Taebaek (Korean: 태백; Korean pronunciation:) 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 650 to 700 m (2,130 to 2,300 ft), Taebaek is the second highest city in South Korea, after Pyeongchang.
Etymology
Taebaek is derived from Taebaeksan, meaning "very bright."
Climate
| Climate data for Taebaek (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1985–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12.2 (54.0) |
20.1 (68.2) |
21.6 (70.9) |
29.7 (85.5) |
32.6 (90.7) |
35.0 (95.0) |
35.7 (96.3) |
35.6 (96.1) |
31.8 (89.2) |
26.9 (80.4) |
22.6 (72.7) |
15.2 (59.4) |
35.6 (96.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 0.7 (33.3) |
3.1 (37.6) |
7.9 (46.2) |
15.1 (59.2) |
20.8 (69.4) |
24.0 (75.2) |
25.9 (78.6) |
26.0 (78.8) |
21.5 (70.7) |
16.8 (62.2) |
9.9 (49.8) |
3.0 (37.4) |
14.6 (58.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.7 (23.5) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
2.4 (36.3) |
8.9 (48.0) |
14.5 (58.1) |
18.1 (64.6) |
21.4 (70.5) |
21.3 (70.3) |
16.2 (61.2) |
10.5 (50.9) |
4.2 (39.6) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
9.0 (48.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −9.6 (14.7) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−2.9 (26.8) |
2.9 (37.2) |
8.4 (47.1) |
12.9 (55.2) |
17.7 (63.9) |
17.7 (63.9) |
11.7 (53.1) |
5.0 (41.0) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
−7.1 (19.2) |
4.0 (39.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −21.7 (−7.1) |
−20.3 (−4.5) |
−16.8 (1.8) |
−8.2 (17.2) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
0.5 (32.9) |
5.6 (42.1) |
8.3 (46.9) |
1.0 (33.8) |
−7.1 (19.2) |
−15.2 (4.6) |
−18.5 (−1.3) |
−21.7 (−7.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 26.6 (1.05) |
28.8 (1.13) |
54.8 (2.16) |
85.8 (3.38) |
90.2 (3.55) |
140.4 (5.53) |
274.2 (10.80) |
278.7 (10.97) |
198.4 (7.81) |
65.5 (2.58) |
45.2 (1.78) |
19.4 (0.76) |
1,308 (51.50) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 7.2 | 6.5 | 9.9 | 9.5 | 9.0 | 11.2 | 16.3 | 16.0 | 12.0 | 7.2 | 8.1 | 6.2 | 119.1 |
| Average snowy days | 10.7 | 9.7 | 9.9 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 3.3 | 7.6 | 44.0 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 59.1 | 58.4 | 59.2 | 55.4 | 59.4 | 71.2 | 78.3 | 79.9 | 79.3 | 70.5 | 63.6 | 58.4 | 66.1 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 174.9 | 178.3 | 202.7 | 207.2 | 232.9 | 192.7 | 143.8 | 141.7 | 147.4 | 178.7 | 159.6 | 169.8 | 2,129.7 |
| Percentage possible sunshine | 54.0 | 56.2 | 53.4 | 54.6 | 50.4 | 42.8 | 30.5 | 39.5 | 48.8 | 57.4 | 51.6 | 53.4 | 48.6 |
| Source: Korea Meteorological Administration (snow and percent sunshine 1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 102,255 | — |
| 1980 | 111,825 | +9.4% |
| 1990 | 89,779 | −19.7% |
| 2000 | 54,196 | −39.6% |
| 2010 | 51,558 | −4.9% |
| 2020 | 41,494 | −19.5% |
| Source: Korean Statistical Information Service | ||
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. Other attractions include Taebaek Coal Museum, Taebaek Paleozoic Museum, and 365 Safe Town. Gumunso is a famous natural landmark in Taebaek.
Transport
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
