Jangsu Beef and Apples · Photo: lazy fri13th / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
KoreaNorth Jeolla · JangsuJangsu Beef and Apples: Hongro Apples and Hanwoo From a Highland County
Jangsu County, in the mountains of eastern Jeonbuk, sits on a plateau averaging over 500 m above sea level. Its two signature foods are firm Hongro apples grown in wide day-night temperature swings and Jangsu Hanwoo beef raised on forage. Here is the story of both, from apple-tree adoption to the autumn festival and when to taste them at their best.
A Highland County Averaging 500 Meters Up
Jangsu County, in the mountains of eastern Jeonbuk, is about 78% mountain and is described as a plateau with an average elevation above 500 m. Summers are relatively cool and dry, and the gap between day and night temperatures is wide. In a 2013 Seoul Shinmun travel story, a local guide even said Jangsu had never recorded a tropical night since observations began. That wide temperature swing is credited for the quality of Jangsu's produce. Sugars made during the day are used up less on cool nights, so fruit becomes firm and sweet, and forage crops grow well too. The county markets its apples, beef, omija berries and tomatoes together as red food, and the two biggest names among them are apples and Hanwoo beef.
Hongro Country: Apples at Their Best Around Chuseok
Jangsu's signature apple is the Hongro variety. According to a 2024 report, Jangsu has the largest Hongro acreage in Korea, around 500 hectares. Hongro ripens between the early and mid-season varieties, so in a normal year it is ready around Chuseok, the autumn harvest holiday, and it is a favorite gift apple. Thanks to the temperature swings, the flesh is known for being firm and crisp. Jangsu wasn't always famous for apples. A 1999 Seoul Shinmun article put the county's orchards at 375 hectares, just over 1% of the national total, and noted that the county had been running an experimental orchard in Gaejeong-ri, Jangsu-eup, since 1996 to raise quality. It then built up production around Hongro and earned its current reputation. Hongro does not store well, so the best time to buy is in season, around September.
Apple Trees Owned by City Dwellers
Jangsu apples came with a fun twist. According to a 2010 Kyunghyang Shinmun article, the county let city residents adopt an apple tree. For 100,000 won, a tree was yours for a year, while the county and farmers looked after it. From 2003 to 2009, more than 21,000 trees were adopted, across Hongro and several other varieties. Owners could follow their tree from blossom to fruit, then visit the orchard in autumn to pick their own apples. In 2013, the Seoul Shinmun reported that thousands of visitors came to pick apples during the September-October harvest. Programs and prices can change from year to year, so check Jangsu County's latest information if you are interested. An orchard visit is one of the most memorable ways to experience Jangsu.
Jangsu Hanwoo: Cattle Raised on Highland Forage
Jangsu's other pride is Hanwoo, Korea's native beef cattle. According to press reports, Jangsu Hanwoo are fed forage grown on highlands over 400 m. The county also produces its own forage-crop seed to make its hay and silage. A 2013 article noted that Jangsu was raising more than 32,000 head of cattle, more than its human population. The brand rules are strict, too. According to a 2022 Jeonbuk Ilbo report, only steers graded 1+ or higher, raised for about 30 months on the county's own total mixed ration (TMR) feed, may carry the Jangsu Hanwoo label. In 2024, a "low-carbon Jangsu Hanwoo" industry belt aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions was chosen as one of the province's leading agri-bio projects. In short, the county has turned its clean highland setting into a brand.
The Autumn Festival and Tasting Tips
The best time to enjoy both apples and beef is the Jangsu Hanwoo and Apple Festival, held around September in Jangsu-eup. First held in 2007, it reached its 20th edition in September 2026 (in 2024 alone it ran under the name Red Food Festival). Centered on the Uiam Park area, it has featured Hanwoo and local produce sales, apple games such as "apple fishing," and cooking programs. Dates change every year, so check before you go. For beef, the usual approach is to pick your cut at a butcher-restaurant in Jangsu-eup and grill it at your table. Highland-raised Jangsu beef is often praised as juicy and tender, so first-timers should try sirloin or tenderloin with just a touch of salt. A fresh Hongro apple makes the perfect dessert. Near the festival grounds are Uiam Lake and a shrine honoring Nongae, a heroine of the 1590s Japanese invasions, and her birthplace in Juchon Village, Janggye-myeon, is worth a visit too.