Lighthouses of South Korea: Homigot

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.

South Korea is divided into nine provinces and eight province-level cities. This page covers lighthouses of the southern half of the city of Pohang in the southern part of South Korea's province of North Gyeongsang (Gyeongsangbuk-do). This area includes the Homigot ("Tiger's Tail") Peninsula, marked at its end by Soutth Korea's tallest lighthouse (seen at right).

Navigational aids in the ROK are regulated by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF). Management of lighthouses in North Gyeongsang is the responsibility of the Pohang Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries. 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.

General Sources
Pohang Region Lighthouses
Lighthouse information posted by the Pohang MOF office.
Lighthouses in South Korea
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
Online List of Lights - Korea - East Coast
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.


Homigot Light, Pohang, January 2022
Google Maps.photo by Ida Gyeong

Donghae Township (Homigot Peninsula West Coast) Lighthouses
* Balsan South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted red. Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at a small boat harbor on the west side of the Homigot Peninsula. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. KR-1338.5; Admiralty M4408.5; NGA 16642.5.
* Balsan North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted white. Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at a small boat harbor on the west side of the Homigot Peninsula. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. KR-1338.6; Admiralty M4408.55; NGA 16642.6.

Homigot Township (Cape Homi Area) Lighthouses
* Daedongbae Hang Section 2 North Breakwater
2019. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 8 m (26 ft) octagonal white concrete tower. A distant view is available and Google has a satellite view. "Section 2" refers to the more northern of two small boat harbors at Daedongbae village. Located about 4 km (2.5 mi0 southwest of Homigot (Cape Homi). Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4407.
Gyoseokcho (Kyosokcho) (2)
2007(?) (station establishment date unknown). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green flash every 5 s. 20 m (66 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted green. A 2018 photo is available and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. The present lighthouse replaced a conical masonry tower. Located just off the extreme northern tip of Homigot (Cape Homi), about 1.6 km (1 mi) northwest of the Homigot lighthouse. Accessible only by boat, but there are good views from shore. Site open, tower closed. KR-1339; Admiralty M4409; NGA 16644.
* Daebo Hang (West Breakwater)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red flash every 4 s. 8 m (26 ft) round mushroom-shaped concrete tower, painted red. Min Kyung-ho has a closeup photo, a 2020 photo is available, the light is in the background of the photo at right, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of Daebo, a small harbor near the tip of Homigot (Cape Homi). Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. KR-1340.1; Admiralty M4410; NGA 16648.
 
* Daebo Hang South Breakwater (?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green flash every 4 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) round mushroom-shaped concrete tower, painted white. A 2021 closeup photo is at right, a second photo is available, and Google has a street view, but the lighthouse is missing in Google's current satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater of Daebo. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. KR-1341; Admiralty M4410.2; NGA 16648.5.

Daebo Hang Lights, Pohang, January 2021
Google Maps photo by Finn Huckleberry
**** Homigot (Hanggigot, Janggi Gab, Janggigot, Changgigot)
1908. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white flash every 12 s. 26 m (85 ft) tapered octagonal brick tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse painted white. Ida Gyeong 2022 photo is at the top of this page, a 2018 closeup is available, Sarah Saunders has another good photo, Wikimedia has several photos, and Google has a street view and a satellite view of the station. This historic lighthouse was designed by French engineers and built by the Korean empire prior to the Japanese annexation. The light station is now the site of the Korean National Lighthouse Museum, which houses a broad range of artifacts including a 3rd order Japanese Fresnel lens (1953) from the Soheuksando lighthouse, a 4th order Fresnel lens (1910) from the Sorido lighthouse, and the original lantern and lens of the Budo lighthouse in Incheon. The museum also has a good photo of the lighthouse. Located on Homigot (Cape Homi, called Janggigot under the Japanese), a broad cape that protects the east side of the bay of Pohang. Site open, lighthouse museum open daily except Mondays year-round, tower status unknown. Site manager: Korean National Lighthouse Museum. . ARLHS SKR-003; KR-1342; Admiralty M4406; NGA 16652.
* Gangsa (Kangsa) Hang Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted white. Nam I-won-su has a closeup 2018 photo, Wonguy Shin has a view from the shore and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the main breakwater of Gangsa harbor, about 4 km (2.5 mi) south of the Homigot lighthouse. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. KR-1341.2; Admiralty M4405.6; NGA 16652.1.

Guryongpo Town (Homigot Peninsula East Coast) Lighthouses
* Seokbyeong North Harbor
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted red. Pavel Levinskiy has a 2018 photo and Google has a 2015 street view and a satellite view. Located on the east breakwater of a small boat harbor on the east side of the peninsula about 9 km (5.5 mi) south of the Homigot lighthouse. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. KR-1342.3; Admiralty M4405.55; NGA 16653.
* Seokbyeong
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted red. Moon Park has the 2021 photo at right and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the east breakwater of a small boat harbor on the east side of the peninsula about 10 km (6 mi) south of the Homigot lighthouse. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. KR-1342.1; Admiralty M4404.6; NGA 16654.

Seokbyeong Light, Guryongpo, October 2021
Google Maps.photo by Moon Parkj
* Samjeong Hang Breakwater
2017. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red flash every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical red concrete tower. A 2018 photo and a 2024 closeup are available and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the north breakwater at Samjeong, a short distance north of Saramal. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4404.3; NGA 16655.1.
* Saramal (Sara Mal, Guryongpo Hang)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); white flash every 9 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical white concrete tower. A 2024 photo is at right and Google has a 2018 street view and a satellite view. Guryongpo is a fishing harbor at the base of the Homigot peninsula, about 16 km (10 mi) east of Pohang and a similar distance south of Cape Homi. Located on the headland north of the harbor. Site open, tower closed; the lighthouse stands beside a highway but there is no parking nearby. Admiralty M4404; NGA 16656.
Saramal East
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); three quick white flashes every 10 s. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, painted black with one yellow horizontal band. Google has a distant street view and Bing has a satellite view. Located on a reef about 800 m (1/2 mi) east of the Saramal headland. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. KR-1343.1; Admiralty M4404.1; NGA 16656.1.
* Guryongpo West (North) Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); red flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical red concrete tower. Lee Soo-hyun has a closeup photo, Seokrak Choi has a 2023 photo, a photo of both breakwater lights is available, and Google has a satellite view and a very distant street view. Earlier photos of this light show a plain cylindrical tower. Located at the end of the north breakwater (listed as the west breakwater) at Guryongpo. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. KR-1344; Admiralty M4405; NGA 16660.

Saramal Light, Guryongpo, July 2024
Google Maps photo by Crunchy
* Guryongpo East (South) Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical white concrete tower. A photo of both breakwater lights is available and Google has a satellite view and a very distant street view. Located at the end of the south breakwater (listed as the east breakwater) at Guryongpo. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. KR-1344.5;Admiralty M4405.5; NGA 16661.
* Janggil (Janggireo Hang) (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); red flash every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) round vase-shaped concrete tower, painted red. Chris Lee's 2023 photo is at right, Lee Sang-cheon has a photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the east breakwater of Janggil. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. KR-1344.8; Admiralty M4403.9; NGA 16661.3.
* Gupyeongponi Hang South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted white. Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater of Gupyeongponi, about 1.5 km (1 mi) south of Janggil. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. KR1344.10; Admiralty M4403.88; NGA 16661.4.

Janggi Township Lighthouses
Seogmaam
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 13 m (43 ft) round concrete tower painted black with one red horizontal band. J. Kim has a distant 2024 view and Google has an indistinct satellite view and a very distant street view from shore. Located on a rocky reef about 2 km (1.25 mi) east of Mopo. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. KR-1344.9; Admiralty M4403.85; NGA 16661.6.

Janggil Light, Guryongpo, March 2023
Google Maps photo by Chris Lee
* Mopo Hang
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted red. Yongjin Seo has a 2022 photo, a 2020 drone view is available and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the main breakwater of Mopo harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. KR-1344.7; Admiralty M4403.8; NGA 16661.5.
* Yeongam North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted red. Jae. Deok Son has a photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of the main breakwater of Yeongam harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4403.6; NGA 16661.61.
* Yangpo Outer Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); red flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical red concrete tower. A 2023 closeup photo is available, Hwang Bo Hwan has a 2019 photo, the light is on the left in a Google street view, and Google has a satellite view and a very distant street view. Located at the end of the main breakwater at Yangpo, a fishing port about 25 km (15 mi) southeast of Pohang. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. KR-1347; Admiralty M4403; NGA 16662.
Yangpo Hang
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 15 m (49 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) round green concrete tower. Hwang Bo Hwan has a 2019 photo, the light is on the right in a Google street view, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a shoal on the south side of the entrance to Yangpo harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. KR-1347.4; Admiralty M4403.1.
* Yangpo
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white flash every 7 s. 9.5 m (31 ft) round white concrete tower. Céu de Luar's 2023 photo is at right, Hwang Bo Hwan has a 2019 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory on the south side of Yangpo harbor. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4402; NGA 16664.
 

Yangpo Light, Janggi, July 2023
Google Maps photo by Céu de Luar
 

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Pohang | South: Gyeongju

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Posted October 29, 2007. Checked and revised February 25, 2025. Lighthouses: 23. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.