900-Year-Old Ginkgo That Saved a Loyal Goryeo Official Designated a Natural Monument

Cheongju Apgaksu: "Outstanding Historical and Scenic Value"
Known for the tale of saving Lee Saek and others during a flood

The 900-year-old ginkgo tree said to have saved the life of the great late-Goryeo scholar Mok Eun Lee Saek will now be protected by the state.

The Korea Heritage Service announced on February 12 that it has designated the “Cheongju Apgaksu (鴨脚樹)” located in Jungang Park in Sangdang District, Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province (the former site of the Cheongju government office) as a state-designated natural heritage Natural Monument.

Displaying a majestic appearance with a height of 20.5 meters and a girth of 8.5 meters at chest height, this tree is an old giant tree estimated to be about 900 years old. The unique name Apgaksu is a long-used nickname, given because the shape of its leaves resembles a duck’s webbed feet.

This tree is more than a simple natural object; it adorns a page of Korea’s turbulent history. According to old documents such as the “Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam” and the “Goryeosa Jeolyo,” a great flood occurred in the second year of King Gongyang of Goryeo (1390), submerging the Cheongju fortress. At the time, Lee Saek and Gwon Geun, who had been falsely accused and imprisoned in Cheongju, escaped harm by climbing up the Apgaksu as the water rose. Upon hearing this, King Gongyang ordered their release, saying, “Their survival is proof from Heaven that they are innocent.” In this way, a single tree saved the lives of leading scholars of the time and altered the course of history.

The Apgaksu has long been regarded as a local landmark and sacred symbol, to the extent that its location is clearly marked on the late-Joseon-period map “Cheongju Eupseongdo.” An official from the Korea Heritage Service said, “In addition to its biological value, having endured 900 years, its value in the humanities is also immense,” adding, “In cooperation with the city of Cheongju, we will systematically preserve and manage this historically rich natural heritage.”

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