From Winter Snow Crab to Hot Springs
Accessibility Greatly Improved with KTX and Expressway Openings
For the first sunrise of the New Year, you no longer need to be behind the wheel-simply enjoy a cup of coffee and board a train.
Uljin County in North Gyeongsang Province is considered one of the top sunrise destinations on the East Coast, attracting countless tourists every New Year's Day for the first sunrise of the year.
The county will host a special sunrise event at Mangyangjeong Beach on the first day of 2026.
The event will feature a percussion performance to mark the beginning of the New Year, and a program where participants burn a Daljip (a traditional wish bonfire) to send off their wishes for the coming year.
In addition, the seasonal Uljin snow crab, along with natural hot spring resources such as Deokgu Hot Spring and Baegam Hot Spring, are expected to further boost the sunrise tourism boom.
This year, with the launch of KTX service at the end of the year and the opening of the Pohang-Yeongdeok Expressway, it has become much more convenient to visit Uljin from anywhere in the country. Since the opening of the Donghae Line in 2025, Uljin County has transformed from a railway desert into a key transportation hub, now serving an average of 30,000 passengers per month.
Since the opening of the Donghae Line, the tourist taxi service has been operating more than 200 rides per month, reflecting the enthusiastic response from visitors. The improvement in transportation infrastructure has significantly enhanced Uljin's competitiveness as a tourist destination.
An official from Uljin County stated, "With the opening of the KTX and the expressway, people can now easily visit Uljin from anywhere in the country. We hope that many tourists will come to Uljin in 2026 to enjoy the East Coast sunrise, savor the winter delicacy of snow crab, and relax in the warm hot springs."
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