Namiseom
Namiseom or Nami Island (Korean: 남이섬) is a half-moon shaped river island located in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, South Korea, formed as the land around it was inundated by the rising water of the North Han River as the result of the construction of Cheongpyeong Dam in 1944.[1]
![]() The view of trees in Nami Island | |
![]() ![]() Namiseom Location of Namiseom in South Korea | |
Geography | |
Location | Cheongpyeong Lake, Gangwon Province |
Coordinates | 37°47′30″N 127°31′3″E |
Naminara Republic Micronation | |
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![]() ![]() Flag
![]() Coat of arms
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Anthem: Aegukga | |
Official languages | Korean, English |
Organizational structure | Republic |
• Minister | Kang Woo-hyon |
Establishment | 1 March 2006 |
Population | |
• Estimate | 1,000 |
Purported currency | Nami Tongbo |
Time zone | UTC+9 |
Etymology
The name of the island originates from General Nami, who died at the age of 28 after being falsely accused of treason during the reign of King Sejo, the seventh king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea.[2] Although his grave was not discovered, there were a pile of stones where his body was supposed to be buried. It was believed that if someone took even one stone from there, it would bring misfortune to their house. A tour company arranged the grave with soil and then developed Namiseom into an amusement park.[3]
Geography
Namiseom is located 3.8 km (2.4 miles) from Gapyeong County, but belongs to Chuncheon in Gangwon Province. It is 430,000 m2 (0.17 square miles) in area and approximately 4 km (2.5 miles) in diameter.[4]
History
Min Byeong-do bought the island in 1965, and after that, in 1966, when Gyeongchun Tourism Development Co., Ltd. was established, it began to be developed as a general resort. In April 2000, Gyeongchun Tourism Development changed its name to Nami Island Co., Ltd.
In 2002, the area around Nami Island became the filming stage for the Korean Broadcasting System TV drama Winter Sonata, and the number of Japanese tourists visiting Nami increased significantly.
Naminara Republic
Namiseom is home to the Naminara Republic, a self-declared micronation described as "a tourist destination that advocates the concept of a nation."[5] On 20 July 2018, a retired M48 Patton tank was received from the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.[6]
Gallery
References
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- "Namiseom Island (남이섬)". english.visitkorea.or.kr. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
- "Namiseom Island FAQ". namisum.com. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
- "춘천 남이섬" [Namiseom]. terms.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 24 May 2019.
- "Namiseom". korea4expats.com. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
- "남이섬, '나미나라공화국'으로 독립 선포" (in Korean). 1 March 2006.
- "[남이섬] M48A3K전차 남이섬에 새둥지 '평화 의 방패로'" (in Korean). 20 July 2018.