Cheongju
Cheongju's most significant historical claim is the Jikji, a Buddhist text printed in Cheongju in 1377 using movable metal type - the oldest such printed book known to survive anywhere in the world, predating Gutenberg's press by decades, though the original copy is held at the National Library of France rather than in Korea. The Cheongju Early Printing Museum, built on the excavated site of the temple where it was produced, is the city's main cultural attraction and the reason most visitors come.
Beyond that, Cheongju is a mid-sized provincial capital without a dense list of must-see sights - Sangdangsanseong, a stone mountain fortress on the city's outskirts, offers a pleasant walk and a view over the city, but Cheongju functions more as a regional administrative and educational center than a tourist destination, and most visitors treat it as a focused day trip around the printing museum.
Cheongju FAQs
The Jikji, the world's oldest surviving book printed with movable metal type, produced here in 1377, predating Gutenberg's press.
Mostly by intercity bus from Seoul (about 1.5-2 hours); the nearest KTX station, Osong, requires a local bus transfer into downtown.
No, the original is held at the National Library of France; Cheongju's Early Printing Museum covers its history and printing techniques on the site where it was produced.
Yes, the Early Printing Museum and Sangdangsanseong Fortress can both be covered in a focused day trip.
Yes, Mondays.
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