Located on the southeastern tip of the Korean peninsula, Busan is the second largest city of South Korea and has a population of nearly 3.6 million. The city has a strategic importance for Korea due to its port, which today is the world's fifth largest port.
From the beginning of the 15th century, the imperial Korean government had designated Busan as a port for trading with the Japanese and in turn allowed Japanese traders to settle here. These settlements flourished while others in Ulsan and Jinhae gradually diminished. After the 1592 invasion of Korea by Japan, there was a brief lull, but restoration relations with the new shogunate in Japan in 1607, led to a redevelopment of Busan. In 1876, Busan became the first international port in Korea, for trade with the outside world.
Cherry blossoms on the streetside...
Busan port
During the Japanese rule, Busan (then also known as Fusan) developed into a major hub trading port with Japan. Rapid development of Busan followed - it was the only city in Korea to adopt the steam tramway before electrification was introduced in 1924.
Busan was spared the misery of the Korean War - it one of only two cities in South Korea that was not captured by the North Korean army. Being a safe haven, Busan became a refugee camp site for Korean refugees during the war, along with Daegu, another city close by.
The 6.5 kilometre long Gwangan Bridge, a suspension bridge, links Haeundae to Suyeong and is the second longest bridge in Korea after the Incheon Bridge...
The massive container yard of Busan port in the background...
