This region is served by the Korean National Railroad, and is famous for its annual cherry blossom festival every spring.

The city's economy is primarily dependent on the Republic of Korea Navy personnel and their families or employees of the ROKN shipyard and base facilities.

Each spring over a million Koreans and other visitors crowd into the town to view the cherry blossoms and to see the street performers, carnival stalls and street lighting as well as the military parades which commemorate the victory of Admiral Yi Sun Shin over a Japanese invasion attempt[1] In April, the cherry blossoms start to bloom in the south of the Korean peninsula and the cherry blossom festivals begin to be held throughout the country, while displaying a strong regional flavor.

(Suh, 2002) "Cherry blossom festivals are presented at some ten locations in Korea including Jinhae, Gyeongju, Gunsan, Yeongam, and Yoido in Seoul, which annually attract millions of visitors.

In Hadong, Gyeongsangnam-do province, a cherry blossom festival is staged in the area between the Hwagae marketplace and Ssangyesa Temple.

Two of the best places to view the cherry blossoms are Yeojwacheon stream (여좌천) and Gyeonghwa train station (경화역 벚꽃길).

It is a smaller festival but it is worth taking the time to appreciate the brilliant Cornelian cherry flowers decorating the fields in the morning.

The Sangwi village is usually crowded as a marketplace with its Cornelian cherry flowers still in full bloom, due to the many tourists who come to drink the sap from acer mono.