Jeju Island

Geography

Jeju has a mild oceanic climate throughout the year with the smallest annual temperature range in the country. The temperature for the hottest summer months averages no more than 34.7� and no less than -1.5� or winter.

The island is 73km wide and 41km long with a total area of 1,848 Jeju the largest island in South Korea, came into existence 700 to 1,200 thousand years ago when lava spewed from a sub-sea volcano and surfaced above the waters. Then 100 to 300 thousand years ago, another volcanic eruption formed Mt. Halla. The final volcanic eruption that took place approximately 25 thousand years ago created the crater lake, Baekrok-dam, at the summit of the mountain.

Mt. Halla rises in the center of Jeju to 1950m above sea level. The rest of the island slopes down from its summit and is covered with dark gray volcanic rocks and volcanic ash soil. Relatively isolated from the rest of the world, the island's nature has been well preserved in its prehistoric state. That is why traveling to Jeju is to travel back in time.

Jeju's natural environment has been preserved as best as possible. The fantastically shaped rocks decorating the seashores, the hundreds of Oreums (secondary volcanos) and the rarest species of flora around the Baekrok-dam lake are all treasures waiting to be discovered by visitors. One cannot see Jeju unless one looks. It is like seeing only trees before entering a forest.

Political History

( From http://english.jeju.go.kr/ )

According to legend, three demi-gods emerged from Samsung-hyeol which is said to have been on the northern slopes of Mt. Halla and became the progenitors of the Jeju people who founded the Kingdom of Tamna.

It has also been claimed that three brothers including Ko-hu who were the 15th descendants of KoUlla, one of the Progenitors of the Jeju people, were received by the court of Silla at which time the name Tamna was officially recognized, while the official government posts of Seong-ju, Wang-ja and Do-nae were conferred by the count upon the three. While this was the golden period of Silla, the exact data is as yet unknown.

Although there is no concrete evidence of when the "Three Names" (Samseong-Ko, Yang and Pu) appeared nor for the exact date of when Ko-hu and his brothers were received by Silla. we may suppose that the founding Period by the "Three Names" occured during the Three Kingdoms (Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla) period on the peninsula.

Taejo, the foundoms (Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla) period on the same relationship to Goryeo as Tamna had been in its relation to Silla but with Tamna's refusal to accept this position the Goryeo court ordered a dispatch of army troops whereupon the chief of Tamna, Ko ja-gyeon, submitted to Goryeo and ordered his son. Prince Mallo, to Goryeo's court in 938. In 1105 (King Sukjong's 10th year), the Goryeo court abolished the name Takna which had to this time been used and from that year on, the island was known as "Tamna-gun" (district) and Goryeo officials were sent to handle the affairs of the island.

Tamna-gun was changed to Tamna-hyeon in 1153 during the reign of King Ui-jong and Choi Cheok-kyeong was posted as Tamna-Myeong or Chief of Tamna.

In 1121 during Huijong's reign, Tamna was renamed Jeju and the posts of Busa and Pangwan were established on the island.

In the 12th year of the reign of Wonjong, 1271, General Kim Tong-jeong escaped with what remained of his Sambyeolcho force from Jindo and built the Hangpaduseong (fortress) at Kwiil-chon from where they continued their fight against the combined Goryeo/Mongol army but within 2 years, faced by an enemy army of over 10,000 troops, the Sambyeolcho was annihilated.

The Yuan (Mongol) dynasty, in 1273 during the reign of Goryeo's King Wonjong, established a Daruhachi or military governor on the island and this was to last almost one hundred years with the island almost completely under the control of these governors.

After Yi Taejo established the Joseon (Yi) dynasty, all of the administrative rights and systems which Jeju island, had maintaining some independence until this time, were absorbed into the centralized from of government established by Joseon.

In 1402, in the 2nd year of the reign of King Taejong, the titles of Seongiu and Wangja which had so long been used on Jeju were abolished and to Seongju Ko bong-lyeo was given the symbolic title of Jwadojigwan and to Wangja Mun chung-se, the title of Seokdojigwan and in 1416, still in the reign of King Taejong, the island was divided into three major. Administrative districts : the area lying generally north of Mt. Halla was headed by a 'Moksa' or county magistrate while east in the area of Jeongui-hyeon (today;s Seongeup Folk village) and the south western area of Daejeong-hyeon (today's Moseulpo, Daejeong-eup and Mt. Sanbang) were headed by a Hyeon-gam (also county magistrate).

In August, 1864, both Jeongui and Daejeong hyeons were moved from the control of the 'moksa' north of the mountain in today's Jeju-si area and were renamed 'Gun" (county) and came under the direct control of the Gwanchalsa (governor) of Jeolla province but because of strife between these 'Guns' and the Jeju 'moksa', the system was abolished in January, 1880 and the two 'Gun' reverted again to 'hyeon'.

In 1895 (King Gojong's 32nd year), Jeju-mok was redesignated as Jeju-Bu with a governor (Gwanchalsa) and Vice-governor (Chamsagwan) and a police agency was newly established while in both Jeongui and Daejeong the offices of 'Gunsu', (county chief) were again established but the very next year, the office of 'Gunsu' was abolished and the old system was returned to.