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Description
Ginseng has been cultivated for some 1,500 years at today's Kae-an Village in Nami-myon, Kumsan-gun. It was traded mainly by peddlers until 1923, when the Kumsan Ginseng Cooperative Association was founded
to form a ginseng market.
This market has grown year after year ever since. Today, Kumsan Ginseng Town contains many modern markets such as Kumsan Ginseng International Market, Kumsan Undried Ginseng Center, Kumsan Ginseng Shopping Center and the Kumsan Medicinal Herb Market.
About 80 percent of the total annual ginseng produced in Korea is traded in this town. Top-quality ginseng can always be found here.
** Information
Ginseng Section at Kumsan-gun Office (041)753-4354
Ginseng Cooperative Association " 753-3731
Ginseng International Market " 752-1815
Undried Ginseng Center " 754-3161
Ginseng General Shopping Center " 751-2501
Local Transportations :
1) From Taejon tongbu terminal to Kumsan :
Intercity bus departs every 7 min. and takes 40 min.
2) From Kumsan bus terminal to Ginseng Town :
20 min. on foot 2-3 min. by taxi
Directions : Taejon Interchange on the Kyongbu Expressway - Ch'ubu
(National Road No. 17) - Kumsan (National Road No. 37)
Accommodations :
Yogwans (Korean-style Inns) are available in the Kumsan
area.
Kumsan-gun is in southeastern Ch'ungch'ongnam-do.
Natural Settings:
The Noryong and the Sobaek Mountains run through the northcentral and southeastern parts of the gun respectively, dividing the gun into mountainous and basin areas.
Cultural festivals:
The Kumsan Ginseng Festival is held in early October. The purpose of the festival is to promote the attributes of ginseng--a local specialty--and the town's traditional local culture, encourage the cooperation of community residents, and celebrate a good harvest. Festival highlights include a Miss Ginseng Beauuty Pageant, a Ch'ongsach'orong (Lantern covered with green silk in the middle and red silk on both ends) lighting ceremony all over Kumsan-up, a party for locals, a costume parade and a composition contest. The festival is held as a Tongje (Village ritual) to pray for the welfare of locals and a good ginseng harvest.
Local Specialties: Kumsan-gun is nicknamed 'Ginseng Town' because of
its plentiful production of ginseng.
Transportation : Highways The Taejon-Kumsan National Road serves as a major transportation route of the region. The Branch of Satellite Communications at Kumsong-myon is in charge of relaying overseas communications all over the nation.
Tourist Attractions : Kumsan P'algyong
(Eight Beautiful Views around Kumsan),
Sonsongjangp'ok, Sodaesa Temple.
Kumsan-Gun Home Page
http://www.kumsan.chungnam.kr
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