CHINJU

city, Kyongsang-nam do (province), southern South Korea. It is situated along the Nam River, a tributary of the Naktong River, west of Pusan. It was the centre of local administration beginning in the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC), under various names, and during 1895-1925 it was the capital of the province. Chinju is a transportation junction connecting the surrounding provinces and is the economic and cultural centre of the western counties of Kyongsang-nam province. Chinju Agricultural College is located there. It has developed rapidly with the completion of the Nam-ch'on multipurpose dam in 1968. A national park encompassing Mount Chiri (6,283 feet ) and the surrounding area is northwest of the city. As an old city, Chinju has many historical remains. Pop. (1990 prelim.) 258,365.