Guri

Guri is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The name "Guri" is thought by some to mean "nine villages," which is reflected in the Hanja (Chinese characters; gu - nine; village - ri/li) for the town. It is located immediately to the east of Seoul, in the heart of the Capital Metropolitan Area.

The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (dong-gu-reung) are located in the city. The low mountain of Achasan is also located here, site of the Baekje-era Acha Mountain Fortress and numerous hiking trails. It also has pleasant walking paths along Wang-suk-cheon, a small creek separating Guri from Namyangju. The traditional town market in Toldari (Guri's downtown around what used to be a "stone bridge") provides a cheap alternative to department stores.

Guri first became a separate city in 1986. Previously, it had been considered part of Yangju from antiquity until 1980, and part of Namyangju from 1980 to 1986. The name "Guri" was first used in 1914, at which time it was a myeon in Yangju. Guri is connected to Seoul via a commuter railway (Jungang Line), as well as numerous city transit and intercity buses.