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All South Korea Gapyeong-gun Naminara Republic

Naminara Republic

This small island declared independence from South Korea in the hopes of attracting tourists.

Gapyeong-gun, South Korea

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
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A ferry from Gapyeong to the Naminara Republic.   Minseong Kim/CC BY-SA 4.0
A ferry from Gapyeong to the Naminara Republic.   Minseong Kim/CC BY-SA 4.0
Namiseom   adam nicholson/CC BY 2.0
Namiseom   adam nicholson/CC BY 2.0
Namiseom in winter.   Nestor Lacle/CC BY 2.0
Namiseom in winter.   Nestor Lacle/CC BY 2.0
The alleged grave of General Nam Yi.   Jocelyndurrey/CC BY-SA 4.0
Namiseom, also known as Nami Island, or the Naminara Republic.   Giuseppe Milo/CC BY 3.0
Wood carvings of Namiseom.   adam nicholson/CC BY 2.0
One of the many monuments on Nami Island.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Beautiful Nami.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The tomb of General Nam Yi.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
A tree-lined avenue.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
A clay sculpture by Yu Qing Cheng.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
There are demons (dokkaebi) too.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The gardens are quite beautiful.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The Yu Qing Cheng Clay Art Exhibition.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
  obxcane / Atlas Obscura User
The island is filled with snowmen.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Stylized sculptures of mothers and children are everywhere.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
A bicycle monument to “Winter Sonata.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Ferry to the island.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Naminara’s own post office.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
International Children’s Book Festival is held every year.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Peacocks roam the island.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
A sculpture inspired by the K-drama “Winter Sonata.”   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The most visited micronation in South Korea.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
  obxcane / Atlas Obscura User
  obxcane / Atlas Obscura User
  obxcane / Atlas Obscura User
  obxcane / Atlas Obscura User
Nami Tongbo: the micronation’s own currency.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Mother and children: an iconic sight of Namiseom.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Squirrel!   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Every micronation has its own reason for "independence." Sometimes it's resistance, sometimes it's a prank, and sometimes it just happens. In the Naminara Republic's case, it was simply to boost tourism.

Located in the city of Chuncheon, the crescent-shaped Nami Island, also known as Namiseom, was formed in the Han River as the result of the construction of a dam in 1943. In diameter, it is approximately 2.5 miles wide. Its name comes from General Nam Yi, whose body is believed to be buried somewhere on the island. Nam Yi died at the age of 28 after he was falsely accused of treason, during the reign of King Sejo, and was deified posthumously.

Nami Island is privately owned by a local company, and has been a popular tourist spot known for its rich nature since the 1960s. There are many free-roaming animals, including rabbits, squirrels, deer and peafowl. The island gained further popularity during the first Korean Wave after it was featured in the hit TV drama Winter Sonata, but after a while the number of visitors declined.

In 2006, Namiseom declared its "cultural independence" from South Korea as the Naminara Republic to attract more visitors. Today, it has its own immigration office (ticket counter), post office, passports (annual pass), stamps and currency—available for exchange with Korean won at the Tourist Information Center—as well as original pictographs called namijja.

Related Tags

Islands Micro Nations Tourism

Know Before You Go

The nearest station is Gapyeong, about 10 minutes away by taxi. 

Community Contributors

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy, obxcane

  • Michelle Cassidy
  • obxcane

Published

June 11, 2020

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Sources
  • https://namisum.com/en/republic/introduce/
Naminara Republic
Gapyeong-gun, 477-800
South Korea
37.803974, 127.52552
Visit Website

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