In China, "Pay 1,800 won more to take a life shot at Baekdusan Cheonji"

Controversy on Chinese SNS over 'Additional Charges'
"A Trick to Raise Fees" Sparks Flood of Criticism
"Due to Transfer of Observatory Operation Rights to Another Company"

China's announcement to charge additional fees to tourists climbing the observation deck at the summit of Baekdu Mountain (known as Changbai Mountain in China) has sparked criticism.

A view of Cheonji Lake from the northern slope of Baekdu Mountain. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Yonhap News on the 7th, the hashtag 'Paid Viewing Spots at Baekdu Mountain' ranked high on the real-time search list on the Chinese portal site Baidu.

This was because a post by a Chinese netizen on social media the previous day rapidly spread online.

The netizen stated, "When I tried to go up the Baekdu Mountain North Slope course to the observation deck with the best view of Heaven Lake, I was asked to pay a fee of 10 yuan (about 1,800 won). The cost for taking a Polaroid photo with Heaven Lake in the background was 30 yuan (about 5,500 won)," they reported.

They added, "I had already paid 225 yuan (about 41,000 won) for the entrance fee and shuttle bus, so being asked to pay an additional fee was absurd."

Other Chinese netizens also expressed outrage. They said, "The reason for going to Baekdu Mountain is to climb to the summit and see Heaven Lake, so charging extra for spots with good views is a trick to raise fees," and "Famous tourist sites have withdrawn such overcharging due to public criticism. The authorities should step in and correct the additional fee collection at the Baekdu Mountain observation deck."

Notice of Fee Collection at the Observatory with Excellent Panoramic Views of Cheonji.
[Photo by Hongseong Newspaper]

In response, the Baekdu Mountain Management Office told the local media Hongxing News, "The operation rights for the observation deck with the good view have been transferred to another company," and "To access this observation deck, you need to coordinate with that company."

They also explained, "This observation deck is only a very small part of the Baekdu Mountain summit," and "Except for this spot, visitors are free to go anywhere else."

Baekdu Mountain is one of China's 'Top 50 Tourist Attractions' and is a famous tourist destination in China. The hiking courses to the summit include the North Slope, West Slope, and South Slope, with the North Slope being the most popular course where visitors can see the Changbai Waterfall.

Due to strict quarantine controls amid the COVID-19 outbreak last year, the number of visitors was limited to 700,000. However, this year, over 1 million people have visited as tourists flocked to escape the record-breaking heatwave in China this summer and to enjoy Baekdu Mountain's outstanding natural scenery.

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