Chinhae

Chinhae, also spelled Jinhae, former city, on Chinhae Bay, South Kyŏngsang (Gyeongsang) do (province), southern South Korea, now a district of Ch’angwŏn city. Its picturesque natural harbour is protected by Kŏje (Geoje) Island and Kosŏng (Goseong) Peninsula. During the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05) the Japanese navy used it as a base of operation, and it has since been developed into a naval port. In 2010 Chinhae, Ch’angwŏn, and the neighbouring city of Masan were redesignated as districts and joined administratively to create the unified city of Ch’angwŏn. The headquarters of the South Korean navy and the South Korean Naval Academy are located in Chinhae. Because of its scenic beauty and its cherry blossoms, it has also developed as a tourist centre. Pop. (2010) Ch’angwŏn (including Masan and Chinhae), 1,058,021.