The Mystery of 4,500 Years Preserved in Time... Inje's 'Daamsan Yongneup' Reopens

Inje County Resumes Tours from the 16th
Open Until the End of October
Korea's First Ramsar Wetland
A Paradise for Rare Northern Flora and Fauna
Two Trail Options: Seohung-ri and Gaari
Tours Operate on a 100% Advance Reservation Basis

The place where the sky meets the earth, home to 4,500 years of history, the "first wetland under the sky," is reopening its doors. On May 15, Inje County in Gangwon Province announced that it will resume and fully operate ecological tours of Daamsan Yongneup, the only high moor in Korea, starting on the 16th.

Daamsan Yongneup. Courtesy of Inje County

Located near the summit of Daamsan at an elevation of 1,280 meters, Yongneup was the very first wetland registered by South Korea after joining the Ramsar Convention in 1997. Estimated to have formed between 4,000 and 4,500 years ago, this site is of immense academic value due to the presence of a "peat layer" created over millennia by the accumulation of undecayed plants.

In particular, it is a cradle of biodiversity. The area is home to 343 species of plants, including northern and rare species, as well as 303 species of animals, showcasing the vitality of nature. Recognizing its value, the government designated this area as a wetland protected site in 1999 and has managed it with strict oversight ever since.

The ecological tours of Daamsan Yongneup in Inje, the first Ramsar wetland in Korea and the country's only high moor, will resume on the 16th and operate until October 31.

The site’s extensive native wetland flora gives it exceptionally high academic value, and to ensure ecosystem conservation, only a limited number of visitors are allowed to experience its wonders during a specific period each year.

Daamsan Yongneup. Provided by Inje-gun

The tour routes are divided into the Seohung-ri Trail and the Gaari Trail.

The Seohung-ri Trail begins at the Daamsan Yongneup Visitor Center and covers a 5-kilometer section on foot. The round trip takes about 5 hours, and up to 120 people can apply per day.

The Gaari Trail starts from the visitor information center located at San 1, Gaari, Inje-eup. Visitors travel 14 kilometers by vehicle to the entrance of Yongneup and then proceed on foot. This round trip takes about 3 hours, with a daily limit of 30 visitors.

To protect the ecosystem, all Yongneup tours operate strictly on a 100% advance reservation basis. Reservations must be made through the Daamsan Yongneup website of Inje County at least ten days before the desired tour date.

Daamsan Yongneup. Provided by Inje County

Seo Bonghee, Chief of the Environmental Protection Division, stated, "Daamsan Yongneup is a rare ecological asset even on a global scale, so our focus is on thorough conservation and management. We hope the resumption of tours will give many people the opportunity to experience the wonders of nature and appreciate the importance of ecological preservation together."

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