Yeongnam

Yeongnam (영남) is a traditional geographic and cultural region of the Korean peninsula in the southeast. In modern terms it roughly corresponds to North Gyeongsang Province and South Gyeongsang Province, and commonly includes the metropolitan cities of Busan, Daegu, and Ulsan. The term Yeongnam has been used since early modern times to distinguish the southeastern region from Honam in the southwest; its exact boundaries have varied by era and context, but it is widely understood to denote the southeastern portion of the country.

Historically, Yeongnam has been a center of Confucian scholarship and political life, particularly during the Joseon dynasty. The region was home to many seowon (private academies) and produced a large number of scholars and officials, contributing to a strong literary and educational tradition. The area is associated with the Gyeongsang dialect, a distinct variant of Korean, and with regional cultural practices that differed from those in Honam, sometimes fueling interregional rivalries in literature and politics.

Geographically, Yeongnam includes coastal zones along the Korea Strait as well as inland mountains and the Nakdong River basin. Its economy today is diverse: Busan serves as a major port and logistics hub; Daegu is an industrial and economic center; Ulsan hosts large-scale manufacturing and shipbuilding. Rural areas in North and South Gyeongsang contribute agriculture and energy resources. The term remains in contemporary usage mainly as a cultural-historical designation.