Field Trip! POSCO, Seokguram, and Cheonmachong! (6/12)

Aboard another shockingly fancy bus

Today was a day of much traveling and sight-seeing, but unfortunately not many pictures! Whether for the sake of NATIONAL SECURITY at POSCO or simply out of awe and respect at Seokguram, my camera stayed inactive during much of this day's adventures. I'll supplement the few pictures I took with what I can find on the 'nets to try to give you an idea of what all we witnessed while bopping around the greater Daegu area.

The view from the parking lot-- before they confiscated my camera!

Our first stop was the legendary POSCO steel mill. One of the largest in the world, and with one of the most interesting histories, POSCO bears considerable significance. Basically, in the 70s, during a period of economic restructuring, Korea's president decided to build the best steel mill in the world. Korea didn't have a steel industry at the time, so such an undertaking was met with much skepticism both domestically and internationally, but Korea's commitment was so strong that it actually pulled it off, much to the benefit of Korea's economy as a whole. This is a prime example of what's known as import substitution industrialization, which has proven to be one of the most effective methods of industrialization in the modern era. By selling domestically-produced steel under the cost of foreign competitors, POSCO not only grew and profited as a company, but it also helped other businesses and industries in Korea grow and develop. POSCO was a key player at the heart of Korea's rapid rise to become the economic powerhouse it is today.

A super-cool night shot of POSCO (source)

We toured the plant's impressive museum, where we watched some swanky ads and got a historical overview. I have to admit, the company's branding and backstory definitely had me pumped by the time we left. I don't usually get sucked into advertising and brand nationalism, if you will, but I must admit that POSCO turned me into a fan. We also got to visit the mill's floor, where we watched part of the steel production process. Lots of sparks, lots of heat, lots of noise. I've never seen anything like it!

We got to see stuff like this! Action! Intensity! Fire! (source)

Approaching the temple's gate

Our second stop was Seokguram, a 1300+ year old Buddhist temple not far from POSCO. It's famous for its underground grotto, the home of a massive granite statue of Buddha at the time of Enlightenment. My camera wasn't confiscated like at POSCO, but I couldn't bring myself to use it within the grotto out of awe and respect. I kind of regret that now, but certainly didn't at the time. Thankfully, the internet has pictures to cover me!

Buddha inside the grotto (source)

A shot of the temple grounds

At Cheonmachong, the Heavenly Horse Tomb

Our third destination was Cheonmachong, a system of tombs dating back to the Silla period. As unrefined as it may sound, they reminded me a lot of the arms depot I grew up near in Kentucky-- the tombs were buried under mounds of earth, just like the nerve gas at the depot! The tombs had been converted into a museum displaying many of the artifacts found in the tombs' excavation.

A view of the tomb itself (source)

We rounded out our adventures with a trip to a local restaurant for yummy banchan!

Dinner!