Geography | |
---|---|
Location | Ongjin County, Incheon, South Korea |
Coordinates | 37°58′N 124°39′E / 37.967°N 124.650°E |
Korean name | |
Hangul | 백령도 |
Hanja | |
Revised Romanization | Baengnyeongdo |
McCune–Reischauer | Paengnyŏngdo |
Baengnyeongdo (Korean: 백령도; Korean pronunciation: [pɛŋnjʌŋdo]), sometimes Baekryeong Island, is an island in Ongjin County, Incheon, South Korea. It is an inhabited island located near the Northern Limit Line, and is closer to North Korea than it is to the South.[1]
Since the 1945 division of Korea, the island has remained under South Korean control. This was affirmed by the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement which ended the Korean War.[2] Since then, the island has hosted both North Korean defectors and skirmishes between the two countries.[3]
The island is now a popular tourist destination, and is known for its scenic cliffs and beaches. It has three Natural Monuments of South Korea.[1]