Gurye County

Gurye (Gurye-gun) is a county in the province of Jeollanam-do, South Korea. Gurye is a small, picturesque farming town situated between Jirisan and the Seomjin River. In the northeastern part of unwavering efforts at the Mt. Jiri. Gurye is the sole designated special tourism and leisure zone in all of Jeollanam-do. The total size of Gurye County is 443.02 square km, with a modest population of approximately 30,000. Gurye County is a hiking destination during the spring and autumn seasons. The county hosts a number of yearly festivals such as Sansuyu Flower Festival, the Royal Azalea Festival and the Piagol Valley Maple Festival. Gurye is also home to Korea's first national state park, which houses some of Korea's most important temples such as Hwaeomsa, Cheoneunsa, and Yeongoksa. Location Gurye is located in the southwest portion of Korea, and is easily accessible from Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, as well as other major cities. History During the Samhan period, Gurye was part of Gorap, one of the 54 statelets of the Mahan confederacy. As the domain of Baekje Kingdom expanded during the Three Kingdoms period, Gurye was absorbed as one of the kingdom's counties, where it was known as Gucharye (or Guchaji). During the reign of King Gyeongdeok (r. 742–65), the region was part of Gokseong County, when it also attained its current name.