MARITIME AFFAIRS SAFETY FACILITIES
Maldo Navigational Aids Management Office
Maldo lighthouse located in Maldo-ri, Okdo-myeon, Gunsan-si, Jeollabuk-do was first built in November 1909 when piers were being constructed in Gunsan Port to export grain produced in the Honam plains to Japan. As a manned lighthouse, it has contributed to the safety of maritime transportation of vessels coming in and out of Gunsan Port.
The lighthouse was initially operated by the Japanese Governor-General of Korea, only to be managed by the Department of Maritime Affairs under the US military government in Korea and the Incheon
Maritime Affairs Office. In August 1945, Heenam Park was appointed as the inaugural caretaker for the lighthouse. Subsequently, lighthouse operations were transferred to the Gunsan Regional Maritime Affairs Office in February 1955 and the lighthouse has been maintained by the Office ever since.
Maldo lighthouse was originally built with a white octagonal concrete structure at the center of the office, and a dual layered cast iron helical ladder was installed on the inside. However, due to corrosion caused by the sea breeze, the lighthouse was remodelled as a white cylindrical concrete structure (with a triple layered helical ladder installed inside) on October 12, 1989. Maldo lighthouse continues to guide vessels through these waters since it was built.
A small petroleum gas lamp was initially installed as the lighthouse lantern in November 1909, only to be replaced with an anthracite gas lamp on December 12, 1952. As a result of the deteriorating performance of the Verbier lamp, the lighthouse installed an HY-610m/m lamp in August 1977; however, it also suffered wear and tear from years of use and was also replaced on December 24, 2002. A KRB375m/m prism lens lamp developed in Korea was installed in the lighthouse, and Maldo lighthouse was transformed into a traffic light at sea that fulfills its objective as a navigational aid.
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- Telephone : 063-465-2089
- Address : Post code)573-819 Maldo Navigational Aids Management Office, 29 Maldo 2-gil, Okdo-myeon, Gunsan-si
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Directions (by ferry) : Federation of Shipping Associations, operation control office (063-472-2752)
※ Please check operational information when using the ferry service.
Origin : Maldo is an island located on the tip of Gogunsan archipelago. Maldo offers activities such as fishing on the rocks and you can enjoy the view of strange rocks and cliff formations. In the past, lights from fishing boats used to illuminate the surrounding area. Today, Maldo lighthouse shines a light of hope and serves the important role of ensuring the safety of vessels sailing in and out of Gunsan Port.
Eocheongdo Navigational Aids Management Office
Eocheongdo lighthouse located in Eocheongdo-ri, Okdo-myeon, Gunsan-si, Jeollabuk-do was built by the Japanese, a nation that harbored ambitions to invade continental Asia, in March 1912 to serve a strategic purpose. To this day, Eocheondo lighthouse stands as a manned lighthouse used by vessels coming in and out of Gunsan Port and traversing the north-south sea route.
When it was initially built, the lighthouse was operated by the Japanese Governor-General of Korea, the Department of Maritime Affairs under the US Army Military Government in Korea after Korea won its
independence, and subsequently the Incheon Maritime Affairs. Chang-ho Lee was appointed as the inaugural caretaker in November 1946. The lighthouse was transferred to the Gunsan Regional Maritime Affairs Office in February 1955, and has been maintained by the Gunsan Office ever since.
In an attempt to break away from the monotony of white cylindrical concrete structures and to build an aesthetically impressive tower, the upper section of Eocheongdo lighthouse was designed with emphasis on sculptural beauty and emulated a re-arranged form of crossbeams found in traditional Korean buildings. Within the tower, a wooden trunk was installed as the main pathway to allow the gravity core-type lighthouse lamp's rotation. Also a cast iron helical ladder with beautiful curves can be found within the tower. In addition, the lamp housing made of steel installed when the lighthouse was first built suffered corrosion damage from facing the sea breeze over the years. It disappeared into the history books in December 2001 and a new housing was created in its original shape to offer a beacon of hope for vessels passing by.
A Fresnel lens, a device made of a composite of prisms, is used as the lighthouse lamp. However when the lighthouse was being constructed, that technology was not available in Japan. Thus, a Jean's-type lamp with the lens suspended in mercury and rotated using a gravity core was installed. Subsequently a petroleum lit incandescent bulb was used until it was replaced with an electric light bulb in April 1944. In August 1977, the lamp was replaced with a 610m/m lamp manufactured by Hanyang Electronics only to be shut down in December 1983 due to the lamp's unsatisfactory capacity. Later the gravity core-type lamp was repaired (missing components were supplied with those available after the Gyeokryeoldo lighthouse lantern was decommissioned) and used instead of the Hanyang Electronics lamp. Finally in 2003, the lighthouse lantern was replaced with the KRB-375 made in Korea, which enhanced the lighthouse's capacity.
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- Telephone : 063-466-4411
- Address : Post code)573-819 Eocheongdo Navigational Aids Management Office, 240 Eocheongdo-gil, Okdo-myeon, Gunsan-si
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Directions (by ferry) : Federation of Shipping Associations, operation control office (063-472-2752) → time to destination approximately 3 hours
※ Please check operational information when using the ferry service.
Origin : Pristine waters surrounding the island gives Eocheondo island its name. There is sheer cliff face, and a beautiful lighthouse stands on the northwestern tip of the island. It takes roughly 30 minutes from the village to the lighthouse and taking a stroll through the thick pine forest with an endless row of Camellia trees on one side can be very impressive. Walking along the island, watching the sea and the sun setting over the horizon helps you blend in as one with nature. Before you know it, dusk falls and you will soon realize that the ray of light shining across the dark blue water is beautiful enough to hypnotize you.