Lighthouses of South Korea: Taean

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 Taean County in central Chungcheongnam (Chungnam) province on South Korea's west coast. Taean has a very scenic coast facing west on the Yellow Sea, with a number of high island scattered offshore. Much of the coastal region is included in the Taean Haean National Park.

Special thanks to Michel Forand for sharing his research on the lighthouses of Korea.

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 - Chungnam
KAAN is the Korean Association of Aids to Navigation. Photos and data in Korean for three major lighthouses of Chungnam.

Ongdo Light
Ongdo Light
Korean Tourism Organization photo
Gonam Township Lighthouses
Ganseo
2007. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 15 m (49 ft) tower, painted black with one red horizontal band. A very distant view is available, but the location is barely visible in a Google satellite view. Located on a rock about 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Gonam, a town at the southern end of Anmyeondo. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4185.15; NGA 17839.2.
Oejukdo
2003. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); red flash every 4 s. 19 m (59 ft) tower, painted red. No photo available, but Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a rock about 3 km (2 mi) southeast of Gonam. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4185.12; NGA 17839.
Oejanggodo
2008. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 15 m (49 ft) tower, painted black with one red horizontal band. A distant view is available (about 2/3 the way down the page), and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on a rock off the island of Janggodo about 5 km (3 mi) west of Gonam. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4185.105; NGA 17827.1.

Anmyeon Town Lighthouses
Note: Anmyeon occupies most of the island of Anmyeondo, which is separated from the rest of Taean County by a narrow channel.
Oedo
2001. Active; focal plane 52 m (171 ft); white flash every 6 s. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Entire lighthouse is white. A closeup photo and a distant view (third photo from the bottom) are available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located atop a small island about 3 km (1.8 mi) off the southwestern coast of the Taean peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty M4184.45; NGA 17827.15.
Bangpo
Date unknown (recent). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 18 m (59 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted black with a red horizontal band, mounted on a round concrete pier. A photo is at right, and Charley Shin has a more distant 2008 view, but Google's satellite view does not show the tower. Located on a reef off Bangpo harbor. Accessible only by boat, but easy to see from shore. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4184.48.
Anmado
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red flash every 4 s. 22 m (72 ft) round concrete tower, painted red. No photo available, and Google's satellite view does not reveal the tower. Located on a shoal about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) south of the entrance to Taean harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4184.49.
Bangpo Light
Bangpo Light, June 2009
photo copyright cyana; permission requested

Taean City Lighthouses
Ulmido
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 71 m (233 ft); white flash every 6 s. 12 m (39 ft) round white concrete tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island about 10 km (6 mi) west of the entrance to Taean harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4184.35.
* Mageompo (Taean Bando)
2000. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 6 s. 17 m (56 ft) round white concrete tower with gallery. Several photos and a closeup (a little less than halfway down the page) are available, Moon Sun Ho has a distant view of the lighthouse against the sunset, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located a few feet off a rocky point on the northwestern corner of the Taean peninsula. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4184.5; NGA 17839.8.
Deogam
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted black with a red horizontal band, mounted on a round concrete pier. A 2005 photo is available, and Google has a blurry satellite view. Located on a reef off a small harbor in western Taean. Accessible only by boat, but easy to see from shore. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4184.24.

Geunheung Township Lighthouses
Chaeseokpo
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 4 s. 16 m (52 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted red, mounted on a round concrete pier. A closeup photo and a second photo (third photo on the page) are available, but Google's satellite view does not show the tower. Located on a reef off Chaeseokpo harbor. Accessible only by boat, but easy to see from shore. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4184.1.
Haengyeo
2003. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 17 m (56 ft) tower, painted black with one red horizontal band. No photo available. Located on a rock about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Anheung. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.2; NGA 17841.
* Anheung Hang East Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 8 m (26 ft) round hourglass-shaped concrete tower, painted red. A photo is available (second photo in second row of small photos), and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Anheung is a small port about 20 km (13 mi) southwest of Taean; it is located on a small island just off a promontory of the mainland. Located on a short breakwater on the east side of the south entrance to the channel separating Anheung from the mainland. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.5; NGA 17852.
* Anheung Hang West Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted green. A photo is available (first photo in third row of small photos), but Google's satellite view fails to include the tower. Located on a short jetty on the west side of the south entrance to the channel separating Anheung from the mainland. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.6.
* Anheung Sin (Anhung Shin, Sinjin) Hang South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); red flash every 6 s. 10 m (33 ft) round red concrete tower with gallery. This is the lighthouse on the right in a photo of the harbor entrance and on the left in José Choi's sunset photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater of Anhung harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.4; NGA 17851.
* Anheung Sin (Anhung Shin, Sinjin) Hang North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); green flash every 6 s. 11 m (36 ft) round white concrete tower with gallery. A photo is available, this is the lighthouse on the right in José Choi's sunset photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the end of the north breakwater of Anhung harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.3; NGA 17850.
Hwagiseo
2003. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash every 4 s. 22 m (72 ft) tower, painted red. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on a shoal about 1.5 km (1 mi) southwest of Anheung harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.27.
Anheung Hang Approach
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 21 m (69 ft) tower, painted black with one red horizontal band. No photo available, and the tower is not shown in Google's satellite view. Located on a shoal about 5 km (3 mi) west southwest of Anheung. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.26.
Sinjin Hang North Breakwater
Anheung Sin (Sinjin) Hang North Breakwater Light, August 2011
Panoramio photo copyright plumgarden; used by permission

Yellow Sea Islands Lighthouses
Gauido (Kauido)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green flash every 5 s. 21 m (69 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, mounted on a round concrete pier. Lighthouse and pier painted green. No photo available, and the tower is not shown clearly in Google's satellite view. Located on a rocky reef off the north side of the island of Gauido, about 6 km (3.5 mi) west of Anheung. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.22.
Heukdo
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 117 m (384 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 20 m (66 ft) white metal (skeletal?) tower. No photo available, and the island is only a blur in Google's satellite view. Located on a steep island about 13 km (8 mi) northwest of Gauido. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty M4153.3.
Geomeunyeo (Mokkaedo)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 16 m (52 ft) tower, painted black with one red horizontal band. A good photo is available (last photo on the page). Located on a rock about 5 km (3 mi) southwest of Sinjindo-ri. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.25; NGA 17840.8.
** Ong Do (2)
2009 (station established 1907). Active; focal plane 75 m (246 ft); white flash every 15 s. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-1/2 story concrete keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white. This is South Korea's last staffed light station. A photo is at the top of this page, and KAAN has a very distant view (first lighthouse on the page), but Google has only a very fuzzy satellite view of the island. A blogger has photos of the original lighthouse taken on the occasion of its 100th anniversary in 2007. Located atop a small island about 12 km (7.5 mi) west southwest of Sinjindo-ri. Accessible only by boat; guided tours are reported to be available. Site open to tours, tower status unknown. ARLHS SKR-020; Admiralty M4154; NGA 17840.
Gyeongnyeolbido (Kyongnyolbi)
1909. Active; focal plane 112 m (367 ft); white flash every 10 s. 14 m (46 ft) hexagonal white concrete tower. No photo of the new lighthouse is available. KAAN's photo is at right, but the island is only a blur in Google's satellite view. Located atop an isolated island in the Yellow Sea about 50 km (30 mi) west of Sinjindo-ri. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS SKR-014; Admiralty M4184; NGA 17844.
Gadaeam (Kadae Am)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); three quick white flashes every 10 s. 17 m (56 ft) round concrete tower, painted black with one yellow horizontal band. A small photo is available (second lighthouse thumbnail), but the tower is not seen in Google's satellite view. Located on a shoal about 16 km (10 mi) northwest of Anhung. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4153; NGA 17854.
Mokdeokdo (Moktok-do, Moktok To)
1910. Active; focal plane 66 m (217 ft); two flashes every 15 s, a white flash followed 3 s later by a red flash. 6 m (20 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Several 1-story keeper's houses and other light station buildings. A photo, a closeup, and an article with a small photo are available, and Lighthouse Explorer has a historic postcard view contributed by Michel Forand, but the island is only a blur in Google's satellite view. This lighthouse warns vessels approaching Incheon to avoid the rocks and islets off the coast of Chungcheongnam. It was upgraded with a powerful new light in 2006. Located on a small island about 40 km (25 mi) north northwest of Uihang. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS SKR-045; Admiralty M4152; NGA 17856.
Gyeongnyeolbido Light
Gyeongnyeolbido Light
Korean Association of Aids to Navigation photo
Banseo (Panso) (2)
2007 (station establishment date unknown). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 23 m (75 ft) tower, painted black with one red horizontal band. No photo available. Located on a rock about 8 km (5 mi) northeast of the Moktok-do lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4151; NGA 17856.5.

Sowon Township Lighthouses
Tonggye Hang
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 17 m (56 ft) tower, painted black with one red horizontal band. A portfolio of photos includes a closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a reef in Geunso Bay off the harbor of Tonggye. Accessible only by boat, but easily seen from shore. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.66.
Hwachangyeo
2007. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 4 s. 22 m (72 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, mounted on a round concrete pier. Lighthouse and pier painted green. A photo is available, but the tower is not shown clearly in Google's satellite view. Located on a rock on the east side of the passage around the east side of Gauido, about 4 km (2.5 mi) northwest of Anheung. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.21.
* Yeoeundol Hang
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 4 s. 10 m (33 ft) octagonal cylindrical white concrete tower. Photos are available (starting a little past halfway on the page), and the light is barely visible at the far left of a distant view, but the tower is not seen in Google's fuzzy satellite view. Located on the north breakwater of Yeoeundol, a small harbor on the northwest side of Taean. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.9; NGA 17853.
Mohang Hang
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); white flash every 6 s. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical white concrete tower. No photo available, but Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on a headland a short distance west of the harbor of Mohang. Site status unknown. Admiralty M4154.8.
* Mohang Hang South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); two red flashes every 6 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted red. A photo and additional photos are available, Kim Byeong Mo has a view down the breakwater, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater at Mohang. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.92.
Hwachangyeo Light
Hwachangyeo Light, August 2011
Panoramio photo copyright plumgarden; used by permission
* Mohang Hang North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); two green flashes every 6 s. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower, painted white. A portfolio of photos and additional photos are available, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located at the end of the south breakwater at Mohang. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.92.
Dakseom
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical white concrete tower with double gallery. A good photo is available (halfway down the page). Located at the seaward end of an island just offshore about 4 km (2.5 mi) north of Mohang. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4154.75.

Wonbung Township Lighthouses
Taean Hang
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green flash every 5 s. 16 m (52 ft) round green concrete tower. No photo available, but Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a reef in the entrance to Taean harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4156.33; NGA 17852.
Sindotaseo
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); green flash every 6 s. 15 m (49 ft) round green concrete tower. No photo available, and Google has only a fuzzy satellite view. Located on a reef about 8 km (5 mi) north of Taean harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4156.35; NGA 17853.
Kudo
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); green flash every 5 s. 14 m (46 ft) round green concrete tower. No photo available, and Google has only a fuzzy satellite view. Located on a reef about 8 km (5 mi) north of Taean harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty M4156.38; NGA 17863.5.
Ando (An Do)
1911. Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); white flash every 10 s. 18 m (59 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Keeper's houses and other light station buildings. KAAN's distant view is at right, and a portfolio of photos is available, but the island is only a blur in Google's satellite view. The lighthouse guides vessels approaching the port of Daesan. It was restored in a major project in 2011, marking its 100th anniversary. Located atop a small island about 12 km (7.5 mi) west of Tokkot. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS SKR-001; Admiralty M4156; NGA 17864.
Ando Light
Ando Light
Korean Association of Aids to Navigation photo

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Dangjin and Pyeongtaek | South: Boryeong Area

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Posted February 4, 2008. Checked and revised July 6, 2012. Lighthouses: 36. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.