For many centuries 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. South Korea is divided into nine provinces and eight province-level cities. This page covers lighthouses of the central part of South Korea's east coast in the province of Gangwon (Gangwon-do), including the county-level cities of Donghae and Samcheok. This coast faces the East Sea (commonly called the Sea of Japan in the West). Most of it is rugged and scenic but there are some sandy beaches between the headlands. Although there are some famous and historic lighthouses on this coast many of the more modern lights are not well known. Navigational aids in the ROK are regulated by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF). Management of lighthouses in Gangwon is the responsibility of the Donghae Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries, with branch offices in the ports of Mukho, Sokcho, and Samcheok. The Korean Hydrographic and Oceanographic Administration (KHOA) publishes notices to mariners. 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. 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). 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.
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Donghae (Tonghae) City Lighthouses
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Samcheok City Lighthouses
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Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: North: Gangneung Area | South: Uljin Area
Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key
Posted October 29, 2007. Checked and revised February 4, 2025. Lighthouses: 42. Site copyright 2025 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.