| Mokpo (Mokpo-si) is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, on the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula. Mokpo has frequent train service to Seoul and is the terminus for a number of ferry routes serving islands in the adjacent Yellow Sea (called the West Sea by Koreans). A recently released movie "Mokpo hangbu" or "Mokpo harbour" reflects a rather undeserved reputation for this sleepy port city as being a centre of organized crime in Korea. The harbour area is not far from Yudal mountain, a picturesque area with numerous tourist facilities.
The city was one of the largest cities in Korea until the late 1970s. During the Japanese Occupation, the city served as a crucial port for commercial ventures and transportation. Additionally, the public educational system was one of the very best in Korea. The city's decline could be attributed mainly to politics. President Kim Dae-jung earned full support from Mokpo voters as a presidential candidate, and other political rivals are accused of having tried to underdevelop the city to decrease its population and therefore Kim Dae-jung's support base. Since Kim Dae-jung's election, the city has undergone much development. The city is currently constructing the South Jeolla provincial office, which will cement its status as the capital of the region after Gwangju becomes a self-administering special-status city.
History
The port city of Mokpo is located in the southwest corner of the Korean peninsula. Its population is approximately 260,000.
The name "Mokpo" is first found in the . In 1439, 21 years after King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty came to power, the was constructed, and the first port was established on October 1st, 1897. Upon Korea's annexation by Japan in 1910, the city was given a new name, "Mokpo-bu" and received its current name, "Mokpo City" , the year after the nation's independence from Japan. On October 1st, 1997, when Mokpo had its centennial as a port city, the city announced the second opening of the port. Mokpo has become famous as the hometown of President Kim Dae-jung, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
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