Lighthouses of South Korea: Ulsan

For most of its history, Korea was an independent kingdom, or at least an autonomous kingdom under Chinese influence. This came to an end in 1910, when Japan annexed all of Korea. At the end of World War II in 1945, the 38° parallel was established as the dividing line between U.S. and Soviet zones of occupation, and in 1948 separate civil administrations were established in the two halves of the country. The Korean War (1950-53) ended in a draw, with the armistice line falling close to the prewar 38° line. The Republic of Korea (ROK), commonly called South Korea, occupies the Korean peninsula south of the armistice line.

This page covers lighthouses of the Ulsan metropolitan area on South Korea's southeastern coast. The home of Hyundai Industries, Ulsan is a large, rapidly growing industrial city and seaport about 35 km (22 mi) northeast of Busan. Like Busan, it is a "metropolitan city" with a status similar to that of a province.

Navigational aids in the ROK are regulated by the Ministry of Land, Transport, and Maritime Affairs (MLTM). MLTM also operates the major coastal lights, but management of harbor lighthouses is in the hands of local port authorities. In Korean, the word for a lighthouse is donghae (등대); dan is a cape, do is an island, and hang is a harbor .

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume M of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.

General Sources
KAAN Major Lighthouse Information
KAAN is the Korean Association of Aids to Navigation. Click on the map for information concerning each province, and then scroll down for small photos. All the data is in Korean. An English version of the page has the names of the lighthouses, but no photos.
MLTM Ulsan - Aids to Navigation
Information, with some small photos, posted by Ulsan port authorities.
 

Hwaamchu Light
Hwaamchu Light, Nam-gu, Ulsan, March 2011
Panoramio photo copyright 민_min; used by permission
Buk-gu (Northern District) Lighthouses
Jeongja (Chongja) Hang Outer Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); green flash every 4 s. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted white. This is the lighthouse on the left in a photo of all three Jeongja lighthouses, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the north end of a short breakwater outside the Jeongja harbor entrance. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty M4397.6.
Jeongja (Chongja) Hang North Breakwater (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 11 m (36 ft) sculpture of a whale; the light is perched above the whale's nose. Entire lighthouse is red. A small photo and a photo of both whale lighthouses are available. The original lighthouse is the only red lighthouse in a photo of all three Jeongja lighthouses, and Google has a satellite view. Probably accessible by walking the pier. Located on the north breakwater of Chongja harbor, about 16 km (10 mi) northeast of Ulsan. Site status unknown. Admiralty M4397.4; NGA 16673.
Jeongja (Chongja) Hang South Breakwater (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); green flash every 6 s. 11 m (36 ft) sculpture of a whale; the light is perched above the whale's nose. Entire lighthouse is white. A photo of both whale lighthouses is available. The original lighthouse is the lighthouse on the right in a photo of all three Jeongja lighthouses, and Google has a satellite view. Probably accessible by walking the pier. Located on the south breakwater of Jeongja harbor, about 16 km (10 mi) northeast of Ulsan. Site status unknown. Admiralty M4397.5; NGA 16673.1.
* Dangsa Hang
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) octagonal cylindrical white concrete tower with a "mushroom" top. The top is black above. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on the south breakwater of Dangsa harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4397.2.
Ideokso (Idokso)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted black with one red horizontal band. MLTM has a small photo, and a distant view is available. Located on a rock about 1.5 km (1 mi) offshore and 10 km (6 mi) north of Pangoji. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4397; NGA 16674.

Dong-gu (Eastern District, Pangoji Area) Lighthouses
* Jujeon Hang East Breakwater (2)
2011. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 5 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) sculpture of a whale; the light is perched above the whale's nose. A closeup photo is available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the north breakwater of Jujeon harbor, about 5 km (3 mi) north of Pangoji. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4396.8; NGA 16675.
Mipo North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); red flash every 5 s. 15 m (49 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. Sang Ho Lee has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. The Mipo harbor is operated by the Hyundai corporation. Located on the north (outer) breakwater of Mipo harbor, at the north end of Pangoji. Site status unknown. Admiralty M4396.5; NGA 16681.2.
Mipo South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); green flash every 5 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on the south breakwater of Mipo harbor, at the north end of Pangoji. Site status unknown. Admiralty M4396.6; NGA 16680.9.
* Ulgi (Daewangam) (1)
1906. Inactive since 1994. 6 m (20 ft) 2-stage octagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Malcolm Skinner's photo appears at right, a good photo is available, Bennett Ho has another good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was increased in height by 3 m (10 ft) in 1972. Klinksiek's photo shows restoration work in progress in 2000. The lighthouse is located in Ulgi Park, which occupies a wooded peninsula jutting northeastward into the East Sea at Pangoji, on the east side of Ulsan. Located at the tip of the peninsula. Site open, tower closed.
* Ulgi (Daewangam) (2)
1994 (station established 1906). Active; focal plane 52 m (171 ft); white flash every 10 s. 24 m (79 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. Malcolm Skinner's photo appears at the top of this page, a good 2006 photo is available, also a second photo, there's a photo showing both lighthouses, Joshua Klein has a view from the sea, and Google has a good satellite view. The station includes the navigation control headquarters for Pangoji. Located close to the historic lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SKR-048; Admiralty M4394; NGA 16680.
Ulgi Light
1906 (left) and 1987 Ulgi Lights, Pangoji, January 2009
Flickr photo copyright Malcolm Skinner
permission requested

Nam-gu (Southern District, Ulsan Harbor) Lighthouses
** Seul Do (Seuldo) (Breakwater Elbow) (2)
2008(?). Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); white flash every 6 s. 16 m (52 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and upper and lower galleries. The lighthouse is white with a maritime artwork around the tower. G. Horpestad's photo is at right, Siegmund Reinhard has a February 2009 photo and a second view, and Google has a satellite view. A July 2008 photo shows the earlier lighthouse. Located on a rocky island that anchors an elbow of the main breakwater at Seul Do, a fishing harbor near the south end of Pangoji. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open; visitors can climb to the lower gallery to enjoy the view. Admiralty M4388; NGA 16687.
* Seul Do (Seuldo) South Breakwater Head
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); red flash every 5 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted red. Siegmund Reinhard has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater at Seul Do. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4389; NGA 16686.
Seul Do (Seuldo) West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green flash every 5 s. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted white. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater at Seul Do. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4390; NGA 16684.
*** Hwaamchu (2)
1994 (station established 1983). Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); flash every 10 s, alternately red and white. 44.5 m (146 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, surrounded about halfway up by a large 2-story observation and exhibition structure. Lighthouse painted white; the observation platform is silvery metallic. This station includes the harbor control office for Ulsan. A photo is at the top of this page, another good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was originally 30 m (98 ft) in height. The observation platform was added in 1997, and in 2002 the tower was raised 14.5 m (48 ft) to its present height. No information is available on the schedule for the observation deck. Located at the tip of a blunt peninsula sheltering the east side of the harbor of Ulsan. Site open, observation deck presumably open. ARLHS SKR-011; Admiralty M4385; NGA 16688.
Hwaambudu
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); two yellow flashes every 5 s. 11 m (43 ft) round metal tower, painted yellow. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a short breakwater at the tip of the peninsula below the Hwaamchu tower. Site status unknown. Admiralty M4381.38; NGA 16691.5.
Seul Do Breakwater Elbow Light
Seuldo Breakwater Elbow Light, Ulsan, July 2010
Panoramio Creative Commons photo by G. Horpestad
Ulsan Outer Breakwater East End
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); yellow flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the east end of a detached outer breakwater protecting the entrance to the bay of Ulsan. Accessible only by boat, but there must be a good view from the Hwaamchu lighthouse, which is about 800 m (1/2 mi) northeast. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4381.3; NGA 16690.
Ulsan Outer Breakwater West End
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); red flash every 8 s. 15 m (49 ft) round concrete tower, painted red. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the west end of a detached outer breakwater protecting the entrance to the bay of Ulsan. Accessible only by boat, but there must be a good view from the Hwaamchu lighthouse, which is about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) northeast. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4381.36; NGA 16691.
Maeam Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); green flash every 4 s. 13 m (43 ft) round concrete tower, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a breakwater on the west side of the entrance to the inner harbor of Ulsan. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4381.8; NGA 16699.5.
Ulsan Hang Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 6 s. 12 m (39 ft) round concrete tower, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a breakwater on the west side of the entrance to the inner harbor of Ulsan. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4382; NGA 16700.
Onsan Hang North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); red flash every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower, painted red. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater on the north side of the entrance to Onsan harbor on the south side of Ulsan. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4379; NGA 16704.

Ulju County Lighthouses
Onsan Hang South Breakwater North Elbow (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); green flash every 6 s. 17 m (56 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. NGA formerly listed the former light, a shorter tower with a focal plane of 14 m (43 ft). Located at the end of the original breakwater on the south side of the entrance to Onsan harbor on the south side of Ulsan (the breakwater has been extended southeastward). Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4379.2; NGA 16708.
Onsan Hang South Breakwater East End
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); yellow flash every 4 s. 13 m (43 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted yellow. A photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This light and the next one frame the entrance to the Ulsan Sin Hang (Ulsan New Port), which is scheduled for completion in 2011. Located at the end of an eastward extension of the Onsan Hang South Breakwater. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4381.12; NGA 16706.
Ulsan Sin Hang East Breakwater North Head
2010(?). Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); green (?) flash every 4 s. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) round white concrete tower with lantern and gallery. A photo shows this lighthouse in the background, and Google has a satellite view that appears to show the lighthouse still under construction. This light and the previous one frame the entrance to the Ulsan Sin Hang (Ulsan New Port). Located at the north end of the detached main (east) breakwater of Ulsan Sin Hang. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Admiralty M4381.14; NGA 16711.6.
Ulsan Sin Hang East Breakwater South End
2009. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) slanted concrete tower with lantern, gallery, and a lower observation gallery. Lighthouse painted red. The light is at the far left of the photo at right, a good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the south end of the detached main (east) breakwater of Ulsan Sin Hang. Accessible only by boat, but apparently boat tours are available since several photos show visitors on the observation gallery. Site open, observation gallery open. Admiralty M4381.16; NGA 16711.65.
Ulsan Sin Hang South Breakwater East End
2009. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) slanted concrete tower with lantern, gallery, and a lower observation gallery. Lighthouse painted white. A Coast Guard photo is at right, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. So far no photos have been seen showing visitors on the observation gallery, but presumably the tower is or eventually will be open to visitors. Located at the end of the south breakwater of Ulsan Sin Hang. Site status unknown. Admiralty M4381.16; NGA 16711.8.

Sin Hang East Breakwater (left) and South Breakwater Lights, Ulsan, 2009
Korean Coast Guard photo
Gangyang
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); green flash every 5 s. 11 m (36 ft) solid concrete pillar with gallery, painted green. A night time photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located in a river entrance at Gangyang, almost directly under a new pedestrian bridge. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4378.2; NGA 16711.9.
* Daesong Hang
2010. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with an expanded base. Entire lighthouse is red. A 2012 photo is available, but the tower is too new to appear in Google's satellite view. Located at the end of the Daesong breakwater, on the north side of the Ganjeolot peninsula. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4378.03; NGA 16711.95.
* Ganjeolgot (Cape Kanjol) (1)
1920. Inactive since 2001. 5 m (17 ft) lantern and gallery on an octagonal base, painted white. The aerobeacon light is mounted in the lantern. The light is at the far left of the photo at right, a closeup photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located just to the south of the present lighthouse. Site open and gallery open.
** Ganjeolgot (Cape Kanjol) (2)
2001. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 15 s. 17 m (56 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is gray. Fog horn (blast every 55 s). A photo is at right, a 2005 photo is available, a closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. This is a staffed station. The lighthouse, office, and keeper's quarters were all rebuilt in 2001. Standing at the southeastern corner of Korea, Gangeolgot is celebrated as the first point of the country to see the rising sun. The light station is located in a park area that includes a small museum and a sculpture garden. Located on a promontory about 25 km (15 mi) south of downtown Ulsan. Site open, museum open daily, tower closed. ARLHS SKR-012; Admiralty M4378; NGA 16712.
* Nasa
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white flash every 6 s. 12 m (39 ft) round white concrete tower with upper and lower galleries. Han-Yoon Sik has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. It appears that visitors can climb to the lower gallery to enjoy the view. Located on a sharp promontory on the east side of the harbor of Nasa, a small port on the south side of the Ganjeolot peninsula. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4377.9; NGA 16713.
Ganjeolgot Lights
Old (far left) and New Ganjeolgot Lights, Ulsan, January 2012
Panoramio photo copyright plumgarden; used by permission

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Pohang Area | South: Northern Busan

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Posted October 29, 2007. Checked and revised February 27, 2013. Lighthouses: 32. Site copyright 2013 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.