[Graphic News] Palgongsan designated as 23rd national park

Palgongsan, a 1,193 meter-high mountain straddling the border between the southeastern city of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, was granted national park status, becoming Korea’s 23rd national park on May 23. The Ministry of Environment approved the designation in a meeting of its national park committee, two years after the city of Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province made the recommendation. It marks the first designation of a national park in seven years after Taebaeksan, spanning th

June 30, 2023

[One with Nature] Escape summer heat deep in the valley at Mureunggyegok

DONGHAE, Gangwon Province -- Before “hocance” -- a one- or two-night luxury hotel stay -- took hold, many Koreans made their summer getaways at valleys. Air-conditioning and megasize swimming pools are no match for the cool wind blowing through the valley and soothing sounds of the bubbling stream. Mureunggyegok, or Mureung Valley, is known as a paradise -- lying between Dutasan and Cheongoksan -- where the gods used to live in Korean folklore. A light stroll from the entrance leads

June 24, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Korean Folk Village Evening Festival, Yongin The Korean Folk Village Evening Festival is held on Fridays, weekends and public holidays to showcase the unique charm of hanok, a traditional Korean house, at the Korean Folk Village in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Featuring multimedia performances, a night parade, a haunted house walk-through experience and special photo zones, the festival will entertain visitors through a wide range of programs. The festival, which started April 7, will run through

June 23, 2023

[Graphic News] Over 6m enjoy ‘temple stay’ programs for past 2 decades

　Over 6 million have participated in temple-life experience programs over the past decades, with foreigners accounting for 11 percent of the total, data showed. 　According to data compiled by Rep. Song Eon-seok of the ruling People Power Party, a total of 6.44 million have visited temples across the country as of 2022 to experience temple life since the programs’ launch in 2002. Some 695,000 foreign tourists also enjoyed the temple stay programs. 　Temple stay gives visitors a fuller exp

June 23, 2023

HiKR Ground celebrates first anniversary with HiKR Festa

Celebrating the one-year anniversary of the HiKR Ground tourism center, the Korea Tourism Organization will hold HiKR Fest at the center located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, from June 30 to July 1. Actor Lee Jae-wook from the tvN drama series "Alchemy of Souls" will host a talk concert at the HiKR Ground on June 30. On July 1, an outdoor stage will feature performances by K-pop group Oh My Girl, rapper Woo Wonjae and dance crew HolyBang. Various events will be held at the center building, feat

June 20, 2023

[Subway Stories] Busan Station, where Korea's Eurasian dream lives on

Busan, South Korea’s second-biggest city renowned for its vibrant beaches and delectable cuisine, has its own subway network. Much like Seoul Station, which acts as the main entry point for visitors to the capital, Busan Station serves as the gateway for those arriving in the city, doubling as a stop for the bullet train and a subway station. The subway stop is part of Line No. 1 that connects passengers with major tourist spots in the northern and western part of the city, including the

June 18, 2023

Jeju Island's Geomunoreum opens hidden forest trail to public

South Korea’s southern island of Jeju beckons with trek on a hidden trail through Geomunoreum, a UNESCO world natural heritage site. Geomunoreum International Trekking, an event taking place Thursday through Monday, will be held around Geomunoreum, a volcanic cone northeast of Hallasan, South Korea’s tallest mountain. The five-day event offers a rare opportunity to explore Yongam-gil, a restricted zone. Yongam-gil, meaning “lava path” in Korean, is a 6-kilometer walking p

June 17, 2023

[One with Nature] Samcheok’s Hwanseongul offers cool summer getaway with epic cave tour

SAMCHEOK, Gangwon Province -- When temperatures across the country start to soar, people start taking summer refuge along nearby river banks or in department stores, where powerful air conditioning offers cool respite for heat exhaustion. Some people may joke that they wish they could sit inside their refrigerators at home. Samcheok, Gangwon Province, might just grant such a wish and offer a much bigger space than a mere refrigerator. Though often overshadowed by the region's famous mountai

June 17, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Pocheon Herb Island’s Lavender Festival The Lavender Festival, which started on April 22, will run through July 1 at Herb Island in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province. Botanical garden Herb Island seeks to mesmerize its visitors not only with the purple-colored fields, but also with the aromatic scent of lavender. Aside from flowery photo zones, the festival offers various programs, including natural soap and cosmetics making, herb foot bath experience and more. Admission fees vary by age and prog

June 16, 2023

[One With Nature] Bask in Damyang’s nature with bamboo forest bathing

DAMYANG, South Jeolla Province -- Recognizing the importance of the natural world to health, many in Korea visit forests and mountain trails to enjoy "forest bathing" as an eco-antidote to tech-boom burnout. Such ecological sites offer a tranquil atmosphere for visitors to fully immerse themselves in nature, taking in the sounds of the forest, fresh air and sunlight shining through the leaves and trees -- and to clear their minds. Damyang’s Juknokwon -- “bamboo forest&rdquo

June 10, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Boryeong Mud Festival The 26th edition of the Boryeong Mud Festival will take place in various parts of Daecheon Beach in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province. This year’s festival will start on July 21 and run through Aug. 6. Ranging from a mud train, body painting and a mud water park to beach parties and a K-pop concert featuring rapper San E, boy band Pentagon, girl group WJSN, Billlie and more, the festival promises a fun-filled time. Admission to the Boryeong Sea Mud Exhibition is 12

June 9, 2023

[Graphic News] Number of foreign travelers to South Korea up

The number of foreign travelers to South Korea surged by sevenfold in April from a year earlier on eased travel restrictions amid efforts to return to pre-pandemic normalcy, data showed. A total of 889,000 foreign travelers visited South Korea last month, up nearly 600 percent from the 128,000 tallied in the same month last year, according to the data compiled by the Korea Tourism Organization. The monthly figure also accounted for 54 percent of 1.6 million tallied in April 2019, before the outb

June 5, 2023

[One with Nature] Gyeongju shines brighter at night

GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang Province -- Gyeongju, a coastal city in the southeast, is South Korea’s iconic tourist destination, with the almost thousand-year history of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC - 935 AD) as its main draw. With great accessibility to Silla’s legacies -- which include centuries-old temples, palaces, royal tombs and treasures -- Gyeongju is considered the “roofless museum” to many South Koreans. The city offers a blend of nature, history and culture during th

June 3, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Hueree Hydrangea Festival The Hueree Hydrangea Festival, which started April 7, runs through Saturday at Hueree Natural Park on Jeju Island. Visitors can stroll around the park near South Korea’s highest peak of Hallasan and enjoy the flower field. The annual festival highlights Jeju Island’s splendid scenery and colorful hydrangeas with photo zones. For children, there will be horseback riding and a small parade of Jeju black pigs. Admission fees vary by age and program. Updated inf

June 2, 2023

[Reporter's Notebok] Herculean task of watching Haman's fireworks

Haman, South Gyeongsang Province, is a little-known county located some 350 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The small, quiet village was overflowing with people from around the country who had come to see this year's Nakhwa Festival on Saturday. Though the event was originally a regional festival enjoyed by only those who knew about it, the local fireworks display went viral during the COVID-19 pandemic when public broadcaster KBS featured the cultural event in its variety show “1 Nigh

May 29, 2023

[Photo News] Rain and more water hit Chuncheon Mime Festival

While heavy downpours hit Korea over the weekend, the 35th Chuncheon Mime Festival kicked off Sunday. The festival is held from Sunday to June 4 across the city of Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. It is the first time in four years for the festival to fully take place following the COVID-19 pandemic, along with water fights -- a major feature of the outdoor festival. The photos show participants enjoying water fights on the streets amid the heavy rain. The festival is accounted to be one of the thr

May 28, 2023

[One with Nature] Find geological wonder, mystery in Jinan’s beloved temples

JINAN, North Jeolla Province -- Isolated from the bustling cities and loud car sounds, many Korean Buddhist temples allow visitors to immerse themselves in tranquil nature and find inner peace. While many Korean temples welcome both Buddhists and tourists with spacious yards covered with sand, charming ponds and the centuries old, iconic trees, Tapsa and Eunsusa in Jinan, North Jeolla Province, both have their own unique features. Tapsa Maisan, a mountain located some 25-kilometers east of J

May 27, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Pohang International Fire and Light Festival The Pohang International Fire and Light Festival is scheduled to be held at Hyeongsangang Sports Park from May 26-28 in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province. The three-day event offers a spectacular fireworks competition, parade and a concert featuring vocalists Lee Mu-jin, HYNN and more. Teams from four countries -- South Korea, Sweden, Italy and the Philippines are taking part in the competition that takes place at 9 p.m. on May 27. More information

May 26, 2023

Mt. Palgong designated as 23rd national park in Korea

Mount Palgong, a 1,193 meter-high mountain lying between the southeastern city of Daegu and nearby North Gyeongsang Province, was granted national park status Tuesday, becoming Korea's 23rd national park. The Ministry of Environment approved the designation in a meeting of its national park committee, two years after the city of Daegu, 237 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and North Gyeongsang Province, made the recommendation, ministry officials said. It marks the first designation of a natio

May 23, 2023

[One with Nature] Taean sunsets bring memorable coastal escape

TAEAN, South Chungcheong Province -- Taean-gun, a popular seaside getaway on the west coast of Korea, is quiet most of the day. But when golden hour hits, parking lots by the coast get crowded with visitors who stop to take in the stunning seaside views bathed in an explosion of colors. For many Koreans, residing in a country surrounded by three distinct seas, witnessing a coastal sunset or sunrise is not unfamiliar. Yet Taean, and its unique beaches, is considered one of the must-go sites where

May 20, 2023