Sister cities of Iksan

Iksan is a city and major railway junction in North Jeolla Province, (commonly transliterated as Jeollabuk-do or Chollabuk-do) South Korea.

The city center and railway junction was formerly called "Iri" (Hangul: 이리시; Hanja: 裡里市; RR: Iri-si), but merged with Iksan County (Iksan-gun) in 1995.

The railway junction is located at the point where Jeolla, Janghang Line and Gunsan Lines meet the Honam Line, and is served by frequent train service to/from Seoul, Daejeon, Gwangju, Mokpo, Jeonju, Suncheon, and Yeosu.

Jeonbuk National University(Before, it was Iksan National College), Won Buddhism Graduate School, Wonkwang Health Science College, and Wonkwang University are all located in Iksan.

This city is called “The city of Jewelry” and has a Jewelry museum which opened in May 2002 next to a Dinosaur museum.

In late November 2006, Korean authorities quarantined a farm in Iksan and began culling poultry and livestock within 3 kilometers radius, to contain an outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu virus.

It has handed down the story of Seodong and Seonhwa which was broadcast in 2005~2006 as Sedongyo, as illustrated at the 'Paradise in Autumn Festival'

Festivals with various themes are held in Iksan. Each of these festivals is themed and relates to the local history. Festivals include:-

• Seodong Festival,
• 10,000,000 Chrysanthemum Festival (held in October/November),
• Iksan Jewelry Expo,
• Stone Culture Festival