Naju

• In the Later Three Kingdoms period of Korean history, Wang Geon (later Taejo of Goryeo Dynasty) occupied the Naju area, which was then part of Later Baekje Kingdom and came to become large base of his political support. He also married the daughter of the Magistrate of Naju, Lady Janghwa, who became the mother of Goryeo's second King Hyejong of Goryeo. • In 1986, the governmental name was changed from Geumseong to Naju. • In 1995, Naju was expanded to include Naju county. ==Products==

A well-known local product is the Naju pear, which has long been cultivated along the Yeongsan River. Naju pears and Oriental melons are popular as gifts for Lunar New Year and other holidays. ==Innovation city==

Naju was designated an and the opening ceremony for city construction was held on November 8, 2007. President Roh participated in the opening events. As the city won the title of "Innovation City", several public organizations have relocated to here from Seoul. Start of the construction was 4th in line after Jeju, Gimcheon and Jinju. The organizations that were the targeted for moving are: Energy • Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) • (KEPCO KPS) • (KEPCO KDN) • Korea Power Exchange (KPX) IT & Communications • (KPIC) • Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) • (RRA) • (KCA) Agriculture • (KRC) • (aT) • (KREI) • (ATI) • (IPET) Culture & Others • (ARKO) • Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) • (TP) The new city is set to be in area with the grand plan of developing it into a cultural center in the southwestern economy. Near the Innovation City is the Naju Pear Museum and Pear Orchard for Tourists (), which is dedicated to the Asian pear; all of its displays are in Korean. ==Notable people==

• Jin Hyeon Ju (Stage Name Belle) - member of K-Pop group Cignature and leader of UNIS • Yumi Hogan - former First Lady of Maryland ==Symbols==

• Flower: Pear blossoms • Bird: Dove • Tree: Ginkgo Tree ==Festivals==

• Naju Pear Blossom Festival in April • Naju Rapeseed Festival in May • Naju Yeongsanpo Skate Festival in May ==International relations==

Twin towns and sister cities Naju is twinned with: • Kurayoshi, Tottori, Japan • Wenatchee, Washington, United States • Isaac, Queensland, Australia • Nanchang, Jiangxi, China (since 2007) ==Culture==

The drama Jumong was filmed in Naju. An amusement park called 'Samhanji Theme Park' was used for the film set because of its traditional sceneries. The 2021 drama Nevertheless also had scenes filmed in Naju. ==See also==