For most of its history Korea was an independent kingdom, or at least an autonomous kingdom under Chinese influence. This came to an end in 1910 when Japan annexed all of Korea. At the end of World War II in 1945 the 38° parallel was established as the dividing line between U.S. and Soviet zones of occupation, and in 1948 separate civil administrations were established in the two halves of the country. The Korean War (1950-53) ended in a draw with the armistice line falling close to the prewar 38° line. The Republic of Korea, commonly called South Korea, occupies the Korean peninsula south of the armistice line. The name Korea, used internationally, is a Western version of Goryeo or Koryŏ (고려), the name of a kingdom that unified the country in the tenth century. From 1392 to 1897 the kingdom was known instead as Joseon or Chosŏn (조선). Today South Koreans usually call their country Hanguk (한국, literally "one country") and the official name of the Republic of Korea is Daehan Minguk (대한민국). South Korea is divided into eight provinces and nine province-level cities. Jeju (formerly spelled Cheju) is an island province located off the southwestern end of the Korean Peninsula. The island is divided administratively into two cities, Jeju on the north side and Seogwipo on the south side. Also a part of Jeju Province, Chuja is a group of islands located roughly halfway between Jeju and the mainland and roughly 40 km (25 mi) north northwest of Jeju city. The group includes two larger islands connected by a bridge, Hachujado (Lower Chuja) on the east and Sangchujado (Upper Chuja) on the west, as well as many islets nearby. The islands comprise a township (myeon) of Jeju City and are accessible by ferries from Jeju City and from Wando on the mainland. Navigational aids in the ROK are regulated by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF). The lights on this page are maintained by the Jeju Oceans and Fisheries Management Division, a branch of the Busan Regional Oceans and Fisheries Administration. In 2000 South Korea adopted a Revised Romanization System to replace systems formerly used in the West. In the Revised System, the word for a lighthouse is deungdae (등대); dan (formerly tan) is a cape, seom (som) or do (to) is an island, am or amseog is a rock, man is a bay, and hang is a harbor. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume M of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.
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1980 Sangchujado Light, Chuja, 2005 (later demolished) Korean Sea Tourist Information Portal photo (no longer online) |
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Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining page: North: Jindo | Northeast: Southern Wando Islands | South: Jeju City
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Posted December 10, 2007. Checked and revised March 13, 2024. Lighthouses: 15. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.