Pohang

Pohang, city and port, North Gyeongsang do (province), eastern South Korea. A fishing and shipping port, it lies on the eastern side of Yeongil Gulf, about 50 miles (80 km) east-northeast of Daegu, the provincial capital. Formerly a small village, it began to develop after 1930 with the construction of a modern harbor by reclamation of the shoreline and diversion of the Hyeongsan River to the south of the city. The surrounding plains produce various agricultural products, and the sea provides good fishing grounds. The city is at the intersection of rail and shipping lines. Traditional industries include wine and brandy making. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, heavy industry, including iron and steel production and shipbuilding, came to dominate the local economy, and POSCO (formerly Pohang Iron and Steel Company) became one of the world’s largest steelmakers. Pop. (2020) 501,109.