It is located in the northwestern tip of Jeollabuk-do, and borders Nonsan City and Buyeo County in South Chungcheong-do to the north, across the Geumgang River.
Historically, it was the land of Baekje and the birthplace of Seodong, the 30th king of Baekje, King Mu. The Iksan Seodong Festival is held every year from late September to early October, with the theme of the love between Seodong and Princess Seonhwa of Silla that transcended national borders.
Among the tourist attractions is Mireuksa Temple, said to be the largest temple in Baekje. Currently, only remnants remain of the temple, and no buildings remain. However, a stone pagoda said to have been built by King Mu in the 7th century remains. The 14.24m-tall stone pagoda is said to be the oldest and largest stone pagoda in Korea and is designated as a national treasure. In July 2015, the Mireuksa Temple Site in Iksan and the Wanggung-ri Archaeological Site were registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of the Baekje Historical Heritage Area.
