Uljin stretches along a remote piece of Korea's east coast, backed by pine-covered mountains and fronted by fishing ports built around its signature catch: snow crab.
History
Uljin's isolation shows in its administrative history — before 1963 the county belonged not to Gyeongsangbuk-do but to Gangwon-do, until a province-line redrawing moved it south. That remoteness, mountains behind and open sea in front, kept it a quiet fishing and farming county even as nearby coastal cities grew.
Today the county's economy centers on fishing, especially snow crab, alongside the large Hanul Nuclear Power Plant. In January 2025, Uljin gained a rail connection for the first time when Uljin Station opened on the new Donghae Nambu Line, tying the county into Korea's east-coast rail network.
Highlights
- Hupo Port and Jukbyeon Port, the fishing harbors where the local snow crab catch comes in, lined with crab restaurants.
- Deunggisan Skywalk, a suspension bridge 135 meters long and 20 meters high behind Hupo Port, with a 57-meter glass-floored section.
- Baegam Hot Springs, natural springs at the foot of 1,004-meter Baegamsan, with hiking trails running toward Yeongyang and Bonghwa.
- Seongnyugul Cave, a limestone cave system inland from the coast.
- Wolsongjeong and Mangyangjeong Pavilions, scenic lookout points over the East Sea.
- Geumgang Pine Forest, old-growth stands of the straight, prized red pine the region is named for.
Food
Snow crab (daege) is the main event, best eaten fresh and in season at the restaurants clustered around Hupo Port; red snow crab (hongge), a deeper-water relative, is also a local specialty.
Annual events
- Uljin Snow Crab Festival (February–March) — an annual festival at Hupo Port with crab tastings, catching demonstrations, and other crab-themed events; the 2025 edition drew roughly 50,000 visitors.
Getting there
Buses run from Seoul's Dong Seoul Terminal to Uljin Bus Terminal, taking about 3 hours 40 minutes. As of 2025 Uljin is also reachable by train via the new Donghae Nambu Line, though service is still limited.
How long
Uljin rewards an overnight stay — the distance from Seoul and the way its sights (ports, hot springs, skywalk) are spread along the coast make a same-day round trip impractical.