GYERYONG, South Chungcheong - Sindoan District, a small northern part of the city of Gyeryong, has one of the country s most unique backgrounds. With approximately 8,500 residents, the population almost entirely consists of soldiers on duty at Gyeryongdae - the joint headquarters for the country s Army, Navy and Air Force - and their families. With Gyeryongdae situated inside the district, Sindoan is its own little community, with public schools for children, supermarkets, churches and outdoor golf courses. The district is also surrounded by a series of high mountains, a grand snow-covered rocky backdrop for locals in late December and a feature that gives the military base a geographical advantage as a shield against airstrikes.