Naju 나주 | |
|---|---|
| Korean transcription(s) | |
| • Hangul | 나주시 |
| • Hanja | 羅州市 |
| • Revised Romanization | Naju-si |
| • McCune–Reischauer | Naju-si |
 Flag  Emblem of Naju | |
| Anthem: Good Job, Naju! | |
 Location in South Korea | |
| Coordinates:35°02′N126°43′E / 35.033°N 126.717°E /35.033; 126.717 | |
| Country |  South Korea |
| Region | Honam |
| Administrative divisions | 1eup, 12myeon, 6dong |
| Area | |
• Total | 693.04 km2 (267.58 sq mi) |
| Population (2024-09) | |
• Total | 116,891[1] |
| • Density | 196.2/km2 (508/sq mi) |
| • Dialect | Jeolla |
Naju (Korean: 나주;Korean pronunciation:[na̞.dʑu]) is acity inSouth Jeolla Province, South Korea.
The capital ofSouth Jeolla Province was located at Naju until it was moved toGwangju in 1895. The nameJeolla Province actually originates from the first character ofJeonju (전;全) and the first character of Naju (라;羅; nowadays spelled and pronounced 나/na according to the South Korean standard).Dongshin University is situated in Naju. Naju is famous for theNaju Pear which is a large round pear that forms its district logo.
A well-known local product is the Naju pear, which has long been cultivated along theYeongsan River.[5]
Naju pears andOriental melons are popular as gifts forLunar New Year and other holidays.
Naju was designated anInnovation City [ko] and the opening ceremony for city construction was held on November 8, 2007. PresidentRoh participated in the opening events.
As the city won the title of "Innovation City", several public organizations have relocated to here fromSeoul. Start of the construction was 4th in line afterJeju,Gimcheon andJinju.The organizations that were the targeted for moving are:[6]
The new city is set to be 7.327 square kilometres (2.83 sq mi) in area with the grand plan of developing it into a cultural center in the southwestern economy.[7]
Near the Innovation City is the Naju Pear Museum and Pear Orchard for Tourists (나주배박물관 및 배밭 관광체험), which is dedicated to theAsian pear; all of its displays are in Korean.
Naju istwinned with:
Kurayoshi,Tottori, Japan
Wenatchee,Washington, United States
Isaac,Queensland, Australia
Nanchang,Jiangxi, China (since 2007)[8]The dramaJumong was filmed in Naju. An amusement park called 'Samhanji Theme Park' was used for the film set because of its traditional sceneries. The 2021 dramaNevertheless also had scenes filmed in Naju.[9][unreliable source?]
It hosts events such as hands-on experience on natural dyeing process for children. Many elementary schools are registering for this program.[10]
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