Nongae was born in Juchon Village, Daegok-ri, Janggye-myeon in the 7th year of King Seonjo (September 3, 1575). A clever and beautiful lady, Nongae voluntarily registered as a gisaeng (female entertainer) at the age of 19 when the nation was infiltrated by Japanese invaders during the Imjin War. While entertaining one evening, she led Japanese general Keyamura Rokusuke to the edge of a cliff and flung her arms around him, casting both herself and the general into the Jinju Namgang River to their deaths. To commemorate her faithfulness and allegiance her country, a project to restore her place of birth was completed in September 2000, drawing many visitors. Nearby Nongae’s birthplace are many tourist attractions, including the Deogyusan Mountain and Odongje (both of which have a compelling view) and a hiking trail that connects Jangansan Mountain County Park, Jiji Valley, and Donghwa Dam.

The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty signed in 1971 to preserve the world’s wetlands. The Ramsar Culture Center promotes this mission and exhibits its history and highlights. The center educates visitors on the importance of preserving Junam Wetland Park and the cultural value of wetlands.Here visitors can view around 120 wetland posters from 40 countries, 15 wetland CDs, and 100 books on wetlands. There are also 1,060 stamps from 30 Asian countries and 10 previous Ramsar host countries, and also that feature the migratory birds of Junam Wetlands Park.After exploring the center, you can take one of the free bicycles and go out to the wetlands to see the reservoir and migratory birds. 

Containing many Buddhist temples and ruins as well as spectacular scenery, the 703m high Mt. Duryunsan is located at the southern most point of the Korean peninsula. Formed by subtropical green broadleaves and temperate deciduous broadleaf trees, the mountain is valued highly for observing plant chorology. Moreover, the Aegean Sea in the western and southern sea can be seen at a glance at the summit of eight mountains, although wide fields of reeds cover many areas. During the fifth year of King Jinheung's reign (514), Buddhist priest, Ado, built Daedunsa Temple, which is a place of great historical value as it is also related to the Buddhist priest, Seosan. The temple is proudly among dense woodlands, consisting of maple trees and camellias. Breathtaking scenery of valleys and luxuriant trees can be seen on both sides of the 2km road leading to the temple.

Gochangeupseong Fortress is a natural fortress built by civilians in 1453. A government office building of the Joseon era was then rebuilt within the walls. Here, visitors can see an example of Korea’s traditional fortress architecture and take a stroll nearby amidst beautiful natural scenery.

If you go southeast from downtown Jeongseon all the way to Dong-myeon, you will run into Hwaam Tourist Attraction (화암관광지), which is also known as Sogeumgang River (small diamond) because of its magnificent scenery. Although the road that runs through the site winding, it is perfectly paved and drivers can enjoy the beautiful view of thick forest and fascinating, often curious-looking rock formations and cliffs along the roadside. Hwaam Tourist Attraction is an ideal locale for leaf peeking in autumn. Scenic Beauty 1: Hwaam Mineral Spring At Hwaam Mineral Spring (화암약수), water rises up through a rock crater located in Dong-myeon, Jeongseon. The water is said to be good for stomachaches, eye infections, and skin diseases; and, as it contains nine essential elements such as calcium and fluorine, it tastes crisp and clean. Scenic Beauty 2: Turtle Rock (on the right upper side of the path leading to Hwaam Mineral Spring). Part of the path leading to Hwaam Mineral Spring is buttressed by a cliff, on which there is a rock that resembles the shape of a turtle. Scenic Beauty 3: Yongmaso (on the riverside 500 meters ahead of the entrance to Hwaam Mineral Spring). With its clean water and wide sheets of rock, Yongmaso Lake (용마소) is a popular attraction for vacationers. Scenic Beauty 4: Hwaam Cave Hwaam Cave (화암동굴) used to be a gold mine that was commercially operated from 1922 to 1945. The nation’s 5th largest goldmine was, however, found to have natural stalactites, and later the cave was developed as the only theme-based cave that combined gold and nature. The stalactite area is an open space of 2,800㎡ and the length of the path open to visitors is 1,803 meters. The entire area consists of 5 chapters, which in turn constitute 41 zones; it takes about an hour and a half to see all of the zones. Scenic Beauty 5: Hwapyoju Cliff Hwapyoju (화표주) is a cliff facing the entrance of Hwapyo-dong, which can be seen on your way from Hwaam-dong to Molundae (몰운대). The cliff may appear as if a giant sharpened a large sheet of rock and placed it upright, or less imaginatively, as if two pillars are standing side by side. Scenic Beauty 6: Sogeumgang River The four-kilometer stretch from Hwapyoju to Molundae, surrounded with 100 to 150-meter high rock cliffs and thick forest, is called Sogeumgang River (small Geumgang River), meaning that its beautiful scenery is reminiscent of that of the breathtaking Geumgangsan Mountain. Scenic Beauty 7: Molundae Cliff (past Sogeumgang, on the right-hand side of Gubeulgil) ‘Molundae (몰운대)’ literally means ‘the cliff beyond which clouds disappear’. The tip of the steep cliff is adorned with three specimens of 500-year-old pine trees. Legend has it that gods would perch on the cliff’s top and enjoy the beautiful view. At the foot of the cliff lies a large sheet of rock that can accommodate hundreds of people. Scenic Beauty 8: Gwangdaegok Valley (past Molundae, on the left) Gwangdaegok Valley (광대곡) is said to be the mysterious place where heaven, earth and clouds meet. The surrounding hills are very rough and bumpy, which makes the area a renowned mountain in Korea. There is a belief among wild-ginseng diggers that they can find great ginseng if they pray in Gwangdaegok, so it is a popular attraction for such prospectors.  

Gobok Reservoir is a large farm reservoir covering 770,000 square meters. It was constructed to provide water for agricultural use, but an abundant amount of fish attracted many fishermen from across the country. This resulted in it being appointed as a provincial park. The park spans an area of 1,840,000 square meters and its nearby attractions include a forest, Yonggul Cave, and Sinheungsa Temple on Obongsan Mountain. The neighboring village is home to orchards for growing grapes, peaches, and pears. The park has a large meeting square and an outdoor sculpture park for added leisure activities. The Millakjeong Pavilion offers a panoramic view of the reservoir. Food lovers will be delighted to find that there are many restaurants around the reservoir area specializing in hanbang-ori (herb duck meat) and megi-maeuntang (spicy catfish stew).

The Yanggu Unification Hall is located in the northernmost part of the Civilian Control Zone in Haean-myeon Yanggu-gun. It was built and opened to be utilized as a unification education center that would help broaden people’s understanding about the real situation in North Korea in preparation for reunification and encourage commitment for reunification. The location is 5 km away from The Fourth Tunnel, in the northern end of the punch bowl basin and it first opened in 1996. It has a first exhibition hall, second exhibition hall, agricultural specialty market, and a parking lot that can accommodate about 100 cars. Directly operated by Yanggu-gun District Office, the Yanggu Unification Hall displays things that show the reality of North Korea including household goods, exports and photographs. The agricultural specialty market sells agricultural goods, North Korean products, and tourism souvenirs. Located nearby is the 4th Tunnel, Eulji Observatory, and War Memorial Museum in Yanggu. The Eulji Observatory is the northernmost located observatory in South Korea. The Fourth Tunnel is the only tunnel among the four tunnels dug by North Korea that operates electric cars, allowing visitors to travel inside. The War Memorial Museum in Yanggu was built to shed new light on the nine battles fought in Yanggu during the Korean War. The Yanggu Unification Hall deals with works related to the Eulji Observatory, the 4th Tunnel and War Memorial Museum in Yanggu.

Namdang Port is one of the representative ports of the West Coast along with Baeksajang Port in Taean. Known for catches of prawn, cockle, flat fish, rock fish and other types of seafood, the port draws visitors all year round. You’ll often see people out scouring the shoreline of the port for cockles, which are usually enjoyed as cockle shabu shabu or chargrilled cockle, top local delicacies.In September and October, many tourists flock to the port for the Daeha (prawn) Festival. The Namdangri Daeha Festival is a chance to eat and buy fresh prawn at reasonable prices and participate in programs that celebrate the fishing community. Favorite events include an ancestral ritual to pray for a plentiful catch, a fishing boat parade, singing contests, streets markets, and a ssireum (Korean wrestling) competition.Nearby attractions include the bamboo grove of Jukdo Island (10 minutes’ away by ferry) and Yongbongsan Mt., which is only a 40 minutes’ drive. Old houses of historical figures are also located in the area and include the residences of General Choi Young of the Goryeo Dynasty, Seong Sam Mun (a scholar official of the Joseon Dynasty), and General Kim Jwa Jin and Han Yong Un (independent activists).

Rafting is a challenging recreational activity in which a team of six to eight people navigates fast-flowing rivers. Rafting not only offers excitement, but also gives an overview of the natural landscape. Training for rafting provides participants with an opportunity to gain self-confidence, learn to cooperate with their teammates, and relieve stress.Naerincheon Stream in particular is considered one of the top three rafting spots in Korea along with the Hantangang River and Donggang River. Consisting of over ten rapid sub-streams, Naerincheon is the only stream in Korea that runs from south to north.The stream stretches over 6km from Wondaegyo to Gosari Resting Spot; its narrow x_width and pointed rocks offer one of the most exciting and challenging rafting experiences. Rafts are often turned upside down, and each sub-stream is connected to the others, offering little time for rafters to make each maneuver.Naerincheon Stream Rafting is also known for its excellent amenities, like its modern shower facilities with warm water.