Homigot Sunrise Square (Pohang)

 museum, square

Homigot is the location of the easternmost point of the Korean peninsula, in what is said to be the "tail of the tiger", based on Korean peninsulas' geography. When Kim Jeongho made the Daedongyeojido Map, he visited this place seven times to confirm this area is in fact the easternmost part of Korea. According to the references of the Korean Astronomy and Space Science Institute, the time of sunrise at Homigot is at 7:32AM New Years Day, making it the point of the earliest sunrise in Korea.

The Homigot Sunrise Festival was held here for the first time during the period from December 31, 1999 to January 1, 2000 as a national festival. There are also other spots of interests including Homigot Lighthouse established in 1908, Korea’s largest Lighthouse Museum, Monument to Commemorate Lee Yuk-sa’s Patriotism, and Daebo Seawater Bath using pure seawater of Donghae (East Sea).

Sunrise Plaza was the venue for the nationally designated sunrise festival in 2000 and 2001, and a sunrise festival is now held annually in the area. When completed, the Homigot Tourism Complex and Homigot Ocean Leisure Complex will be the largest tourism complex on the eastern coastal district with facilities that will include an ocean aquarium, Ocean Ecological Park, Youth Training Culture Facilities, beach dome, and accommodations like a tourism hotel, condominium, as well as other various shops and stores.

The most popular sight in Pohang Homigot Square is Sangsaeng’s Hands, known as the "Hands of Harmony", erected in 1999. The hands are a two-part bronze sculpture in the form of a pair of outstretched hands, palms opening to each other. The hands are the signature symbol of the sunrise festival. The left hand is on land while the right hand is in the ocean, imparting the message that all people must live together by helping one another; Sangsaeng, meaning to coexist in harmony, in Korean. The base of the land platform is an image of the sun and its two round rings refer to harmony. The Three Eyes of the Millennium in front of the left hand "store" fire from three different places.