Yeosu, South Korea

Yeosu(Yeosu-si) is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Old Yeosu City, which was founded in 1949, Yeocheon City, founded in 1986, and Yeocheon County were merged into a new city in 1998. The city of Yeosu consists of the Yeosu peninsula as well as 317 islands (49 inhabited, 268 uninhabited). Lying about midway along the southern coast of South Korea, it is separated from Namhae County in South Gyeongsang Province to the east by a natural waterway, and the Bay of Suncheon to the west and northwest, the city of Suncheon sprawling along its banks. The city has three different City Halls. On April 1, 1998, the cities of Yeosu and Yeocheon, along with Yeocheon County merged to form the unified city of Yeosu. Yeosu has cool summers and mild winters. Its blessed ocean climate also brings Yeosu relatively longer springs and autumns than other regions. Yeosu is a city of history and loyalty where the headquarters of South Jeolla Province Navy Base was located, and the Great Admiral Yi Sun Shin invented the Geobukseon or "a turtle ship" to save the country while serving as the Navy Commander. As an international ocean resort and tourist city in the new marine era of the 21st Century, Yeosu is developed into the beautiful Yeosu Harbor. In the 142nd General Assembly of BIE, which was held in Paris in November 26, 2007, the global community has selected Yeosu, Korea, as the host city for the 2012 World Expo. This Expo will be Korea's second, following Daejeon's 1993 Fair. In the harbour there is a full-size model of one of Admiral Yi's turtle ships, timber shelled vessels which were used to defeat the Japanese navy. There is a beach with volcanic 'black' sand near Yeosu that is popular with Korean tourists. It is also possible to take ferries to many local islands for an authentic taste of rural Korea.