Uiseong County

Uiseong County (Korean: 의성군) is a county in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea. Located near the center of the province, it is bounded by Andong on the north, Cheongsong on the east, Gunwi County on the south, and Sangju and Yecheon on the west. As in most parts of Korea, most of the land is vacant and forested; only about 19% of the county's area is farmland. The county is largely rural, with an economy dominated by agriculture; the only urbanized area is the county seat, Uiseong-eup. South Korean national treasure 77, a five-storied stone pagoda, lies in Geumseong-myeon. Also in Geumseong-myeon are a set of more than 300 dinosaur tracks from the early Cretaceous period. Uiseong is home to Gounsa, one of the 24 head temples of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. This temple is located in Danchon-myeon. Uiseong is known for its garlic, which began cultivation since 1527 by the Gimhae and Gyeongju Choi clans. It has been accustomed to the local soil and climate, giving it a firm texture and multiple tastes (sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter), as well as not spoiling quickly when used to make kimchi. Uiseong garlic are also being fed to locally-raised cows, thus altering the taste of beef to be mild and savory; restaurants in the county specialize in preparing dishes with this beef. Famous people from Uiseong include Yu Sŏngnyong, prime minister and one of the best loyal contributors during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98), and the "Garlic Girls", women's curling silver medalists at the 2018 Winter Olympics.