Jeonju Hanok Village in North Jeolla Province and Joan in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province have officially been named "slow" cities, bringing the number of such cities in Korea to eight. They were approved at a Cittaslow International meeting in Perth, Scotland, on Saturday (local time).

Jeonju Hanok Village, the largest of its kind in the country, has 4,000 residents in some 700 traditional Korean houses. It earned high scores as the origin of bibimbap or rice with an assortment of vegetables and beef, traditional Korean paper, paper craft, pansori epic chant and the percussion performing art of pungmunori.

Joan, which is located in a designated drinking water protection area, is an ecological town with lush greenery, clean air, water and land.

"Slow" -- as opposed to fast -- cities commit to preserving the natural environment, and traditional food production and ways of life, while pursuing sustainable development. Sinan, Wando, Jangheung, and Damyang in South Jeolla Province became Asia's first slow cities in 2007, while Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province and Yesan, South Chungcheong Province, were added last year. Slow cities are subject to evaluation every four years.