Host City 2015 Summer Universiade

Gwangju, Korea

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GWANGJU is the fifth largest city with a population of approximately 1.47 million. Located in the center of the southwestern part ofKorea, Gwangju has a rich cultural tradition and various top promising industries. It takes 40 minutes fromSeoul by airplane and 1 hour and 40 minutes from Incheon International airport by train, which will be completed by 2014.

People in the region of all ages have raised their voices against unfairness, have had passion for art, and have enjoyed food and lifestyle from which Gwangju is called as a city of fairness, a city of art and a city of taste.

A City of Democracy, Human Rights and Peace

Gwangju has been a city of fairness, which was witnessed from its patriotic movement against the Japanese colonialism to the May 18 Democratic Uprising of 1980.

Gwangju has been seeking for its brand as a city of democracy, human rights and peace through a series of international events including the 2006 Gwangju Summit of the Nobel Peace Laureates and the 2007 World Women's Peace Forum.

A City of Asian Cultural Hub

Gwangju is a city rich in culture and art, and there are ongoing exhibitions and performances. The National Asian Culture Complex will be open in Gwangju by 2014. It is a part of a grand culture project in Gwangju, the place where will emerge both the cultural capital ofKoreaand an Asian cultural hub city.

Gwangju is a festival city where remains the taste of the old & the modern, and exciting fun and culture.

Gwangju Biennale

The Gwangju Biennale is an international art exhibition both promoting domestic and international art in and around the country and showing respect diversity in art. It first started in September 1995 and since 2000, it is hosted every 2 years in even numbered years.

Gwangju Design Biennale

The Gwangju Design Biennale is a design exhibition that presents a contemporary design trend and lays groundwork for a new design culture. The Design Biennale takes place every 2 years in odd numbered years.

Im Bang-wool Korean Traditional Music Festival

This annual music festival is held to honor a Gwangju-born Korean classical music singer, Im Bang-wool. He was a great singer who sang people's grief and pain over the loss of country in the Japanese Colonialism. This festival takes place every September.

Gwangju Kimchi Festival

The Gwangju Kimchi Festival displays all kinds of Kimchi around the country, offers a Kimchi-making experience and provides an opportunity to understand a Kimchi culture through various activities. This is an annual event hosted in October.

Jeong Yul-seong International Music Festival

The Jeong Yul-seong Music Festival honors one of the greatest musicians in modernEast Asiawho was born in Gwangju. His martial songs are greatly beloved by the whole Chinese people. It is held in every October inKoreaandChina.

A City of Education

Gwangju is a city of education. There are 414,239 students, or 29.4% of the population, in elementary school through university levels. 7 colleges, 9 universities and 42 graduate schools are located in Gwangju, making it an ideal venue for university sports.

Industry Cluster

Gwangju also has the nation’s biggest digital electronics industry cluster, one of the nation’s three major automobile production lines, the world‘s largest semiconductor packaging factory, and the nation’s only photonics industry cluster.

An Eco-friendly & Hi-Tech Industrial City

Gwangju pushes forward to develop next-generation technologies including Photonics, LED, Hi-tech components & materials, solar energy, design and cultural contents so that Gwangju will transform into an eco-friendly and hi-tech industrial city.