Taejon
(2000 pop. 1.4 million). Taejon, a city of 540 square kilometers, is located in South Ch'ungch'ong Province in South Korea (Republic of Korea). Taejon has been administratively autonomous since its 1995 designation as a "metropolitan city" (chikhalsi). It functions as a second administrative capital, housing many federal government organizations.
The city of Taejon has had many names, but its current name, meaning "big field," shows its agricultural roots. Taejon became commercialized after it became a stop on the Seoul-Pusan Railway in 1905. The Taejon-Mokp'o Railway, built in 1914, connects the city to South Cholla Province in the southwest. The city has become a hub for the nation's railroads and highways.
Taejon is growing rapidly because of its ideal location only 153 kilometers from Seoul. Taejon hosted the 1993 World Expo, bringing much attention to the city. The city is also a center for science and technology, with its Korea Institute of Science and Technology at the forefront of scientific development.
Further Reading
Cho, Chung-Kyung, Phyllis Haffner, and Fredric M. Kaplan. (1991) The Korea Guidebook. 5th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Nilsen, Robert (1997) South Korea Handbook. Chico, CA: Moon.
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