Forest Service Partially Opens Natural Recreation Forests and Arboretums

Entrance view photo of the Native Plant Garden at National Yumyeongsan Natural Recreation Forest. Photo by Korea Forest Service

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Forest recreation facilities such as national natural recreation forests and arboretums, which had been closed due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), will be partially reopened in line with the government's shift in quarantine policies.

The Korea Forest Service announced on the 6th that, following the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters' transition to a "distancing in daily life" COVID-19 quarantine system starting from the 6th, it has prepared detailed guidelines for national forest multi-use facilities that had been suspended due to COVID-19 and will resume limited operations.

The partially reopened facilities include natural recreation forests, arboretums, indoor exhibition halls and experience centers, Inje Jumbongsan (Gombaeryeong), Baekdudaegan, and all national forest multi-use facilities and spaces such as trails and forest paths within forest protection zones.

The Korea Forest Service plans to proceed with reopening after a necessary period for facility and service reservations according to the operating and managing institutions of each facility.

However, considering the risk level of each facility, the operation will be limited to independent small-scale facilities accommodating fewer than 10 people, such as lodging facilities and forest campsites within natural recreation forests, and forest interpretation and forest healing programs will be limited to participation by fewer than 20 people.

Additionally, facility users must comply with the five personal quarantine rules and four supplementary rules announced by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, as well as hygiene rules and behavioral guidelines specific to each facility.

Further detailed information regarding the opening schedule can be found on the bulletin boards of each facility's website.

A Korea Forest Service official stated, "Depending on the opening schedule of national forest multi-use facilities and spaces, we will encourage local governments and private operators to gradually open their facilities as well."

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