Gumi, South Korea
City in North Gyeongsang, South Korea
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Through Electronics, Information technology and Smartphone
The city is an industrial centre of the country with many companies, including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, LG Display, having a manufacturing presence and R&D Centres there.
The primary industries are electronics and IT Manufacturing such as smartphones, tablet computers, 5G and 6G networking equipment, semiconductors, OLED and other displays, carbonated fibres, rubber, plastic and metal products. In Gumi, 1,772 companies employ over 80,000 workers. It is the largest scale in Korea. In 2009, the city exported the largest amount in the country and accounted for 96.9% of trade surplus of South Korea in 2000 to 2009.
The birthplace of South Korean president Park Chung Hee is in the city.
History
In the Three Kingdoms period, Gumi was part of the territory of the Silla Kingdom. The first Silla temple, Dorisa, was constructed here by Monk Ado who is also the one that made Jikjisa.
The city is the birthplace of the 1962–1979 South Korean president Park Chung Hee. It was during his administration that the South Korean government selected Gumi as a site for major industrial development. Gumi developed rapidly during the 1960s, growing from a small rural town into a large city thanks to huge infusions of development money from the government. It was selected for development for some practical reasons such as its easy access to transportation infrastructure, and its location in the industrialized Yeongnam region.
Industrial accident
On September 27, 2012, workers at the Hube Global plant in Gumi were unloading hydrofluoric acid (HF) from a tanker when an explosion occurred causing about 8 tonnes of the acid to leak into the surrounding area. The leak caused 5 deaths initially and prompted more than 3000 people to seek medical attention at local hospitals. Local rice and grape crops were ruined because the acid caused them to wither. Approximately 3,200 livestock were exposed. The acid, which can etch glass and is used in the electronics industry, caused damage to at least 1,000 vehicles. Total damage costs as of October 10, 2012 were about US$16 million.
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Administrative divisions
The city center of Gumi is divided into 17 dong, or neighbourhood units. The hinterland is divided into 5 myeon, or rural areas, and 3 eup, or large villages. Sandong was promoted from a myeon to an eup on 1 January 2021.
People
- Former South Korean president Park Chung Hee
- Former KCIA director and assassin Kim Jae-gyu
- Professional golfer Baek Kyu-jung (LPGA of Korea Tour)
- Singer and I Am A Singer 4 finalist Hwang Chi-yeul
- Singer and H.O.T. member Jang Woo-hyuk
- Singer and g.o.d member Kim Tae-woo
- Esports player NaDa
- Girl group member Im Chan-mi from AOA
- Singer and DKZ member Jonghyeong
- MMA fighter currently competing in the UFC Doo Ho Choi
- Kim Jae-gyu, politician and army general involved in the assassination of Park Chung Hee
Population: At present, the population of Gumi is 427,770 (as of February 19, 2019).
Sport
Gumi was the homeground of the KB Insurance Stars volleyball team until July 2017, when the club relocated to Uijeongbu. The team played at the Park Chung Hee Gymnasium.
Geumo Mountain
Geumo Mountain (Geumo San) Provincial Park is a hiking destination. The peak at 976 m above sea level is one of the eight famous spots in the Yeongman area and is the location of the start of the nature preservation campaign in Korea. The park has an amusement area called Geumo Land and the Geumo reservoir. There are several interesting sites on the mountain that include:
- Doesan Cave named after the Buddhist monk Doesan who attained a state of nirvana in the cave. He was a master of the theory of "divination based on topography" in the later Shilla dynasty.
- Daehye Waterfall is 27 m high and is especially full during the rainy season. It can be completely dry during periods without rain and is frozen in winter.
- The HaeUn Buddhist Temple is also near the top of the cable car route.
- The YakSa Temple is an active Buddhist temple and is said to have been created to commemorate Saint Ulsang's attainment of nirvana. It is sited near the top of the mountain and can be reached both from the peak and by a trail from the bottom. It has a unique bell that sits on a separate spike of rock connected by a suspension bridge.
- The Ma Ae Cliff Buddha (National Treasure #490) is carved into the corner of a cliff face and is thought to have been created during the Goryeo dynasty.
The Doesan Cave, Daehye Waterfall and HaeUn Buddhist Temple are all easily reached by taking the cable car from the entrance of the park and then hiking a short distance. The YakSa Temple and the Ma Ae cliff Buddha statue are both near the summit of Geumo Mountain and require about one to two hours of hiking to reach them.
Climate
Sister cities
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- Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China (since 1997)
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- Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico (since 1998)
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- Bangalore, Karnataka, India (since 2018)