“Traces of the Universe from 50,000 Years Ago”… Hapcheon County Prepares to Scale Up as a National Geopark

On March 10, Hapcheon County in South Gyeongsang Province held the "Hapcheon Meteorite Crater Geopark Committee Appointment Ceremony" and the "Interim Report Meeting on the Feasibility and Basic Academic Research for Hapcheon National Geopark and Certification Application Service" in the small conference room on the second floor of the county office.

The event was attended by about 25 people, including Kim Yuncheol, Mayor of Hapcheon County, Lee Jongcheol, Chair of the County Council’s Industry and Construction Committee, Jang Jaehyeok, Deputy Mayor, Park Minjwa, Director of Economic and Cultural Affairs, and members of the Geopark Committee. The event was organized to establish a professional advisory system for certifying Hapcheon County, which holds the first meteorite crater in the Korean Peninsula, as a national geopark, and to closely review the progress of the project ahead of applying for candidate site status.

Hapcheon County Preparing to Leap as a National Geopark Showcasing the Mysteries of the Universe from 50,000 Years Ago - Geopark Committee Appointment Ceremony and Interim Report Meeting on National Geopark Certification Application On Site Photo

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During the first part, the appointment ceremony, letters of appointment were presented to the appointed members of the "Hapcheon Meteorite Crater Geopark Committee," which is comprised of experts in geology, tourism, and history, as well as county council members, public officials, and local resident representatives. The committee, chaired by the Deputy Mayor of Hapcheon, will deliberate on and provide advice regarding major matters related to the pursuit of national geopark certification.

In the second part, the interim report meeting, the commissioned research organization reported on the current status of discovering and evaluating 12 geological sites-including the Hapcheon Meteorite Crater, the key to the national geopark candidate application-as well as the results of their value assessment and the future schedule. Detailed directions for preparing for the national geopark certification process were also discussed.

Kim Yuncheol, Mayor of Hapcheon County, stated, "The Hapcheon Meteorite Crater is a unique treasure on the Korean Peninsula, with cosmic traces perfectly preserved," adding, "We will focus all our capabilities not only on achieving national geopark status, which will serve as a foundation for Hapcheon’s geological heritage to reach the world, but also on smoothly attaining UNESCO Global Geopark certification."

Meanwhile, Hapcheon County has completed the basic academic survey of 12 geological sites, including the Hapcheon Meteorite Crater, Gaya Stream granodiorite and dike complex, Hongryudong Valley, Baeti Shale Cave, Odosan Observatory and Juchum Rock, and the unconformity of the Gaho-ri Nakdong Formation. After a final review, the county plans to submit the national geopark candidate site application to the South Gyeongsang provincial government, which will then forward it to the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment by the end of March. The final selection of candidate sites is expected to be determined after a document review and deliberation by the Geopark Committee.

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