[Photo from visitkorea.or.kr]

Yongdusan Park, one of the most popular mountains in Busan

Yongdusan in downtown Busan, is one of the 3 well-known mountains in Busan. Its old name is Songhyunsan, which means "a mountain has a view of the sea through the dense fine tree forest." Later the name was changed into Yongdusan,based on its shape, which is similar to a dragon's head. In the past, people thought it has a spirit to defeat enemies coming over the sea.

On the mountain where shrines built by Japanese people during the Japanese colonial rule once stood, now stands Cheokhwabi monument (the stone monument to the exclusion of foreigners from the country), Chunghontap (memorial tower for Korean war victims), 4.19 Revolution monument (the student's anti-government revolt), the statue of General Lee Sunsin(the great commander in Joseon Dynasty period(1392-1910)) and Busan tower.

During the Korea war, displaced people built houses on this mountain,reaching even its highest peak. However 2 large scale fires took them all away, making it bald mountain. Since then, fierce efforts to plant trees have once again created a beautiful park in the place of ashes. The name of the park was once Unam park in the time of the Liberal Party’s ruling but it went back to Yungdosan park after April revolution (1960). It is a place with beautiful scenery. The night landscape from Busan tower is especially magnificent.