Pyeongchang County

Pyeongchang is a county in the state of Gangwon, South Korea, located in the Taebaek Mountains region. It is about 180 km (110 mi) east southeast of Seoul, the capital of South Korea, and is connected by expressways and high-speed passenger railways. The area is home to several Buddhist temples, including Woljeongsa.

Pyeongchang is known for its natural beauty and an average elevation of approximately 700 metres (2,300 ft), which is reflected in its slogan, "Happy 700 Pyeongchang." The county gained worldwide attention when it hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics and the 2018 Winter Paralympics. For these events, it was officially rebranded as "PyeongChang" (with a capital 'C') to avoid confusion with Pyongyang in North Korea.

History

Pyeongchang was ruled by the Goguryeo Dynasty during the Three Kingdoms period and was called Uk-o-hyeon. Later, after the Silla Dynasty took over, it was renamed Baek-o-hyeon.

When the Goryeo Dynasty began, it was called Pyeongchang-hyeon and was controlled by Wonju. Over time, parts of the region were included in different areas as new systems were created. By 1299, it became independent from Wonju.

When the Joseon Dynasty started in 1392, Pyeongchang became a county. It was later included in Gangwon-do after the land was divided into new areas.

Geography

Pyeongchang, Gangwon – winter is cold but relatively dry, with clear blue skies.

Pyeongchang is a mountainous area, with 84% of its land covered by hills and mountains that are about 750 meters (2,460 feet) tall on average.

The most famous part of Pyeongchang is called Daegwallyeong-myeon, where the land stays between 700 and 800 meters (2,300 and 2,600 feet) above sea level, and some spots are even over 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) high.

Climate

Pyeongchang has cold, snowy winters and short, warm summers. From 2001 to 2010, the average temperature was 7.1°C, which is colder than the rest of Gangwon, where the average was 9.0°C. The area gets a lot of rain, about 1,555 millimeters each year, more than the rest of Gangwon, which gets about 1,491.5 millimeters. The warmest months are July and August, while January and February are the coldest.

Culture and tourism

Pyeongchang is a special place with many important old sites and fun festivals. The area has 16 special places chosen by the South Korean government and 45 chosen by the local government. Some of these places are old temples, like Sangwonsa and Woljeongsa, which have important items saved there.

Woljeongsa Nine Story Stone Pagoda

The area also holds happy festivals, like the Daegwallyeong Snow Festival, which started in 1992. People enjoy snow games, skiing, and special performances. Another festival honors Lee Hyo-seok, a famous Korean writer who grew up there.

Nature lovers can visit Odaesan Mountain, a national park with tall peaks and beautiful temples. The area is also famous for skiing, with two big ski resorts that hosted events for the 2018 Winter Olympics. There is also a big farm called Samyang Ranch where visitors can meet animals and enjoy the scenery.

Sport

One of the venues that was used for the 2018 Winter Olympics (taken in 2013).

Pyeongchang has been a host for many important winter sports events. It welcomed athletes for the 1999 Asian Winter Games and later for the 2018 Winter Olympics. These games brought together people from many countries to compete in sports like skiing and skating.

In 2018, Pyeongchang became the host city for the Winter Olympics after winning a competition against cities in France and Germany. Special places were built for the games, such as the PyeongChang Olympic Plaza and the Gangneung Olympic Park. The Winter Paralympics also took place there, allowing athletes with disabilities to compete. The area also prepared by building hotels and a top-notch ski resort called Alpensia.

Transportation

Pyeongchang County has good ways to get around. You can take the Gyeonggang Line and travel on the Yeongdong Expressway. Both the train and the expressway start in the Seoul metropolitan region.

Trains

Main articles: Pyeongchang station and Jinbu station

A fast train called the KTX, on the Gyeonggang Line, was built between Wonju and Gangneung through Pyeongchang for the 2018 Winter Olympics. This makes the trip from Seoul to Pyeongchang less than 80 minutes. The line opened on 22 August 2017 and has special stops at Pyeongchang station and Jinbu station, especially for the Olympics.

Buses

Intercity Buses

Big bus stops in Pyeongchang include Pyeongchang Bus Terminal, Jangpyeong Bus Terminal, Jinbu Bus Station, and Hoenggye Bus Station. Daehwa Bus Station also has intercity buses.

Transit buses

Local buses help people travel between different parts of the county and go to main stops like Pyeongchang Bus Station, Jangpyeong Bus Terminal, and Jinbu Bus Station.

Road

Expressways

Main article: Yeongdong Expressway

The Yeongdong Expressway goes through Pyeongchang from west to east. After it was made bigger in 1999 for the Winter Asian Games, it takes about two hours to drive from Seoul to Pyeongchang.

National highways

Pyeongchang County can also be reached using National Routes 6 and National Routes 31. Other roads, like National Route 42 and National Route 59, pass through from north to south.

Expressways
50 Yeongdong Expressway	E.Dunnae IC ↔ Myeonon IC ↔ Pyeongchang IC ↔ Soksa IC ↔ Jinbu IC ↔ Daegwallyeong IC↔ Gangneung JC