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Miryang 밀양시 | |
|---|---|
| Korean transcription(s) | |
| • Hangul | 밀양시 |
| • Hanja | 密陽市 |
| • Revised Romanization | Miryang-si |
| • McCune–Reischauer | Miryang-si |
 | |
 Flag  Emblem of Miryang | |
 Location in South Korea | |
| Country |  South Korea |
| Region | Yeongnam |
| Administrative divisions | 2eup, 9myeon, 5dong |
| Government | |
| • mayor | An Byeong-gu (안병구) |
| Area | |
• Total | 799.03 km2 (308.51 sq mi) |
| Population (September 2024[1]) | |
• Total | 100,802 |
| • Density | 140.9/km2 (365/sq mi) |
| • Dialect | Gyeongsang |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Korea Standard Time) |
| Area code | +82-55 |
Miryang (Korean: 밀양) is acity inSouth Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is bordered byChangnyeong to the west,Cheongdo to the north,Ulsan to the east, andYangsan,Gimhae, andChangwon to the south. The city’s symbols include theKorean magpie, thepine tree, and theroyal azalea.
The recorded history of Miryang dates back to theSamhan period, when it was known asMirimidongguk. Due to its strategic location near theNakdong River, it played an important role from theSilla period onward. It served as a key station on theGreat Yeongnam Road during the laterJoseon Dynasty and, in the 20th century, became a stop on theGyeongbu Line railroad connectingBusan toSeoul. Today, Miryang remains an important stop on that line and is the only city between Busan andDaegu served byKTX express trains.
Miryang is renowned throughout Korea for theArirang and for the view from theYeongnamnu Pavilion, a subject of numerous poems from the Joseon period. Other notable landmarks includeEoreumgol and thePyochungsa. Historical figures from the city include the 15th-centuryNeo-Confucian scholarKim Chong-jik and the 16th-century warrior-monkSongun Yu Jeong. The city government actively preserves the memory of these figures, as well as other local cultural traditions such as the legend ofArang.
During theSamhan period, Miryang may have been part of the territory ofMirimidongguk, one of theByeonhan tribes mentioned in theSan guo zhi. It is believed to have later come under the rule ofGeumgwan Gaya before being annexed bySilla. TheSamguk sagi records that Mirimidongguk was annexed byJijeung of Silla in 505. At that time, it was known as Chuhwa-gun (推火郡). During the 8th century, as part of a general renaming reform carried out byKing Gyeongdeok, the name was changed to Milseong-gun (密城郡).
In theGoryeo period, Miryang was elevated to the status of aju bySeongjong of Goryeo. In 1194, Miryang was the site of a major battle between royal forces and a large rebel army led by Kim Sami of Cheongdo and Hyosim of Ulsan, in which more than 7,000 rebels were killed.[2] During the late 13th century, underChungnyeol of Goryeo, local residents led by Jo Cheon rose up against the government. In retaliation, Mil-ju was demoted to a tributary village ofGyeongju (then called Gyerim) and later became ahyeon. UnderKing Gongyang, it was elevated to the status of abu.
With the beginning of theJoseon period, the area first became known by its modern name, Miryang. Initially demoted frombu togun (county) byKing Taejo, it was later raised back to bu and renamed. Under Taejo's son,Taejong of Joseon, it was again demoted to agun. Subsequently, it became adohobu, or military protectorate, and in 1895 it reverted togun status, which it retained until the late 20th century.
Under theJapanese rule, Miryang was a center of resistance within theKorean independence movement. During theMarch First Movement of 1919, approximately 13,500 Miryang residents participated in peaceful demonstrations supporting independence, leading to the "Miryang massacre", in which 150 civilians were killed by occupation troops.[3] In November 1920, independence activist Choe Su-bong detonated two bombs at the Miryang police station, destroying the building. He attempted suicide but survived, later being executed while his accomplices were imprisoned.[4]
In 1989, the city center was separated from the surrounding county and designated Miryang-si (Miryang City). In 1995, it was reunited with the outlying areas, and the entire region became known as Miryang-si as part of a nationwide reorganization of local government.
Miryang later gained national attention as the location of agang rape incident in 2004.
Miryang’s geography is heavily influenced by the Miryang andNakdong Rivers. The entire city lies within the Nakdong River basin, with the Nakdong forming Miryang’s southern boundary. The terrain generally slopes from the high peaks of theYeongnam Alps in the northeast to the Nakdong Valley in the southwest. Much of the city is drained by the Miryang River, which rises in western Ulsan and flows through the city center before joining the Nakdong atSamnangjin. Other areas are drained by Nakdong tributaries such as the Naejincheon.
South of the city center, the Miryang River valley widens into a fertile plain. This area, including large parts ofSamnangjin-eup, Sangnam-myeon, andHanam-eup, serves as a regional breadbasket and is devoted primarily to rice farming. In Hanam-eup, the plain merges with another that runs along the Nakdong.
Like much of theYeongnam region, the landscape is rugged, with numerous craggy hills and low mountains. The highest peak in Miryang isGajisan (1,240 m, 4,070 ft), located on the northern border. Other high peaks includeHwaaksan andCheonhwangsan (also called Jaeyaksan), Maneosan, and Cheontaesan. Steep mountain valleys are common and are often used for reservoirs that supply irrigation and drinking water, including Miryang Lake and Antae Lake.
Miryang has a relatively mild, temperate climate. The average wind speed is about 1.4 m/s (5.0 km/h; 3.1 mph), the average annual temperature is 14.4 °C (57.9 °F), and total annual rainfall in 2004 measured 1,377.4 mm (54.23 in).[5]
The northern mountains provide some protection from cold winds and severe weather, but the city is relatively vulnerable to tropical storms approaching from the south. The Miryang and Nakdong valleys are prone to flooding during typhoons and themonsoon season, although other natural disasters are uncommon.[6]
| Climate data for Miryang (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1973–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.1 (64.6) | 23.7 (74.7) | 26.2 (79.2) | 31.1 (88.0) | 36.6 (97.9) | 36.1 (97.0) | 39.4 (102.9) | 39.0 (102.2) | 36.5 (97.7) | 30.8 (87.4) | 26.1 (79.0) | 19.9 (67.8) | 39.4 (102.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.4 (45.3) | 9.9 (49.8) | 14.7 (58.5) | 20.7 (69.3) | 25.5 (77.9) | 28.3 (82.9) | 30.4 (86.7) | 31.3 (88.3) | 27.4 (81.3) | 22.6 (72.7) | 15.9 (60.6) | 9.3 (48.7) | 20.3 (68.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.5 (32.9) | 2.8 (37.0) | 7.7 (45.9) | 13.2 (55.8) | 18.3 (64.9) | 22.3 (72.1) | 25.6 (78.1) | 26.1 (79.0) | 21.5 (70.7) | 15.2 (59.4) | 8.4 (47.1) | 2.1 (35.8) | 13.6 (56.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −5.4 (22.3) | −3.6 (25.5) | 0.9 (33.6) | 6.0 (42.8) | 11.6 (52.9) | 17.3 (63.1) | 21.8 (71.2) | 22.0 (71.6) | 16.6 (61.9) | 9.0 (48.2) | 2.1 (35.8) | −3.6 (25.5) | 7.9 (46.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −15.8 (3.6) | −15.6 (3.9) | −10.4 (13.3) | −3.9 (25.0) | 1.0 (33.8) | 7.4 (45.3) | 13.4 (56.1) | 12.9 (55.2) | 5.3 (41.5) | −2.7 (27.1) | −8.1 (17.4) | −14.5 (5.9) | −15.8 (3.6) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 21.2 (0.83) | 33.0 (1.30) | 59.0 (2.32) | 90.5 (3.56) | 106.7 (4.20) | 155.9 (6.14) | 259.3 (10.21) | 240.6 (9.47) | 144.4 (5.69) | 53.3 (2.10) | 40.1 (1.58) | 22.6 (0.89) | 1,226.6 (48.29) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.1 mm) | 3.9 | 4.7 | 6.8 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 9.5 | 13.5 | 12.8 | 8.7 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 4.0 | 90.1 |
| Average snowy days | 1.8 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 5.6 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 58.9 | 56.7 | 58.3 | 59.7 | 64.0 | 69.5 | 77.3 | 76.7 | 74.7 | 71.1 | 68.0 | 61.8 | 66.4 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 188.0 | 184.6 | 208.2 | 214.2 | 225.9 | 175.5 | 151.5 | 172.7 | 160.6 | 197.4 | 174.4 | 183.9 | 2,236.9 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 61.5 | 59.6 | 55.3 | 56.0 | 52.6 | 42.5 | 36.2 | 44.2 | 44.7 | 59.5 | 58.6 | 62.1 | 51.7 |
| Source:Korea Meteorological Administration (snow and percent sunshine 1981–2010)[7][8][9] | |||||||||||||
Miryang is divided into 16 primary divisions: 2eup (large towns), 5dong (city precincts or neighborhoods), and 9myeon (rural townships). Several of thedong are further subdivided, so that the city center comprises a total of eight legaldong. Theeup andmyeon are also divided into 265 administrative and 119 legalri.
| District[10] | Population | Area (km2) | Population density | Number of administrativeri ortong |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samnangjin-eup | 8,784 | 78.37 | 112.1 | 31 |
| Hanam-eup | 9,762 | 37.09 | 263.2 | 33 |
| Bubuk-myeon | 7,467 | 55.31 | 135.0 | 22 |
| Sangnam-myeon | 11,719 | 56.11 | 208.9 | 31 |
| Sangdong-myeon | 3,423 | 52.01 | 65.8 | 18 |
| Sannae-myeon | 4,205 | 107.49 | 39.1 | 23 |
| Sanoe-myeon | 3,143 | 35.41 | 88.8 | 19 |
| Danjang-myeon | 4,542 | 142.12 | 32.0 | 24 |
| Chodong-myeon | 4,135 | 48.45 | 85.3 | 24 |
| Muan-myeon | 6,646 | 100.33 | 66.2 | 28 |
| Cheongdo-myeon | 2,214 | 57.44 | 38.5 | 12 |
| Gyo-dong | 8,055 | 4.61 | 8 | |
| Naeil-dong | 5,309 | 12.07 | 1,747.2 | 10 |
| Naei-dong | 10,347 | 3.06 | 3,381.4 | 12 |
| Gagok-dong | 10,509 | 6.21 | 1,692.2 | 13 |
| Sammun-dong | 15,936 | 2.93 | 5,438.9 | 14 |
Like other cities and counties in South Korea, Miryang enjoys a limited degree of local autonomy. Since 1995, both the mayor and the city council have been directly elected by residents.
The current mayor isPark Il-ho [ko], a member of theUnited Future Party, who took office on June 30, 2014.[11]
Miryang’s economy benefits from its central location and its reputation as a tourist destination.Agriculture also remains important, particularly in the surrounding rural districts. The Miryang River valley supports extensive rice cultivation, while livestock farming is more common in the higher, hillier areas.[citation needed]
Located midway between Daegu and Busan, Miryang is well-connected to both by road and rail. It is served by two exits on theDaegu-Busan Expressway and several national and local highways. It also lies on both theGyeongbu Line (Seoul-Busan) and theGyeongjeon Line (toMasan), with the northern terminus of the Gyeongjeon Line located just north ofSamnangjin, near the confluence of the Nakdong and Miryang Rivers. It is the only city between Daegu and Busan currently served by theKTX express train.
In addition toMiryang Station in the city center, outlying areas are served bySamnangjin Station and Sangdong Station on the Gyeongbu Line, as well asNakdonggang Station on the Gyeongjeon Line. These outlying stations are served primarily by a limited number ofMugunghwa-ho passenger trains. With the exception of Nakdonggang Station, all Miryang stations also handle freight. Sangdong Station is the most active freight hub, shipping 74,762 tons of freight in 2004.[12]
Miryang is known as the home of the Miryang Arirang, which is sometimes considered to be close to the original form of the Korean folk song Arirang. The song is believed to have drawn its name from the local folktale ofArang. The Miryang Arirang Festival is held every May to preserve and promote this tradition.[13] Other preserved elements of traditional Korean culture includeBaekjung performances.
Residents of Miryang speak a variant of theGyeongsang dialect of theKorean language. Linguistic studies have contrasted the Miryang dialect with that of Changwon, particularly in terms of pitch patterns.[14]
Miryang is also well known as the setting and filming location of the 2007 filmMiryang (released in English-language markets under the titleSecret Sunshine).[15]
Education in Miryang dates back to theGoryeo period, when ahyanggyo, a government-run village school, was built in what is now Gyo-dong. This school, once renowned for its size,[16] remained operational through theJoseon period, though it was gradually supplemented by privateseodang andseowon academies. These institutions trained young men for theroyal civil service examinations, a system that lasted until theGabo Reforms of 1894.
Today, as elsewhere in South Korea, compulsory public education in Miryang is provided through middle school, and nearly all students continue on to high school. The city’s education system is overseen by the Miryang Office of Education, which operates under the Gyeongsangnam-do Provincial Office of Education and ultimately theMinistry of Education, which sets the national curriculum.
There are 23 elementary schools, 14 middle schools, and 8 high schools in Miryang.[17] Private supplementary education is widely available throughhagwons, most of which are located in the city center, with a smaller number in the outlying towns.
The city’s sole institution of higher education is the Miryang campus ofPusan National University. The campus primarily focuses on science and technology, housing the College of Nano Science and Technology and the College of Biological Sciences.[18] It is located in northernSamnangjin-eup, about 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) from downtown Miryang. A branch campus, formerly the main campus, is also situated near the city center. These two campuses merged with Pusan National University in 2006, having previously constitutedMiryang National University [ko], which traced its origins to 1923.
Miryang has long been renowned for its natural scenery. TheYeongnamnu Pavilion, overlooking the Miryang River, is mentioned in multiple pieces from the Joseon Dynasty. The city’s northeastern region forms part of theYeongnam Alps, portions of which are protected withinGajisan Provincial Park. Notable natural attractions include the “Ice Valley” ofEoreumgol, also located in the northeast.
The city is also home to many historic landmarks. These include severalseowon or Confucian academies, such asYerim Seowon, dedicated to the Neo-Confucian scholarKim Chong-jik, and Pyochung Seowon, the only seowon constructed withinPyochungsa Temple.South Korean National Treasure No. 75 is also located there.
Another notable site is Yangyangji, a reservoir originally built during theSilla period to irrigate rice paddies. Though it has lost its original agricultural function due to the construction of a larger reservoir, it is now a popular tourist attraction known for its picturesque scenery.[19]
Miryang istwinned with:
Yasugi,Shimane, Japan (1990)Ōmihachiman,Shiga, Japan (1994)
Benxi,Liaoning, China (1998)Namwon,North Jeolla, South Korea (1999)Ulan Hot,Inner Mongolia, China (1999)
New Milford,New Jersey, United States (2004)Handan,Hebei, China (2004)Setouchi,Okayama, Japan (2006)Nanping,Fujian, China (2016)| Geographic | |
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| Other | |
