Gyeongju（Korea）

Sister city since April 15, 1970

City hall	Gyeongju's flag

■Location 70�q NNE from Busan
■Average temperature　12.2℃
■Average rainfall　1,300mm
■Population approximately 292,000
■Area 1,322 km²
■Language　Korean
■Currency　Won　　（100 Won=approximately 10 yen）
■Time difference with Japan　0 hour
■Voltage　220Ｖ(Circular）．110V can be used in the main hotels, and the plug-in shape is the same as Japan's.
■City flower, City tree, City bird.

Forsythia	Pine	Magpie

■Tourist attractions

Pulguksa Temple	Seokgulam	Cheonmachong	Gyeongju National Museum

■World heritage registration 　　　　　 Pulguksa Temple, Seokgulam Grotto in 1995 　Gyeongju historical area in 2000
■Mayor　Baek Sang Seung
■City hall address 　Gyeongju, 12 Nodong-dong, Dongcheon government office building
■Telephone number　+82-54-779-6087
■Home Page　http://www.gyeongju.gyeongbuk.kr/（Open the other window）

【Location & Temperature】
　 Gyeongju is located in the flatlands and is southeast of Gyeongsangbuk-do which has the Hyeongsangang river and the Namcheon stream. It belongs to the same temperate zone as Japan, and its latitude is as same as Fukui prefecture. But it is close to the continental climate zone, and dry.
　 It has the four seasons, with the highest temperature (30℃ in highest) in July and August and the coldest temperature (-9 ℃ in lowest) in December and January, and it has a cycle of three cold days and four warm days. The rainy season lasts for a month, and starts in late June. The precipitation is very high in summer, but low in winter.

【History】
　 It had prospered as the capital of Silla from the forth century to the tenth century.
　 According to the book "Nihonshoki", there were negotiations about Gaya between Japan and Silla since the Kinmei Emperor period (539-571).
　 It is written that Kishi Family, descendant of Silla, was often appointed Ambassador to Silla, and crossed the Sea of Japan with the Japanese delegation to Silla.
　 However the relationship between Japan and Silla cut off for a while because the Silla destroyed the Baekje which had close relations with Japan after the war of Baekmagang in 663. Later Silla restored relations with Japan with a tribute from Silla for the court in 668. But relations turned bad again in 720, and were bad until 779. After that, Silla started promoting their culture and arts, and the Buddhist culture became the Golden Age. However, Silla's power and it was annexed by Koryeo in 935. Therefore, the capital moved to Kesong, and later was moved to Seoul by Lee Seong Gye in Yi (Lee) Dynasty.

＊The word "Nara" means "country" in Korean. It is said Baekje (kun-na-ra) was pronounced ku-da-ra if speaking with an accent. By the above, Japan had been concerned with Korea since the old times.　　　　　　　　　　　　

【Transportation】
　 1 hour and a half from Kansai Airport to Busan Airport, and approximately 1 hour from Busan Airport by express bus.
　 Approximately four hours from Seoul by express bus, or train (Gyeongbuseon Railways).

【Industry, Culture, and Education】
　 There are many cultural assets, such as the Cheonmachong Tomb, the Pulguksa Temple south of Tohamsan（Mountain), the Seokgulam, and the remains of Bunhwangsa（Temple), in Gyeongju-city, the capital of the Silla Dynasty for ten centuries starting in 57 B.C. Gyeongju-city is called "the outside museum".
　 Restorations started in 1972, and were aimed at making it a leading attraction of tourism in the world. Moreover, the Pulguksa Temple and the Seokgulam were registered as a world heritage in 1995.
　 The Gyeongju-city came into limelight as the largest cultural city of tourism in Korea with the resort development of the Gujeong-dong hot spring near the Pulguksa Temple, the Silla Folk Handicraft Village in the Bomun Lake Resort, and the Bomun Lakeside.
　 The education system provides six years of elementary school, three years of middle school, three years of high school, and 4 years of university, the same as the Japanese education system.

【Partnership Progress】
　 Former mayor of Gyeongju, Park Soo Dae, sent a letter of official overture for establishing the sister city relationship with Nara in May 1967. Mayor Park visited Japan, bringing with him, a group of selected baseball teams from Gyeongju-city in September 1967, and the topic of the sister city relationship was brought up with the mayor of Nara, Mr. Kagita.
　 New mayor Kwon Tae Ryong visited Japan for the sister city relationship promotion in November 1968, and the matter was spotlighted.
　 In January 1969, mayor Kwon sent an invitation to mayor Kagita to come to Gyeongju. In April, mayor Kagita and city council chairman Yoshida visited Gyeongju-city in Korea.
　 After that, the official proposal of forming the sister city relationship was offered to Gyeongju-city in July 1969, and the City of Nara decided to establish it after consultation with citizens and organizations of Nara.
　 The new mayer of Gyeongju, Kim Han Yeap, and Gyeongju-city delegates came to Japan, and the signing ceremony was held in Nara city on April 15, 1970.

【Community Substance】
　 The civil delegations of culture, art and sport from both cities are sent every year since the sister city relationship was established.
　 In April 21, 2000, the mayor of Nara, Yasunori Ohkawa, and the mayor of Gyeongju, Lee Won Shik, published a Joint Declaration for a closer relationship when the ceremony of the 30th Anniversary of the Sister City Relationship was celebrated in Nara.
　 Also in September, 2000, the First Sister Cities Friendly Athletic Meeting was held in Gyeongju-city. In September, 2001, it was held in Nara. This meeting also included Xi'an, another sister city.