Busan City Promotes 'Busan National Geopark' with Famous YouTubers 'GwakTube'

UNESCO World Geopark Certification On-site Evaluation Scheduled for This August

Location map and status of geological sites in Busan City striving for UNESCO Global Geopark certification.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] Busan City is teaming up with famous travel YouTuber from Busan, ‘GwakTube’ (real name Gwak Junbin), to promote the ‘Busan National Geopark,’ a representative natural attraction encompassing rivers, mountains, and the sea in Busan.

The National Geopark is a park certified by the Minister of Environment under the ‘Natural Parks Act,’ recognized for its high geoscientific value and excellent scenery. Busan has 12 geological sites across 14 autonomous districts, covering an area of 296.98 km² (287.99 km² on land and 9.10 km² at sea).

Since receiving certification as a National Geopark in 2013, the city has operated geological park interpretation programs at four locations?Taejongdae, Igidae, Geumjeongsan, and Gusangbanryeoam?and actively promoted the Busan National Geopark by collaborating with local representative projects within the geopark, such as the Songdo Marine Cable Car and Geumjeongsanseong Makgeolli.

This promotional video, featuring a famous local YouTuber personally visiting and introducing the Busan National Geopark, is expected to widely publicize the charm of an urban-type geopark and stimulate citizens’ interest in the geopark.

The video shows GwakTube walking along Oryukdo and Igidae, the representative geological sites of the Busan National Geopark, striving to introduce the coastal scenery that preserves the beauty of the marine city Busan. It also captures moments of direct communication with fans at various locations on site.

GwakTube expressed admiration for the beauty of the Busan National Geopark, saying, “Busan is my hometown, but I’ve never seen a place like this before,” and added, “I have traveled extensively around the world, but Busan’s geopark holds beauty comparable to famous travel destinations.” The video can be viewed on Busan City’s official YouTube channel, ‘Bussan News.’

Last September, the city submitted an application to have 20 sites across 1 river, 3 mountains, and 7 major zones, including the Busan National Geopark, certified as a UNESCO Global Geopark, with an on-site evaluation scheduled for August this year. In South Korea, Jeju was first certified in 2010, followed by Cheongsong (2017), Mudeungsan (2018), and the Hantangang UNESCO Global Geopark was designated in 2020.

The city plans to strive for UNESCO Global Geopark certification to establish Busan’s natural attractions as world-class destinations.

The 20 Busan sites striving for UNESCO Global Geopark certification include Nulchado, Nakdonggang Estuary, Dadaepo Beach, Molundae, Dusong Peninsula, Dudo, Amnam Park, Songdo Peninsula, Taejongdae, Jodo, Oryukdo, Igidae, Haeundae, Songjeong Pseudotachylite, Yonggungsa, Orangdae, Jangsan, Geumjeongsan, Baekyangsan, and Gusangbanryeoam.

Lee Geunhee, Director of the Green Environment Policy Office of Busan City, stated, “We will develop various tourism resources by linking diverse tourist content such as natural monuments and scenic spots within Busan’s geological sites,” and added, “We ask for citizens’ great interest and support for the UNESCO Global Geopark certification.”

GwakTube runs the travel-themed YouTube channel GwakTube with over 820,000 subscribers and has recently expanded activities into various entertainment fields as a popular YouTuber.

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