CHUNCHEON, July 6 (Korea Bizwire) – Bounded on the east by the East Sea (erroneously displayed as Sea of Japan on some Internet sites), Gangwon Province is well known for its recent successful hosting of the 2018 Winter Olympics and 2018 Winter Paralympics, and for its beautiful beaches and ski resorts including Yongpyong and Alpensia.
This scenic locale has successfully added another item to its list of attractions: coffee.
The Yeongdong region of Gangwon Province, notably the cities of Gangneung, Sokcho and Donghae, are home to a rapidly increasing number of coffee shops. According to a report by a Gangwon affiliate of the central bank (BoK), as of late April the number of coffee shops in the Yeongdong area was well over the nationwide per capita average.
At face value, a tally of 1,166 coffee stores in Yeongdong region seems modest, but in relative terms, the 18 coffee shops per 10,000 people in Yeongdong is close to 30 percent higher than the national average of 14 stores per 10,000 people, irrefutable evidence of the area’s affection for coffee.
Gangneung Coffee Festival was held during the winter last year in celebration of 2018 Winter Olympics’ successful hosting. (The image courtesy of Gangneung Coffee Festival homepage)
No wonder Gangneung, dubbed the “city of coffee” and South Korea’s “coffee capital” launched an annual coffee festival in 2009, the first of its kind in the country. The report shows that in Gangneung, 25 coffee shops are in operation per 10,000 people, the highest level in the country.
In fact, Anmok Coffee Street in Gangneung won the prize of ‘The Star of Korea Tour 2016′ and had the honor of being recognized as one of the “Top 10 Must-Visit Tourist Spots” by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization.
Professor Gang Won-hee from Gangwon University’s Department of Horticulture has achieved fame for successfully developing a mass production technique for Black Ivory coffee. (Image courtesy of Gangwon Univ.)
More recently, Gangwon Province has seen another occasion for regional celebration.
Professor Gang Won-hee from Gangwon University’s Department of Horticulture has achieved fame for successfully developing a mass production technique for Black Ivory coffee.
Gang has been the beneficiary of a government-commissioned research project for ‘Specialty Coffee Bean Grown in Gangwon Province’ thanks to his accomplishment. Naturally refined by elephants, Black Ivory coffee (a.k.a. elephant dung coffee) is the world’s rarest and most expensive coffee.
Jerry M. Kim (jerry@koreabizwire.com)
