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 (ROK), 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 nine provinces and eight province-level cities. The lighthouse on this page are in southwestern Gyeongsangnam (South Gyeongsang) Province on South Korea's south coast. Tongyeong (formerly called Chungmu) is a seaport at the end of the blunt Goseong Peninsula, separated from the island of Namhaedo to the west by the island-strewn waters of Goseong Bay. This page covers the lighthouses of Goseong Bay, including the lighthouses of the Saryang and Yokjim townships of the city of Tongyeong and Goseong County on the north shore of the bay. 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. Some place names may be more familiar to Westerners in the spellings of older systems. Navigational aids in the ROK are operated by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF). Management of lighthouses in Goseong County and Tongyeong is the responsibility of the Masan Regional Oceans and Fisheries Administration. Special thanks to Kim Cheol Bong for permission to present his photos on this page. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. KR numbers, where available, are from the Korean light list. Admiralty numbers are from volume M of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.
|
|
Goseong County Lighthouses
|
![]() Garyoungpo Light, Goseong County, February 2016 Google Maps photo by Kim Cheol Bong; used by permission |
|
![]() Maekjeonpo Hang West Breakwater Light, Goseong County, April 2012 ex-Panoramio photo copyright Kim Cheol Bong; used by permission |
Tongyeong City: Saryang Township Lighthouses
|
|
![]() Yangji Hang West (left) and East Breakwater Lights, Saryangdo, January 2011 ex-Panoramio photo copyright Kim Cheol Bong; used by permission |
Tongyeong City: Yokjim Township Lighthouses
|
![]() Saidoyeo Light,Yokjim Township, May 2014 Google Maps photo by Kim Cheol Bong; used by permission |
|
![]() Yogjido West Breakwater Light, Yogjido, July 2013 ex-Panoramio photo copyright Kim Cheol Bong; used by permission |
|
![]() Yeonhwa Hang Light, Yeonhwado, December 2012 ex-Panoramio photo copyright Kim Cheol Bong; used by permission |
|
Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: East: Tongyeong | Southwest: Namhae | Northwest: Sacheon
Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key
Posted December 4, 2007. Checked and revised January 21, 2024. Lighthouses: 41. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.