This article needs additional citations for verification .(March 2023) |
Songtan | |
Hangul | 송탄 |
---|---|
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Songtan |
McCune–Reischauer | Songt'an |
Songtan is an area in the northern end of Pyeongtaek,Gyeonggido,South Korea. Songtan achieved city status in its own right in 1981,five years earlier than Pyeongtaek,but merged,along with Pyeongtaek County,into Pyeongtaek City in May 1995 [1] (during the 1995 municipal annexation in South Korea).
Most residents still consider it to have an identity separate from the rest of Pyeongtaek City. To appease some discontent at the merger,Pyeongtaek City officials decided to keep the Songtan City Hall intact and convert it into a branch office of the Pyeongtak City Hall,where Songtan residents can still go for city provided services. At consolidation,Songtan had over 110,000 residents,slightly less than the population of pre-consolidation Pyeongtaek City.
The district has an administrative office which formerly served as Songtan City Hall. Songtan's best known feature is Osan Air Base,a United States Air Force base which spawned the growth of the area and is a major factor in the district's economy.
Songtan Station and Seojeong-ri Station serve Songtan,and connect it to Seoul and other cities like:Cheonan,Osan,Suwon,and Anyang via the Seoul Metropolitan Subway on Seoul Subway Line 1.
In addition to regular subway trains,Seojeong-ri Station features some Korail trains and Seoul Subway Line 1 Express subway trains. Pyeongtaek Station is two stops south of Seojeong-ri Station on Seoul Subway Line 1 and has a larger Korail Station.
Osan Air Base is a forward deployed base of the United States Air Force. Osan City lies ten miles north of Songtan,but was the closest settlement of appreciable size when the base was built in 1951–52. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that Osan was chosen as the name because the names of nearby hamlets were difficult to pronounce (Seojong-ri was the closest town that existed at the time,two miles south). Osan hosts U.S. Air Force and Republic of Korea Air Force units.
Songtan continues to grow southward and eastward from the base and is now a major bedroom community for Seoul and Suwon workers. Hundreds of large multi-story apartment buildings house these commuters.
Farther away from the base,Songtan appears as any other city in Gyeonggi-do,with high-rise apartments stretching to the south. Cityscape gives way to rural farmlands immediately west and about two miles east of the base. From the downtown bus station,buses run to Seoul,which is roughly 45 minutes north.
In 2005 the subway/train line from Seoul connected to Cheonan,with a station in Songtan. Songtan connects to many other cities:Osan,Suwon,and Seoul to the north;and Pyeongtaek,Cheonan,and Daejeon to the south.
There is a sizable foreign population;American military,Filipino and,before 9/11 Russian,reside in the immediate vicinity of the base with an increasing Chinese presence of small merchants.
Immediately outside the base is a district with many bars,dance clubs,small shops,relator's offices and restaurants. This area is commonly referred to by foreigners as "downtown" or "the S.E.D." but is officially known as Sinjang-dong Shopping Mall.
On weekends the streets are crowded with local residents,tourists,shoppers,military members (U.S and R.O.K.) and general partiers clogging the streets and enjoying the "festive" atmosphere. Famous for hostesses called "Juicy girls" who supply drinks to the customers,most downtown bars feature pool,darts,loud American music (mainly hip-hop,rock,and classic rock) and hookahs as the main attractions. Dart and pool leagues are somewhat popular among the military population. There is a growing music scene at bars that have local bands play on weekend nights.
Small shops are a large part of the Shinjang area. In 1996 a portion of the main street leading off Osan AB was remade into a pedestrian mall,the Shinjang Shopping Mall. Some Americans are eager to buy custom-made clothing at prices somewhat cheaper than in the U.S. from the skilled artisans who line the mall. There are also leather workers and painters,hanji,traditional Korean souvenirs,and blanket shops which cater to the Americans. Customers may haggle with the shop owners to obtain the best deal,and the shop owners are usually willing to do the same.
Some of the businesses are well-known food chains,however,most are small,individually owned shops,restaurants,and bars. Lining the middle of the pedestrian mall and streets are pojangmacha (small tents and carts) offering traditional Korean street foods such as hotteok , tteokbokki , mandu ,and dakkochi (skewered chicken) better known in the area as chicken-on-a-stick. There are also small vendor tables selling colorful socks,hats,masks,tee-shirts,and other items and 'gray-market' tents selling copied DVDs.
Sinjang-dong Shopping Mall is unique from many shopping strips in Korea because of its relatively large American/foreign presence. Thus,most stores,restaurants,and establishments are bilingual (English/Korean) and many accept US dollars as well as South Korean won.
Before June 2013 Sinjang-dong Shopping Mall was known as a seedy collection of "Juicy" bars that catered exclusively to American military. It was filled with Filipina and,in smaller numbers,Russian and Korean "Juicy" girls who worked as hostesses or dancers in bars to provide company and,in some cases,sexual services to patrons in exchange for the patron buying the girl juice drinks priced 10,000 won and higher. [2] [3] Following a crack-down by United States Forces Korea (USFK) officials,those establishments that got out of the juicy bar business have remade themselves into dance clubs and sports bars. Some are thriving,but some have closed as the 140 bars in Songtan battle for the patronage of area servicemen.
Those that chose to remain in the Juicy bar business have been placed off limits to military personnel. [4] [5] The military authorities have no jurisdiction over the private businesses off base. However,they can order the service members under their jurisdiction to not do business with those who do not meet particular standards. Being put off limits can mean that a business loses nearly all of its customers,so many owners begrudgingly comply with the base's requirements. Many owners have complained that essentially this gives the US military de facto authority over the Korean businesses.
Song's Plaques and Coins shop in the Sinjang Shopping Mall supplies a large portion of the challenge coins used throughout the US military.
Osan is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, approximately 35 km (22 mi) south of Seoul. The population of the city is around 200,000. The local economy is supported by a mix of agricultural and industrial enterprises.
Pyeongtaek is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Located in the southwestern part of the province, Pyeongtaek was founded as a union of two districts in 1940, during the Goryeo dynasty. It was elevated to city status in 1986 and is home to a South Korean naval base and a large concentration of United States troops. The South Korean government plans to transform Pyeongtaek city to an international economic hub to coincide with the move of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) to Pyeongtaek. During the Korean War, it was the site of an early battle between U.S. and North Korean forces, the Battle of Pyongtaek. It is the location of Pyeongtaek University.
Cheonan is the largest and most densely populated city of Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea, and the third largest city in the Hoseo region after Daejeon and Cheongju. Cheonan borders Gyeonggi-do in the north, Chungcheongbuk-do to the east and southeast, Sejong City to the south and Asan-si and Gongju-si to the west and southwest.
Camp Humphreys, also known as United States Army Garrison-Humphreys (USAG-H), is a United States Army garrison located near Anjeong-ri and Pyeongtaek metropolitan areas in South Korea. Camp Humphreys is home to Desiderio Army Airfield, the busiest U.S. Army airfield in Asia, with an 8,124-foot (2,476 m) runway. In addition to the airfield, there are several U.S. Army direct support, transportation, and tactical units located there, including the Combat Aviation Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. The garrison has an area of 3,454 acres (1,398 ha) and cost US$11 billion. Camp Humphreys is the largest U.S. overseas military base, housing some 500 buildings and amenities.
Osan Air Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) and Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) base located near Songtan Station in the city of Pyeongtaek, South Korea, 64 km (40 mi) south of Seoul. Despite its name, Osan AB is not within Osan City, which is 7.5 km (4.7 mi) to the north. The base is the home of the headquarters for Seventh Air Force, Pacific Air Forces' 51st Fighter Wing, and a number of tenant units. The base is also the headquarters of the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) Operations Command. Osan Air Base is also the departure and arrival point for U.S. government-contracted "Patriot Express" flights bringing service members and their family members to South Korea from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in the U.S. state of Washington, Misawa Air Base and Yokota Air Base in Japan.
The 607th Air Intelligence Squadron is located at Osan Air Base, home of the 51st Fighter Wing, roughly 40 miles (64 km) south of Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea. The squadron comprises six flights of approximately 180 officer and enlisted personnel. United States military personnel serve in the Republic of Korea (ROK), shoulder to shoulder with the ROK military, in order to ensure the continuation of the country's democratic government.
Songtan Station is a ground level metro station in Songtan, a district of Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The station is on Line 1 of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway, which runs from Soyosan in Dongducheon to Cheonan in Chungcheongnam-do. The line also serves Osan, Suwon, and Seoul.
Suwon Station is a railway station in the city of Suwon, South Korea. The station was completely redeveloped in 2002 and 2003, and is now integrated with the Aekyung Shopping Mall. This station serves Inter-city railway Gyeongbu Line KTX, ITX-Saemaeul and Mugunghwa will stop. Also Line 1, Suin–Bundang Line of the Seoul subway will stop. And this station is an important hub in southern Gyeonggi Province.
Pyeongtaek Station is the main train station serving the city of Pyeongtaek, South Korea. It is on the Gyeongbu Line and Pyeongtaek Line and is also served by Seoul Subway Line 1. It is not a KTX station, and the KTX does NOT stop here and there is a ticket counter for KORAIL where you can buy KTX tickets leaving from KTX Stations in Asan (south) and Suwon (north). Pyeongtaek Station attaches to AK Plaza. A department store brand with additional locations in other areas of Korea. The Pyeongtaek Station / AK Plaza building also offers restaurants, grocery shopping, and a movie theater. The cinema is located on the 8th floor of AK Plaza and is a CJ CGV multi-screen facility with a 4-D screen. The station is also located in Pyeongtaek-dong, Pyeongtaek-si so you can find many stores and restaurants out Exit 1.
Geumcheon-gu Office Station, formerly known as Siheung Station, is a station on the Line 1 of the Seoul Subway, as well as the Gyeongbu Line. Commuter rail trains on Line 1 travel southwards from here to Anyang, Suwon, Pyeongtaek and Cheonan Stations via the Gyeongbu Line.
Seojeongni Station is a station in Seojeong-dong, Pyeongtaek, South Korea. Mugunghwa-ho trains running on the Gyeongbu Line stop here. Additionally, services on Seoul Subway Line 1 have been calling at this station since 2005. Its station subname is Kookje College.
Suji-gu (Korean: 수지구), or Suji, is one of the three city districts in Yongin City, South Korea which is approximately 29 km south of Seoul. Suji became a city district on October 31, 2005, about nine years after Yongin officially became a city. When Yongin City was established in 1996, both urban and rural areas were covered to become a part of the city; thus to this day, Yongin's urbanization is varied throughout different regions of the city. Suji is one of the most urbanized areas of Yongin, as it borders Seongnam City's Bundang District and Suwon City, two more well developed areas. Home to the newly built Shinsegae Department Store and Dankook University in one of its towns, Jukjeon, Suji is rapidly developing as Yongin City becomes more and more urbanized. In recent years, the district has attracted upper-class Koreans, with the completion of the Samsung East Palace in 2010.
National Route 1(Korean: 국도 제1호선; RR: Gukdo Je Il Hoseon) is a national highway in South Korea. It connects Mokpo, South Jeolla Province with the city of Paju in Gyeonggi-do. Before the division of the Korean peninsula, the highway ran until Sinuiju, North P'yongan Province, in present-day North Korea.
Pyeongtaek–Paju Expressway is an expressway in South Korea. It connects Pyeongtaek to Paju in Gyeonggi Province. The expressway's route number is 17, which it shares with the Iksan–Pyeongtaek Expressway. This expressway overlaps with the Capital Region Second Ring Expressway at Hwaseong.
The Intercity Train eXpress-Saemaeul abbreviated as ITX-Saemaeul (Korean: ITX-새마을) is a class of train operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea, it was introduced on May 12, 2014, to replace the Saemaeul-ho. The new ITX-Saemaeul trains have a faster average speed of 150 kilometers per hour. The name was taken from the Saemaul Undong after a public competition to determine the new train's name.
The 2019 Korean FA Cup, known as the 2019 KEB Hana Bank FA Cup, was the 24th edition of the Korean FA Cup.
Nuriro (Korean: 누리로) is a class of train operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea, it was introduced on June 1, 2009, to replace the short-range Mugunghwa-ho. The train was introduced as a replacement for the Bidulgi-ho/Tongil-ho/Mugunghwa-ho operating system between Seoul and Onyangoncheon, and will replace the short-range Mugunghwa-ho when a new train comes in. However, due to various problems, it is currently operating in Yeongdong Line and Jungang Line as a replacement for Mugunghwa-ho.