Gwangju

Gwangju is the sixth largest city in South Korea. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister. The city was also the capital of South Jeolla Province until the provincial office moved to the southern village of Namak in Muan County in 2005.Gwangju is best known for theGwangju Massacreof May 18, 1980.

Gwang(광, Chinese letter: 光) means "light" andJu(주, Chinese letter: 州) means "province." Areas of scenery along the outskirts of the city gave birth togasa, a form of Korean classical poetry.Located in the center of the agricultural Jeolla region,the city is also famous for its rich and diversecuisine.