The Most Popular National Park is 'Bukhansan'... Gyeryongsan Sutonggol Trail Ranks First

As the hot winds that blew in the mornings and evenings subsided after Cheoseo, on August 28 last year, the Seoul sky was dyed in a rare blue autumn hue. Citizens who visited Sky Park in Sangam-dong are looking toward Bukhansan. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

Last year, the most visited national park by explorers was Bukhansan, with an estimated 7 million visitors.

On the 13th, the Korea National Park Service announced that the total number of visitors to 22 national parks nationwide, excluding Palgongsan, reached 40.65 million last year. The park with the highest number of visitors was Bukhansan. Approximately 17.2% of the total visitors to the 22 national parks, or 7 million people, visited this park. Its proximity?within an hour from Seoul and northern Gyeonggi Province?and the availability of various trails suitable for beginners to experienced hikers contributed to its popularity.

The number of visitors to national parks reached 43.18 million in 2019 but dropped to 35.27 million in 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19. Since then, the numbers have gradually increased, reaching 38.79 million in 2022 and 39.45 million in 2023. Notably, the number of visitors to Odaesan National Park increased significantly. Odaesan saw a 32.6% increase from the previous year, with 1.65 million visitors.

Visits to temples within national parks are also on the rise. The abolition of cultural heritage admission fees in May 2023 is analyzed to have had a positive effect. Woljeongsa, a famous site in Odaesan, recorded 1.47 million visitors, an increase of 400,000 compared to the previous year. Baekyangsa in Naejangsan and Beopjusa in Songnisan also saw increases of 280,000 and 120,000 visitors respectively compared to the previous year.

Among the trails, the Sutonggol section of Gyeryongsan attracted 1.15 million visitors, making it the most popular. The Sutonggol section is known for its gentle slopes and scenic views of valleys and forests.

The Korea National Park Service explained that over the past year, it expanded 62 exploration facilities including barrier-free trails, natural campgrounds, and experiential learning centers, which were used by 9.7 million people. This year, they plan to complete seven exploration facilities including the barrier-free trail at Deogyusan, the ecological exploration center at Gyeryongsan, and forest experience facilities, as well as offer programs such as the National Park-style Neulbom School and forest prenatal travel for pregnant women.

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