high schools, 29 middle schools, 54 elementary schools and 96 kindergartens in the city. Danwon High School in Ansan was particularly affected by the Sinking of the MV Sewol in 2014 as a large number of the passengers were students from the school, and city streets featured many ribbon memorials and other markers and ceremonies for the disaster.

Economy

Because Ansan is a planned city built behind the Ansan Smart Hub following the government's industrial planning, the proportion of agriculture in the Ansan economy is very low. Meanwhile, as the government intensively drove a manufacturing industry plan in the Ansan area before Ansan was built, many people work in the manufacturing industry. There are two national industrial complexes, Banwol and Sihwa, as well as the local Banwol plating industrial complex.

Cultural institutions and heritage

In the past Ansan had fewer attractions and a poor reputation due to its industrial and fishing roots, but the east side of the city has recently experienced several beautification projects. The canal systems which bisect the city have bicycling and walking paths, and are covered with roses, tulips, and cherry blossoms in spring. A community bicycle system sponsored by the city is also available for park access and riding. Nowadays, Ansan has many museums and galleries, such as the Ansan Culture and Arts Center, Seongho Memorial Hall, Danwon Sculpture Park, and Hwarang Public Garden. Ansan has run city bus tours for cultural heritage sightseeing since 2008.

Events

The Jet-mer-ri village deity is held every year in Jet-mer-ri shrine to the village deity from 1984, and since 1987 the Beal-Mang-Sung art festival is held. Also, since 1991 the Danwon art festival and since 1996 the Sung-ho cultural festival is held. The Ansan Street Arts Festival is held in Ansan Culture Square in May since 2005.
Other festivals in Ansan include:
Historical monuments and structures in Ansan include:
Modern monuments and cultural institutions in Ansan include:
Ansan is home to several parks, including:

Sports

Large and small stadiums have been founded from the 1990s on in Ansan. Major sports events in the city take place at the Ansan Wa~ Stadium.
The city is home to Shinhan Bank S-Bird Woman's Basketball Team It was also a home to the now-defunct National League soccer club Ansan Hallelujah.
Ansan is also home to Ansan OK Savings Bank Rush & Cash volleyball club. They are members of the V-League.
Ansan established a professional soccer team called the Ansan Greeners FC. In first year, the team also received the 'Plus Stadium' award and the 'Full Stadium' award. At present, the Ansan Grinders FC has placed second.

TV and Movies

The pension complex on Daebu Island is used as a location for dramas such as Boys Over Flowers and A Man Called God

Sister cities (foreign cities)