Hadong County (, Hadong-gun) is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is on the far-west side of the province, bordering South Jeolla Province. The county office is located at Hadeong-eup.

History

The county of Hadong was called Dasachon (, "county of much sand") when it was a part of the Jin state, later becoming a part of Nangnoguk, one of twelve statelets of the Byeonhan confederacy. According to the History of the Three Kingdoms, the region was called Handasa-gun, then changed into Hadong-gun in 757 CE, during the reign of King Gyeongdeok of Silla. During the Goryeo dynasty, the area was known as Hadong-hyeon. In 1414, during the reign of the Joseon-era King Taejong, it became known as Hanamhyeon with Namhaehyeon. It was raised to the status of Hadongdohobu in 1740, in the thirtieth year of King Sukjong's reign. During the Korean War the region was the site of a North Korean attack on US Army forces, the Hadong Ambush.

Local sights and attractions

Nestled between the Seomjin River and Mount Jiri, the county is a popular destination for both domestic and foreign tourists who enjoy nature. Parts of the Jirisan National Park lie within the county and form the county's notable hilly, mountainous landscape. The Ssanggyesa (Ssangye Temple) is a notable historic temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and is a designated National Treasure. Pak Gyeongni's 16-volume novel Land is partly set in the village of Pyeongsa-ri in Agyang-myeon, Hadong County. A replica of the fictional Choi family's home was built there to commemorate the author's legacy.

Green tea

Hadong has been famous for its green tea since the Silla era, when an envoy brought green tea seeds from the Tang Empire to be planted locally. The local government has historically promoted this as a major local attraction, including sponsoring a tourism advertisement that aired on CNN in 2007. The annual "wild tea" festival, lasting 25 days, takes place during May and June.

Development

While much of Korea has experienced an explosion of industrial development, Hadong remains a destination for those who wish to escape the bustle of city living. However, a lack of activity in the industrial sector has left the government with little incentive to expanding the sometimes inadequate existing road infrastructure. A petition for the allocation of funds for new road construction was signed by a number of Hadong residents. Former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak has recently announced plans for the construction of a Gyeongsangnam-do leisure resort palace in Hadong.

Notable people

Schools

Twin towns – sister cities

Hadong is twinned with: