Mokpo (; ) is a city in Jeonnam-Gwangju, South Korea. It is located at the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula, close to the mountain Yudalsan. Mokpo has frequent high-speed train services to Seoul, and is the terminus for a number of ferry routes serving islands in the adjacent Yellow Sea and Dadohae National Maritime Park. To the southwest of the city is Yudalsan Mountain, which is surrounded by strange cliffs like a wall. There are six populated and five uninhabited islands.
The Mokpo Special Tourist Zone covers from the northern port to Yudalsan, Old Town Area, Samhakdo, and Gatbawi. It is home to attractions such as the Mokpo Natural History Museum and the National Maritime Museum. To live up to its name as a coastal city, the city's traditional dishes include a variety of seafood dishes, including raw croaker, braised hairtail, skate, and seasoned crab.
The city was once part of South Jeolla Province, but on 1 July 2026, that province was dissolved and merged with Gwangju into the provincial-level city of Jeonnam-Gwangju. Now, the city is directly managed under Jeonnam-Gwangju.
Etymology Mokpo means literally "tree harbor". This terminology initially appeared in the Goryeosa (History of Goryeo). Therefore, some historians argue that the city's name referred to trees within the region of the port of Mokpo. Another theory suggests that the "mok" in the city's name refers to "the throat," a metaphor for the importance of the city's location as an entrance to the Yellow Sea.
History
Mahan and Three Kingdoms eras Mokpo belonged to the Mahan confederacy during the early era of the three Han confederacies during the Samhan period, and was called Mul'ahye-gun while under the control of the Baekje kingdom. After Silla defeated Baekje, Mokpo's region was absorbed, and its name was changed to Myeonju. In 946, its name was once again changed to Mullyang-gun, and it became part of the Muan prefecture, in the Haeyang province. At the time, the prefecture of Muan referred to a much larger area, which incorporated not only Mokpo but also the area currently called Muan and several islands of Sinan county. According to a KBS documentary, coastal and offshore areas of Mokpo witnessed superior productivity of crops, and important shipping routes to Naju were established along the Yeongsan River.
Goryeo and Joseon dynasties What is today known as Mokpo had its origins in the Goryeo period. That dynasty's founder, Wang Geon, was serving as a general for later Goguryeo (also known as Taebong), ruled by Gung Ye. Taebong covered the central area of the Korean peninsula including current-day Gaeseong, which was then called Song'ak.
As a naval power, Wang Geon was ordered to attack the kingdom of Later Baekje, which, like later Goguryeo, was a kingdom which emerged after the disintegration of Unified Silla. The operation met fairly successful results. During this time, Wang Geon met his second queen, Queen Janghwa, with whom he had a son, who eventually became Hyejong of Goryeo.
In 1439, 21 years after King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty came to power, the Mokpo garrison (jin) was established, which was designed to control twelve offshore islands. During the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), Admiral Yi Sun-sin established a garrison of naval forces at Mokpo and the island of Goha, to secure a base for provisions and ship repairs, such as the turtle ships, also known as the geobukseon and panokseon.
Open port On 1 October 1897, Mokpo became an open port, fifteen years after the opening of the port of Incheon. For Japan, Mokpo held a geographical advantage being located midway between Nagasaki, Japan, and mainland China. Japan also valued Mokpo for its proximity to the abundant crops of the Jeolla provinces. After its opening, housing for Japanese settlers was rapidly developed to establish self-government. The Japanese settled predominately in what is today the Yudal-dong neighborhood, close to the main port. The Japanese consulate remained there until the establishment of the Japanese protectorate over Korea.
The Japanese settlers gradually bought farmland in the vicinity of Mokpo, which had previously been illegal. These agricultural fields were desirable because they were inexpensive and not heavily taxed. The resulting harvests from these fields made rice cheaper in Japan, although the price of rice in Jeolla province doubled as a result. After 1905, the influx of Japanese settlers increased and they expanded into Geumhwa-dong, where many cherry trees were planted along the street. Japanese called this area "Sakuramachi", which means "the downtown of cherry blossom trees." With Korea's full annexation by Japan in 1910, the city was given a new name, Mokpo-bu, and saw the construction of the colonial institution, the Oriental Development Company that facilitated land, agriculture, and settlement projects in the city.
Under Japanese rule
Mokpo's status as an open port made it a viable option to use the nearby county of Wando as a link to the region's many offshore islands. In 1914, the completion of the Honam railway line connected the city to Daejeon. On 1 April 1914, the county of Mokpo-bu was divided into several administrative sections. Only the county's urban downtown area, Bunae-myeon, became what is today Mokpo City. Following Order Number 11 of the General Japanese Government of Korea, Muan county incorporated Jido, Palguem, and Docho, which were the other areas formerly comprising Mokpo-bu. During the Japanese colonial period, Mokpo's harbor was used to forcibly export the produce of the region.
In 1918, the colonists established ginning facilities for manufacturing large amounts of goods in both Mokpo and Iri (current Iksan in North Jeolla province). In 1932, the city incorporated parts of Muan, becoming the 6th largest city in the Korean Peninsula with a population of 60,000. Indigenous products were cloth, rice, salt, and coastal foods. The harbor played an important role, supplying goods to Japan, including large quantities of cotton.
After independence In 1949, Mokpo-Bu was redesignated Mokpo City, after the government altered the administrative region. In 1973 and 1987, large areas were added to Mokpo city, including one of the most famous tourist spots, Samhakdo (Three Crane Island). Samhakdo was reclaimed by connecting a series of islands, a process of landfill operations which lasted from 1968 to 1973. The island is divided into three major sections, and over six years the city constructed five bridges to link those three sections. In 2000, the city initiated a plan to restore a naturalized island for tourism, which brought tremendous criticism from environmental groups. On 1 March 2007, Samhakdo was opened to the public. Other projects in Mokpo included a coastal filling process near the North Harbor and the building of a new port in Chungmu-dong.
In 1980, the Gwangju Democratization Movement swept the area. In Mokpo, student movements were initiated by several people marching along the boulevard from Mokpo Station to the second plaza, carrying cards displaying the word "Freedom." Mokpo Station served as a hub for many groups supporting the people of Gwangju.
On 1 October 1997, Mokpo celebrated its centennial as a port city, and announced the second opening of the port. Mokpo is the hometown of former President Kim Dae-jung, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
Following the sinking of MV Sewol on 16 April 2014, the ship was moved to Mokpo for salvage operations.
On 1 July 2026, South Jeolla Province was dissolved and merged with Gwangju into the provincial-level city of Jeonnam-Gwangju. Mokpo then became directly managed under Jeonnam-Gwangju.
Administration Mayor Mokpo began its local government in 1994. In July 1995 it inaugurated its first mayor, Gwon I Dam, who had been the president of the Munhwa broadcasting corporation. The city's lack of supply in the past caused Gwon to focus on improving the city's water supplies. In 2000, the mayor officially provided aid for North Korea in the form of rice shipments. However, Gwon came into conflict with the leaders of the Democratic Party over fair election practices, causing him to leave the party. He filed a lawsuit against the Democratic Party, which the courts subsequently rejected.
Jeon Tae-hong, the next mayor died suddenly in 2005. Following his death, Jeong Jong-deuk was elected mayor, promising protection of the tourism industry. Once in office, Jeong responded to concerns about the depressed condition of the old downtown area by establishing the Office of Original City Re-planning and adopted the slogan "City of Light." Jeong was re-elected in June 2010, serving his third consecutive term as Mayor of Mokpo. His final term focused on industrial expansion and old downtown revitalization. His signature policies included the development of the Daeyang Industrial Complex.
Park Hong-ryul was elected as an independent candidate, becoming as the first leader of the municipality in municipal history. His election was widely accepted as unexpected outcome in the democratic stronghold. During his first term, Park prioritized fiscal stabilization and tourism infrastructure. He took initiative in the construction of the Mokpo Marine Cable Car, which became a landmark attraction for regional tourism. He also focused on reducing municipal debt and initiating early discussions regarding administrative integration with neighboring Muan and Sinan counties.
Kim Jong-sik (2018–2022 / 40th Term) of the Democratic Party was elected in June 2018. Kim re-branded Mokpo as South Korea's official "City of Flavors" (Mat-ui Dosi) to leverage its culinary heritage. His administration established three core future growth engines of renewable energy (offshore wind power), a seafood export processing complex, and coastal Tourism. Under his tenure, the city was officially designated as a national tourism hub city, achieving more than 7 million tourists in the year of 2019.
Disputes upon merge In 2004, civil groups promoted merging the three adjacent communities: Sinan, Muan and Mokpo. On 25 September 2009, the city council of Mokpo officially submitted a plan to merge into one central government, but the plan was voted down due to objections from the community.
Population In 2007, the population of Mokpo had increased to 90,000 households, with an average of 2.7 people per household. The population density was the 10th highest in South Korea, and it was the second fastest-growing region (after Gyeonggi Province). In 2010, the Bank of Korea reported that the population of western South Jeolla province was declining due to several economic, social and educational issues.
Mokpo's registered resident population recently fell below the 200,000 mark for the first time in over four decades. As of late May 2026, the official resident population of Mokpo City stands at 199,813 individuals across 102,520 households. This reflects a continued decline from the 202,003 residents recorded at the end of December 2025. The demographic drop is primarily driven by national low birth rates, population aging, and outward migration. In particular, nearby suburban developments in Muan county (such as Namak and Oryong new towns) have drawn residents away from Mokpo. Despite local government initiatives for urban renewal and regional development, curbing the outflow remains a primary challenge.
Education
One of the oldest elementary schools, Bukgyo, was established in 1897 for the aristocracy during the Joseon period, following Order No. 145 of Gojong. However, after its annexation by Japan, education in Mokpo was directed towards Japanese students.
Mokpo Commercial High School opened in 1920 as the first secondary-level school. Its name was later changed to Jeonnam Jeil High School. Former president Kim Dae Jung graduated from Jeil.
Universities