Dangjin


Dangjin is a city in South Chungcheong Province,
South Korea. It stands on the south shore of the Bay of Asan. Dangjin borders Incheon, Pyeongtaek, and Hwaseong by sea, and Seosan, Yesan, and Asan by land. Its name means "Tang ferry," and refers to the historic role of Dangjin's harbor in connecting Korea to the other side of the Yellow Sea. This role continues to be important in the city's economy, which relies on a mixture of agriculture and heavy industry. The city has the same Hanja name as Karatsu in Saga Prefecture, Japan.

Administrative divisions

The city is divided into 2 eup, 9 myeon and 3 dong.

History

The name "Dangjin" was first used to refer to this area during the Joseon Dynasty. From 1413 to 1895, it was known as Dangjin-hyeon, a division of Chungcheong Province. The city achieved its present borders in 1973, with the merger of a portion of Jeongmi-myeon into Seosan's Unsan-myeon.

Education

As of March 2005, in Dangjin there were 33 elementary schools, 12 middle schools, and 38 preschools, serving 14,293 students. In addition, there were 8 high schools. All of these organs are overseen by the Dangjin Office of Education.
The sole institution of higher education in the city is Shinsung College.

Economy

Dangjin is home to a number of factories, including steel mills operated by Hyundai Hysco and Hyundai INI Steel. These factories are supplied in part by ships docking at Dangjin Harbor, a cargo port with 5 piers, two of which are dedicated to steel coil shipping.

Sister cities