Korea National Park Service Conducts Safety Inspections at 543 Rockfall Hazard Sites in National Parks Nationwide

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The Korea National Park Service will conduct safety inspections targeting 543 rockfall risk zones across national parks nationwide starting mid-month to prevent accidents during the spring thaw season.

The inspection targets include 488 steep slope areas and 55 rugged mountain peaks located along 607 trail sections (1,998 km) in 21 national parks such as Jirisan and Seoraksan.

Particular attention will be paid to checking for abnormalities in structures installed on trails, such as rockfall prevention facilities and safety railings. Cracks in rocks and loose stones caused by the freezing and thawing process of moisture will also be closely examined.

For areas deemed dangerous through the inspection, the Korea National Park Service plans to artificially remove rocks in cooperation with fire stations and mountaineering clubs, and if necessary, restrict trail access or install safety facilities.

Rockfalls during the thaw season mainly occur naturally when snow and ice melt or when it rains, and once an accident happens, it can lead to major incidents such as casualties and facility collapses.

In the past five years, a total of 23 rockfall accidents have occurred in national parks during the spring thaw period (February to April). In February this year, a rockfall occurred at the lower part of Birobong Peak in Chiaksan, damaging some trail facilities.

Since 2013, the Korea National Park Service has installed 570 rockfall monitoring systems capable of automatically measuring rock displacement at 152 locations in national parks to observe in real time and prevent rockfall accidents.

Lee Seung-chan, Director of Disaster Safety at the Korea National Park Service, said, "When hiking during the thaw season, it is necessary to always carefully observe your surroundings and quickly pass through dangerous areas, exercising personal caution." He added, "We hope visitors install the 'National Park Hiking Information App' on their smartphones, which allows GPS-based emergency requests when exploring national parks."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.