It is located in the northwest end of Jeollabuk-do and borders Nonsan-si and Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, bordering the Geumgang River to the north.
Historically, it was Baekje's territory and was also the birthplace of Seodong, the 30th king of Baekje. The Iksan Seodong Festival is held every year from late September to early October under the theme of cross-border love between Seodong and Princess Seonhwa of Silla.
A representative tourist attraction in Iksan is Mireuksa Temple Site, one of the largest temples in the Baekje period. Currently, there is one stone pagoda built by King Mu in the 7th century and one restored stone pagoda left at the temple site. Mireuksaji Stone Pagoda, 14.24m high, is known as the best and largest stone pagoda in Korea and is designated as a national treasure.
And in July 2015, Iksan Mireuksa Temple Site and Wanggung-ri ruins were registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites among the Baekje Historical Heritage Sites.
