Bukhansan National Park
Encyclopedia
The Bukhansan National Park in Seoul
and Gyeonggi covers an area of 79.92 km² (30.9 sq mi) and was established on 2 April 1983. Bukhansan means "mountains north of the Han River
."
The park contains forested areas, temples and granite peaks. The three main peaks are Baekundae, 836.5 m (2,744.4 ft), Insubong, 810.5 m (2,659.1 ft) and Mangnyeongdae, 799.5 m (2,623 ft). Due to its popularity with hikers and Seoul residents, some trails are closed on a rotation basis to protect the local environment.
The Bukhansanseong Fortress is located in the park, together with its 9.5 km (5.9 mi) long defensive wall. A fortress was first built on this site in 132 AD to protect Seoul from foreign invasions, and it was expanded to its current size in 1711. It was reconstructed after damage sustained in the Korean War
. Despiting its name, this mountain is in Seoul
, South Korea
, so this mountain should not be confused with North Korea
.
District Office in Seoul is leading a petition to have the central government change the name back to the original. Civilians, religious leaders, other district offices, and groups, such as the Korean Mountaineering League
, are assisting in the lobbying to have the name of the three original peaks reverted back to Samgaksan.
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and Gyeonggi covers an area of 79.92 km² (30.9 sq mi) and was established on 2 April 1983. Bukhansan means "mountains north of the Han River
Han River (Korea)
The Han River is a major river in South Korea and the fourth longest river on the Korean peninsula after the Amnok, Duman, and Nakdong rivers. It is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Mount...
."
The park contains forested areas, temples and granite peaks. The three main peaks are Baekundae, 836.5 m (2,744.4 ft), Insubong, 810.5 m (2,659.1 ft) and Mangnyeongdae, 799.5 m (2,623 ft). Due to its popularity with hikers and Seoul residents, some trails are closed on a rotation basis to protect the local environment.
The Bukhansanseong Fortress is located in the park, together with its 9.5 km (5.9 mi) long defensive wall. A fortress was first built on this site in 132 AD to protect Seoul from foreign invasions, and it was expanded to its current size in 1711. It was reconstructed after damage sustained in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Despiting its name, this mountain is in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, so this mountain should not be confused with North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
.
Name
There is a current movement to have the name of Bukhansan reverted. For many years up until now, the three main peaks of the park have collectively been called "Bukhansan"; however, the original collective name of the these three peaks was Samgaksan, meaning "three horned mountains". The Gangbuk-guGangbuk-gu
Gangbuk-gu is one of the 25 gu which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. Its name is derived from the fact that it is located at the north of Han river. It was created from neighbouring Dobong-gu in 1995...
District Office in Seoul is leading a petition to have the central government change the name back to the original. Civilians, religious leaders, other district offices, and groups, such as the Korean Mountaineering League
Korean Mountaineering League
The Korean Mountain Preservation League, formerly the Korean Mountaineering League, is a non-profit non-governmental organization that focuses on the conservation of Korea's mountain environments. It was founded in 2005 by Shawn James Morrissey, a mountaineer and author, who currently acts as the...
, are assisting in the lobbying to have the name of the three original peaks reverted back to Samgaksan.
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- National parks of South KoreaNational parks of South KoreaThe national parks of South Korea are preserved parcels of public land in South Korea, on which most forms of development are prohibited. They cover a total of 3.7% of the country's area, and are typically located in mountainous or coastal regions...
- Tourism in South KoreaTourism in South KoreaTourism in South Korea refers to the tourist industry in the Republic of Korea. In 2007, 6.4 million foreign tourists visited South Korea, making it the 36th most visited country in the world, and this number is expected to exceed 8.5 million in 2010. Most non-Korean tourists come from Japan,...
- Castles in Korea