Taebaek (; ) is a city in the province of Gangwon in South Korea. Its name is shared with that of the Taebaek Mountains. With a population of 36,823, it is the least populous city in the country.
Situated at an elevation of , Taebaek is the second highest city in South Korea, after Pyeongchang.
Etymology Taebaek is derived from Taebaeksan, meaning "very bright."
Climate
Demographics
As of 2025, the population is 36,823, of which 50.7% are male and 49.3% are female. Minors make up 9.9% of the population, and seniors make up 32.7%. Foreigners make up 1.7% of the total population.
Religion As of 2015, 20.6% of the population follow Buddhism, 18.1% follow Christianity (of which 13.7% Protestantism and 4.5% Catholicism), 0.6% follow other religions and 60.7% are irreligious.
Attractions Manggyeongsa Temple in Hyeol-dong, at an elevation of 1,460 meters on the Taebaek Mountains, is a temple built to enshrine the statue of the Bodhisattva of wisdom. It was built by Jajang, a Silla Dynasty monk. The "Dragon Spring" at the entrance of the temple is known as the highest spring in Korea.Cin Woo Lee "Simply stunning: 33 incredible Korean temples" CNN Go. 10 February 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-12 Other attractions include Taebaek Coal Museum, Taebaek Paleozoic Museum, and 365 Safe Town. Gumunso is a famous natural landmark in Taebaek.
Transport
Taebaek station
Notable people Jo Mingyu, often spelled Cho Minkyu (born 19 November 1990) South Korean opera singer, the leader and leggero tenor of crossover vocal group Forestella
International relations
Twin towns – sister cities
Helong, Jilin, China since August 29, 1995 Baguio, Philippines since April 25, 2006 Suzhou, Jiangsu, China since March 8, 2005 Gao'an, Jiangxi, China since June 23, 2004 Changchun, Jilin, China since January 18, 2006 Bauang, La Union, Philippines since January 26, 2024
See also List of cities in South Korea List of highest towns by country
References
External links Taebaek city government home page