The labor union has launched an investigation into allegations that a local official in Goseong-gun demanded excessive personal work from public officials or molested them According to the Goseong-gun branch of the civil service union on the 29th the union surveyed all civil servants in the county from the 23rd to the 25th on cases of damage including bullying against local personnel A 26 government officials responded that there were cases of damage A run a personal errand or asking for excessive work also heads several local government organizations The affected officials wrote in the survey that A demanded work related to government agencies even after work hours or had A's private farm organize crops He also threatened to file a complaint with the county chief or the audit office because of his work and attendance if he did not do what A told him to do There were also claims that she sexually harassed a female civil servant by touching him There was also a statement that the Myeon office should be used as an office or that taxes should be paid as much as they want and that they did other things other than dividing up their duties An employee who was tired of this was diagnosed with depression at the hospital due to symptoms such as shortness of breath and heart palpitations when dealing with A The union demanded an apology from A and is also considering measures such as accusations head of the Goseong-gun branch of the civil servants' union "A seems to have mistaken that it is his power that employees have endured because they did not want to make things big," adding "We are also thinking of calling A to make a public apology and accusing him of obstruction of business as the employees suffer a lot and there are many cases of damage." "I've been doing well by buying food to raise the morale of the employees and it wasn't my personal business to ask for work because it was related to Goseong-gun's work and events but I'm thinking of apologizing for what I said was wrong." ※ This service is provided by machine translation tool A Korea Forest Service helicopter [YONHAP] Korea.net hosts networking event for Honorary Reporters Accord with Japan to protect both nations' people abroad A bilateral agreement with Japan will bolster cooperation in protecting the nationals of both nations abroad Click here to read more about the latest summit between leaders of both countries Talks with NZ seek to upgrade ties to strategic partnership Korea and New Zealand have agreed to advance talks on elevating the bilateral Partnership for the 21st Century concluded Korea and New Zealand have agreed to advance talks on elevating the bilateral Partnership for the 21st Century concluded in 2006 to a comprehensive strategic partnership Mixed boccia pair to face Hong Kong for Paralympic gold the Jeong-Kang pair will face in the final Hong Kong in mixed pair BC3 boccia 🌕 S-Tier food for Chuseok 🌕 | K-Cuisine Relay | Ep.28 Galbijjim & Samsaeknamul “Reading is so sexy!” — Headlined by The Guardian (UK)　| Balance Talk | Ep Korean German architect in Seoul seeks to innovate Hanok Grassroots group seeks to clean up trash from Jeju waters Polish capital hosts Korean cultural event at Breakfast Market Hanbok-clad children play traditional games President Yoon attends opening of Cyber Summit Korea Descendants of Korean War veterans attend event in Incheon Multicultural families attend Chuseok event Address by President Yoon Suk Yeol on the 79th Liberation Day Keynote Address by President Yoon Suk Yeol at the NATO Public Forum K-pop management innovation changes global music industry Korea-French friendship to drive future partnership Denmark's digital strategy to preserve global democracy 10th workshop of European Association for Korean Language Education (EAKLE) PNP launches TOP COP special class to enhance tourist safety K-Culture Extravaganza Lights Up Jozi: Korean Cultural Centre Unveils ‘Travelling Korea’ Korean Restaurant to open soon in Abuja-Envoy Jusung Gabriel Park & Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra Production Design: Scene Architects Build On-Screen Worlds Opening of Korea Dulle Trail offers hikers chance to see North Korea up close from DMZ Peace Trail 1 With its last course -- an 11.4-kilometer trail connecting Unification Security Park in Goseong Gangwon Province and Goseong Unification Observatory in Goseong the entire 4,500-kilometer-long Korea Dulle Trail that traces the perimeters of South Korea along the eastern western coasts and the border area of the Demilitarized Zone in the north is now open The trail is a great way to discover and experience the country with your feet firmly on the ground Construction of the ambitious project to allow hikers to walk literally around the country began in 2009 While Haeparang Trail along the east coast Namparang Trail along the southern coastline and Seohaerang Trail along the west coast opened in 2016 the DMZ Peace Trail was completed this year While these walking trails share some similarities including panoramic coastal views and the absence of high-rise buildings each trail offers experiences and sights that are different A wealth of information about the different courses is available at the Korea Dulle Trail’s official website and its exclusive Durunubi app but nothing beats actually walking the walk For those who do not know how difficult the walking trail is or have no idea which course to choose among the total 284 courses DMZ Peace Trail Course 1 is a great choice which allows travelers to begin their journey at DMZ Peace Trail Shelter on Incheon’s Ganghwado offers a glimpse of South Korea's history and the reality of the two Koreas After checking the map and DMZ Peace Trail signs at the shelter a road that used to connect the island to Gimpo where only pedestrians and bikes are allowed With dark brown-colored guideposts and green ribbons even novice hikers will not have difficulties following the right path Following the road along the Ganghwa River you will notice that trees are soon replaced with fences and barbed wire creating a vibe not often felt at popular travel spots Another sight you might overlook when traveling by car is 6.25 Veterans Memorial Park but Ganghwa County turned one of the old guard posts into an outdoor photo museum where visitors can learn about the history of the Korean War and pay tribute to Korean War veterans a list of countries that sent their troops to fight alongside South Korean soldiers recognizes the soldiers' sacrifices Make sure to stay hydrated while exploring the first course of the DMZ Peace Trail as many areas do not have any trees or shade Stop by one of the "eight scenic spots" of Ganghwa at the pavilion called Yeonmijeong where you can sit on a bench and enjoy the cool autumn breeze while taking in the scenic river view Before heading to Ganghwa Peace Observatory all visitors are required to show their IDs and receive a pass at the guard post as the observatory area is guarded by the Republic of Korea Marine Corps Ganghwa Peace Observatory is one of the areas closest to North Korea a mere 2.3 kilometers away from Gaepung-guyeok in North Korea from where you can view North Korea from the South visitors can see North Korean farmers plowing the fields with cows and go about doing their work,” an observatory official told The Korea Herald Many separated families frequently come to the observatory wishing their families back in North Korea are alive and healthy “There are many telescopes at the observatory but my eyesight is getting worse every year I can’t really see the land beyond that river,” said Park Gwang-ho I feel sad when I see people who come to the observatory to perform ancestral rites because their hometowns are in North Korea,” Park added While the DMZ Peace Trail is a walking trail bus tours and other forms of road trips are allowed trash-carrying balloons sent across the border by North Korea have made the Marine Corps and travel agencies more cautious about border area tourism “We operate a stamp tour and a trekking program in areas close to the Civilian Control Zone they have all been temporarily suspended due to the heightened tensions with North Korea," a DMZ Peace Trail Shelter official told The Korea Herald The trail is managed by the Culture Ministry Korea Tourism Organization and Ganghwa-gun but the northern part of the island is under the Marine Corps' authority and protection “Make sure to double-check with the guide at a Ganghwa-based tourist center before making your visit to the county because access to the Ganghwa Peace Observatory might be blocked per the Marine Corps' judgment,” the official explained Latest trends in Korean culture and society South Koreans get creative with Parents’ Day gifts Inside Korea's empty classrooms and efforts to reimagine them Brewing heritage: How Korea’s traditional alcohol is finding new life From fad to lifestyle: Slow-aging diet gains momentum among young Koreans Love on repeat: 14th of every month is special day for lovers in Korea From AI Jesus to virtual shamans: How artificial intelligence is reshaping faith A wildfire that broke out in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Goseong County Samcheok Imwon Port in Gangwon-do and Ayajin Port in Goseong will be extensively renovated Gangwon Province announced on the 23rd that it has secured a total of 35.4 billion won by selecting two ports for the 2025 Clean National Fishing Port Contest by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Clean National Fishing Port is a project to create a pleasant and safe marine space by maintaining aging fishing ports and expanding convenience facilities It aims to improve the settlement conditions of fishing villages and revitalize the local economy by linking marine tourism Samcheok Imwon Port is a representative fisheries hub fishing port in the region landscape damage and safety issues have been continuously raised due to disorderly buildings and walking and vehicle mixing the construction of fishing infrastructure tourism facilities the maintenance of the landscape along the border of the fishing port and the construction of a storage warehouse and garbage collection site will be promoted Ayajin Port in Goseong is the largest fishing port in the region visited by 900,000 annual tourists and is equipped with infrastructure such as Ayajin Beach and accommodation facilities nearby the need for maintenance has been steadily raised due to problems with walking safety and lack of convenience facilities for fishermen the construction of convenience facilities for fishermen and the establishment of a fishing gear maintenance storage center will be promoted through national and private investment "This project will also revitalize the fishing village economy," Gangwon-do Governor Kim Jin-tae said "We will push ahead with the project without a hitch so that we can enjoy Gangwon-do's beautiful fishing port comfortably." All Headlines North Korea Sports Top News Most Viewed Korean Newspaper Headlines Today in Korean History Yonhap News Summary Editorials from Korean Dailies April 18 (Yonhap) -- The Army conducted a nighttime firing exercise in the border county of Goseong earlier this week in efforts to bolster readiness against potential North Korean provocations About 300 troops from the Army's Third Corps took part in the exercise conducted Wednesday and Thursday in the coastal county of Goseong The drills mobilized some 40 pieces of key equipment including the K9A1 self-propelled howitzer the Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher and surveillance equipment such as a counter-battery radar and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) troops detected a simulated enemy provocation using the radar and fired in response They then confirmed the outcome using a UAV and fired again in a show of swift firepower "The Army will strive to establish a military readiness posture to respond overwhelmingly to any enemy provocation through practical education and training at combat sites," it said The Army said safety guidelines were shared with the local community prior to the exercise and implemented during the drills in cooperation with the Coast Guard The Army conducts nighttime firing drills in the border county of Goseong in this photo provided by the armed service All News National Economy/Finance Biz Culture/K-pop Images Videos Korean Newspaper Headlines Korea in Brief Useful Links Weather Advertise with Yonhap News Agency will deliver 5,000kg of rice accumulated under the Friendship and Cooperation Exchange Agreement to the Yeongnam region which has been declared a special disaster area due to forest fires SK has accumulated 200kg of Goseong rice per win this season with the joint participation of Goseong-gun 5,000kg of the currently accumulated rice will be delivered to four local governments through the international relief and development NGO Good People "We originally planned to deliver the rice we finally accumulated after the end of the season to the socially vulnerable but we decided to support it because we thought it would be more meaningful to help victims in Yeongnam region who are in a difficult situation due to the national disaster that occurred in March." "We hope that it will be of little help to the victims who are affected by forest fires and SK will continue to take the lead in creating a society together by running various programs for the socially vulnerable," he said A wildfire rages at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the border town of Goseong in this photo provided by the Korea Forest Service A court ruled that the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) is partially responsible for wildfires that caused massive damage to Goseong and Sokcho in Gangwon Province in 2019 The court ordered KEPCO to compensate the government and local governments for 2.7 billion won in damages The Chuncheon District Court Civil Division 2 (Chief Judge Yoon Kyung-ah) announced on the 15th that the government and Gangwon-do and Goseong-gun ruled in favor of some of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against KEPCO worth about 37 billion won The court said that a causal relationship was recognized between the defects of the utility pole but that the amount of damage submitted by the government alone cannot be proven and that it is not responsible for compensating public facilities that are not owned by the government The court said that the government's damage was caused by wildfires caused by natural forces such as strong winds and defects in KEPCO's installation of utility poles adding that it is reasonable to limit KEPCO's liability to 40 percent of the damages to fair burden of damages he ordered KEPCO to pay a total of 2.7 billion won including 920 million won to the government The damage of 710 million won claimed by Gangwon Province was not fully accepted the government filed a lawsuit in April 2022 to compensate for damages to public facilities failed to fulfill its duty of protective measures to the extent required by social norms in the process of installing and managing telegraph poles." "There are no defects in the installation of the telegraph pole," and even if the liability for damages is recognized the scale is much smaller than the government claims the victims filed a compensation suit against KEPCO and recently won some of them at the Supreme Court The first trial court ordered KEPCO to pay KRW 8.7 billion and delayed damages to the victims based on the appraisal results of professional appraisers in each field such as housing and forestry While maintaining the judgment of the first trial the second trial increased the amount of damage recognized by some victims The victims and KEPCO appealed against the second trial's ruling but the Supreme Court decided to dismiss the appeal without further hearing judging that there was no problem with the conclusion of the original ruling The Goseong and Sokcho wildfires that occurred in April 2019 spread to residential areas with strong winds of up to 32m at the moment causing more than 1,000 people to be displaced and 1,227ha of forest damage The total amount of damage alone amounts to 75 billion won the right to indemnify the government's claim against KEPCO after providing disaster support first to the victims was concluded with KEPCO's victory in June Although the government appealed against the second trial the Supreme Court decided to dismiss the hearing saying there was no problem with the conclusion of the original ruling is an ultra-supercritical (USC) coal-fired thermal power facility is an ultra-supercritical (USC) coal-fired thermal power facility the facility is South Korea’s biggest privately-owned power plant Goseong Green Power is jointly run by Korea South-East Power will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the power plant for 30 years The development of the power plant was started in July 2014 as a part of the 6th Basic Plan for Long-term Electricity Supply and Demand (BPE) aimed at meeting the country’s energy needs The project is scheduled to be completed by early-2021 at an estimated cost of KRW 3.9 trillion ($3.2bn) Goseong Hai is being developed on a gross floor area of 0.91 million m² with two power-generating units of 1,040MW each A 770m-long tunnel has been constructed for the water intake and discharges from the power plant The land vertical shaft measures 22m-high and 16m in internal diameter while the marine caisson measures 50m-high and 13m in internal diameter A tunnel boring machine (TBM) of 8,190mm diameter and cutterhead power of 1.920kW was used for the construction and tuff rocks were encountered during the tunnelling Jacket and deck are also being constructed for the dock of the plant The thermal power plant will use Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) technology for the treatment of wastewater from flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) units with a combined treatment capacity of 50m³ an hour The technology will enable the plant to reuse the entire wastewater The TBM utilised for the project was built by professionally remanufactured machine parts which saved roughly 80% of the energy consumed The coal-fired power plant will use sub-bituminous coal with a maximum steam capacity of 868kg/s Siemen’s Fired Benson® steam generators will be utilised in the plant SK Engineering and Construction (E&C) is the engineering procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the Goseong power plant Basic and detailed designing of the plant was performed by ESCO Consultant & Engineers State-run firm KEPCO E&C was contracted by SK E&C for providing A/E technical service for the project in October 2014 Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction received a contract worth $596m to supply boilers and turbines in December 2015 Herrenknecht supplied the earth pressure balance (EPB) shield for the plant’s construction SUEZ won a contract to execute the ZLD technology for wastewater treatment Woongjin Development installed jacket and deck for the project while Ajou Engineering provided chemical dosing system and Wascon supplied actuator and accessories Dadam Engineering was awarded a contract to perform engineering and procurement of the coal handling system for the plant was involved in project planning and scheduling Other contractors involved with the Goseong Hai power project include HanmiGlobal Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network some of the victims who filed a lawsuit against KEPCO for damages won the appeal trial following the first trial Civil Affairs Division 2 of the Chuncheon High Court maintained the original court's ruling in favor of the plaintiff in a 26 billion won damages lawsuit filed against KEPCO by 60 wildfire victims the court accepted the claims of three plaintiffs who increased the amount of damages during the appeal trial the compensation amount was adjusted for the bereaved family of one plaintiff who died during the lawsuit in consideration of the inheritance the remaining plaintiffs and KEPCO's appeals were all dismissed the first trial ruled that KEPCO should pay 8.7 billion won or 60% of the appraisal value of each field such as houses and forests affected by forest fires "The plaintiffs' land and buildings were damaged by forest fires caused by installation defects in telegraph poles owned and managed by the defendant (HANjeon)," adding "The defendant is responsible for compensating the plaintiffs for the damage." The second trial court also refused to accept KEPCO's claim that it was not liable for damages Regarding whether the amount of damage was properly calculated "There does not appear to be any special fault in the appraisal results," adding "Even if we add additional evidence submitted by the plaintiffs we do not accept both the plaintiffs and the defendant's claims because we believe there is no fault in calculating the amount of damage in the first trial." at others a tense hike amid military practice targets this peace trail gives firsthand experience of a place still divided by war a checkpoint marks the beginning of a journey to one of the most heavily militarised borders in the world The military police scrutinise personal identification against a pre-approved list before granting passage It is here, in Goseong county, in a restricted section alongside the demilitarised zone (DMZ) on the border with North Korea, that South Korea hopes to promote a literal path to peace The 3.6km Goseong route is one of a dozen DMZ peace trails that have been opened to tourists this year – Koreans only for now – to encourage them to explore the idea of unity through hikes within restricted areas offering direct views into the secretive North The Korean war ended in July 1953 with an armistice but not a peace treaty meaning the North and South are still theoretically at war there are signs that betray an underlying unease: a range featuring human-shaped practice targets a haunting relic of a terrible war frozen in its tracks “There are few countries in the world where people live like this who used to work as a fisherman on the east coast “There’s more to this place than barbed wire.” He never imagined the border would become permanent Hiker Kang Min-joo was inspired to join the DMZ Freedom and Peace Grand March a special seven-day expedition along several of these trails “I wanted to remember how precious and grateful I am for the freedom and peace I have Many young people like me have become numb to the pain of division.” Two South Korean military police stand at the Southern Limit Line on the barbed wire trail of the Goseong DMZ peace trail Photograph: Raphael Rashid/The GuardianFellow walker Kim Hak-myeon said: “Watching the birds fly back and forth between North and South Korea without any barriers I came to see a glimpse of the true essence of peace.” at the Goseong unification observation tower visitors find themselves at a place that stands as both a vantage point and a poignant reminder of division It is the nearest viewing point to gaze out over the Mount Kumgang range in North Korea The coastline leading towards it seems almost within arm’s reach bringing together 89 elderly people who had been separated from their family members for decades Just 40,000 of the 133,000 people registered as part of separated families are still alive At the foot of the observation tower is a cage with two white Pungsan dogs, Haerang and Kumgang: the puppies born from one of the dogs given to former President Moon Jae-in by Kim Jong-un after their historic summit in 2018 Haerang and Kumgang two white Pungsan puppies born from one of the dogs given to former President Moon Jae-in by Kim Jong-un after their historic summit in 2018 Photograph: Raphael Rashid/The GuardianDownhill from there is the most dramatic part of the Goseong DMZ peace trail: a short trek alongside the heavily fortified beach A steep descent down a set of wooden stairs leads to the sand for a picturesque walk with the beach nestled amid breathtaking natural beauty visitors can admire turquoise waters amid the vast expanse of the ocean a barrier is adorned with signs warning of mines lies a barbed wire fence with sensors detecting movement that stretches along the sandy beach “Korean citizens need to be pre-approved to enter this area and only 20 people can join each DMZ path on a daily basis,” says Kim Kyung-jin from the defence ministry Foreign tourists cannot join these trips because it is a restricted area but the defence ministry and other government bodies are in talks to create a pilot programme next year that would allow foreigners on to selected trails escorted by several military police at the front controlled by the United Nations Command on the southern side of the border situated two kilometres to the north This place is not without its share of incidents. Just over two years ago, a man escaped North Korea by swimming several kilometres before coming ashore in Goseong. Another defector managed to evade detection by leaping over two sets of fences as well as a collection of propaganda pamphlets that provides insight into the ideological tug-of-war between the two sides North Korean leaflets promised a socialist nirvana while those from the South tantalised the value of freedom through seductive imagery Psychological warfare: at the DMZ Museum in Goseong a collection of historical propaganda leaflets from South and North Korea each attempting to persuade of the other side’s superiority Photograph: Raphael Rashid/Raphael Rashid/The GuardianBeside the propaganda exhibit is a tree and mural decorated with hundreds of messages of hope and wishing reconciliation separated from his relatives all those decades ago “Having been separated from my family has given me a lot of sorrow all this time I am still heartbroken and cry once a day,” he says A North Korean soldier defected to the jurisdiction of the 22nd Army Division in Goseong-gun It is the first time in more than five years that North Korean active-duty soldiers have defected to the South since July 2019 "We have secured the identity of one person believed to be a North Korean personnel on the eastern front today (20th) and handed it over to related agencies." The personnel reportedly expressed their intention to defect to the South after passing near the East Sea Line of Goseong-gun on foot and entering the 22nd Division's operational area he was wearing a military uniform and was reportedly wearing a non-commissioned officer rank insignia The Joint Chiefs of Staff explained that related agencies are investigating the process of his defection to the South no specific trends in the North Korean military related to the incident have been identified "We captured the personnel with our military surveillance equipment from north of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) and conducted normal guided operations to secure recruits." North Koreans have continued to defect to the South this month a North Korean defector walked in neutral waters south of the Han River estuary North Korean soldiers also crossed into the South via the Eastern Front North Koreans and military personnel defected to the South a month after the South Korean military conducted loudspeaker broadcasts across the MDL from the 21st of last month in response to the North's successive spraying of garbage balloons there are observations that they may have decided to defect to the North after hearing loudspeaker broadcasts to the North The South Korean military is sending a message to North Korean soldiers and residents in the border area to "escape from the life of slavery" by sending a "Sound of Freedom" broadcast operated by the South Korean Military Psychological Corps over loudspeakers North Korea has been taking disconnection measures such as scrapping the concept of national unification removing connecting passages such as roads and railroads between the two Koreas and laying mines in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) taking advantage of the slack in social control due to economic difficulties and natural disasters there are cases in which North Korea directly defected to South Korea without going through a third country "North Korean troops come by foot (to the south) or swim," a Unification Ministry official told reporters "If this number becomes frequent in the same dimension as the North Korean military's discipline and surveillance system it may be a measure indirectly showing the situation of North Korean soldiers working in the border area." North Korean workers are clearing a swath of a mountain directly opposite South Korea on the east coast in what may be construction for an observation post or other military installation The video captured on Tuesday from the Goseong Unification Observatory near the Demilitarized Zone shows workers who appear to be wearing military uniforms standing in an area stripped of trees on the side of the mountain and click on the confirmation message in it to get subscribed to our Daily News Update Ifang Bremer is a Seoul Correspondent at NK News He has worked on investigations for The Guardian and The Observer and previously wrote features on Korea for Dutch newspaper NRC Internet Explorer is not compatible with this website Microsoft ceased supporting IE 10 and older in 2016 Microsoft cyber-security chief Chris Jackson has been urging users to stop using the browser since February 2019 Join the influential community of members who rely on NK News original news and in-depth reporting Don't have an account? SIGN UP For more pricing options, click here. Already have an account? SIGN IN Please enter your username or email address You will receive a link to create a new password via email Don't have an account? SIGN UP Hwajinpo Beach is by far the best beach where you can feel the romance of the summer sea The 1.7km-long sandy beach never ends even when you walk The dense pine forest behind the beach creates a cool shade Another advantage of Hwajinpo Beach is that it is quieter than beaches in Gangneung Lovers walk through the sand with each other's shoulders tightly embraced and children are just as happy to follow the rushing waves The first thing that attracts hearts from Hwajinpo is the white sand beach scholar Lee Jung-hwan called Hwajinpo white sand beach a "noun" by using the letters "Ulmyeong" (鳴) and "Sand Temple" (沙) in "Taekji." Hwajinpo became famous when it became the background of the drama 'Autumn Fairy Tale' Junseo came out to the place where she walked relentlessly carrying Eunseo you can see an island floating in the middle of the sea it looks exactly like a turtle with arms and legs attached and a convex shell the construction of royal tombs began on Hwajinpo Turtle Island in 394 and the body of Gwanggaeto the Great was buried on Turtle Island in 414 The must-see place in Hwajinpo is Kim Il Sung villa It is located on a cliff overlooking Hwajinpo Beach and pine forest and is now called the "Castle of Hwajinpo." In 1938 German architect Weber built a chapel at the request of the missionary Sherwood Halls the two Koreas were divided by the 38th parallel and their use was changed to a VIP hall for foreign resorts When you stand in the yard in front of the building The mountain ranges seen in the distance are the peaks of Oegeumgang River such as Chaehabong Peak Across from Hwajinpo Beach is Hwajinpo Lake It is a lagoon formed at the junction of the estuary of the river and the sea and the water has an intermediate character between freshwater and seawater Gangneung Gyeongpo Lake and Sokcho Yeongrang Lake are both lagoon The name Hwajinpo (津浦) is named because corresponding flowers are in full bloom along the summer lake With a circumference of 16km and a width of 2.3㎢ The lake is divided into the south and north and natural exploration areas such as reed fields and bird observatories are located around Namho Lake The 10-kilometer-long trail was also well-maintained Hwajinpo is also famous for migratory birds thousands of swans fly and literally become Swan Lake a rich man named Lee Hwa-jin lived in Goseong a monk from Geonbongsa Temple asked for a poem and Lee Hwa-jin's house and rice paddy field were flooded It is said that Hwajinpo was formed as a result of this water crisis On one side of Hwajinpo Lake is the villa of the late President Syngman Rhee which was used by President Syngman Rhee from 1954 to 1960 and is now used as a memorial hall for President Syngman Rhee's Hwajinpo and living room are restored to their old appearance and keepsakes such as degree cards are displayed on walls and glass cabinets Although it is not large at a circumference of 6km it retains a more beautiful appearance than any other lagoon The first person to set foot on Songji Lake is mesmerized for a while by the alluring appearance of lush pine trees and reed forests and the sound of birds from the birch forest lands at their feet There is also Songji Lake Observatory Tower The view of the lake can be seen from the observatory on the 5th floor and Ulsan Rock on Seoraksan Mountain looks like a folding screen in the distance and a small pavilion is located in the front Songji Lake Oxygen Road along the lake is about 5.2km and takes about two hours Songjiho Beach across the lake is constantly visited by people who want to play in the water in summer Pine forests are thick against the background of the sand and Seoraksan Mountain is hanging behind it Another attraction of Songjiho Beach is that you can enjoy auto camping camping with the sound of cool waves is a lot of fun you will meet Cheonhakjeong and Cheongganjeong in order which are in the 8th scenic views of Goseong Cheonhakjeong Pavilion was established in 1931 The natural strange rock formations that retain the mystery of the East Sea and the beauty of the pine forest created by the 100-year-old sea pine trees make it possible to enjoy the style of the tranquil pavilion who was appointed as an observer of Gangwon-do during the Joseon Dynasty toured the east coast and built Gwandong Byeolgok It is a travel song written on a tour of the Eight Views of Kanto Jeongcheol picked Cheongganjeong as the most scenic place in Gwandong you will find a middle-floor pavilion with a hipped-and-gabled roof there is a signboard written by President Syngman Rhee in 1953 If you want to enjoy playing in the water with your children The seashore rock area spreads out on the north side of the white sand beach The sandy beach is considered one of the most popular snorkeling spots because the waves are calm and the overall depth is shallow Crab and small fish can be clearly seen swimming on the rocks of the seashore Goseong is the northernmost part of the country The Unification Observatory is the place where you can realize this Military jeeps and trucks can be seen more often on the way than regular cars Before going to the Unification Observatory it is also good to stop by Daejin Port and take a commemorative photo This is because it is the northernmost port in Korea you can see the port crowded with fishing boats carrying seafood caught all night If you follow the road to the Unification Observatory Tower you will find the Air Force 351 Monument to Support Battle Operation The Unification Observatory Tower stands proudly at a height of 34 meters at a height of 70 meters above sea level where the DMZ and the southern limit line meet you can see the observation deck on the first floor and the northern lands will be spread out in the future The armistice line and Geumgangsan Mountain can be seen at a glance and the emerald East Sea spreads out to the right The Demilitarized Zone also unfolds in a panorama and the South Korean military observation station can also be seen faintly Haegeumgang River was called Haegeumgang 剛 as the eastern sea scenery of Geumgangsan Mountain was known to be as beautiful as Geumgangsan Mountain Large and small islands such as Hyeonjongam Rock Geumgangsan Mountain also looks close as if you can hold it in your hands the peaks of Geumgangsan Mountain are Ilchulbong Peak The distance from the Unification Observatory to the DMZ Museum is close It is located within the Civilian Control Line which is close to the northernmost military demarcation line The DMZ is a demilitarized zone where military presence and the DMZ in Korea was established when the armistice agreement was signed at Panmunjom on July 27 The DMZ is located 2 kilometers north and south of the Military Demarcation Line and 248 kilometers from the mouth of the Imjin River on the west coast to Myeongho-ri on the east coast The DMZ Museum is a place that contains our reality The three-story building contains war and military materials and relics as well as exhibits on the Korean War and DMZ there is also a thousand-year-old temple located in Geumgangsan Mountain which was called 瑞鳳 Temple by Doseon State Temple at the end of the Silla Dynasty and Geonbongsa Temple by Naong-hwa at the end of Goryeo Dynasty King Sejo marched in 1465 and made it the original chal and it became a grand chal where about 1,000 people stayed there were 3,183 garams and it was one of the four major temples in the country including Sinheungsa Temple and Baekdamsa Temple on Seoraksan Mountain Heo Gyun also sang the beauty of Geonbongsa "Where is 乾鳳 在 (剛 Temple 間 Mountain) / Flower Palace between high clouds (blue and distant 宮卿 禪僧玉雪姿) / Among them there is a Buddhist monk and it looks like white jade (中有) /) / I left my home early to be paired with Hyewon Sun-sa (棄 早伴 Dongnye)." Geonbongsa Temple was the place where Ambassador Samyeong caused the soldiers during the Imjin War and also operated Bongmyeong Academy for enlightenment and education of the late Joseon Dynasty Army Corps and 5th North Korean Army divisions fought 16 fierce battles but it has been gradually restored since 1994 make sure to taste the makguksu of Baekchon Makguksu located in Toseong-myeon It is called one of the top three makguksu restaurants in Korea among gourmets and customers make and eat it as much as they like by pouring Dongchimi and adding sesame oil and sugar The sour and soft taste sticks to your mouth is the northernmost Chinese restaurant and the most scenic Chinese restaurant Rose Sutra in Geojin-eup is the northernmost pork cutlet restaurant You can taste the old pork cutlet from the past [Word · Photo by Choi Gapsu (travel writer)] [This article is Maeil Economy City Life No A South Korean guard post in Goseong County was expected to be the first to be re-established by the South as the two Koreas suspended their military agreement of 2018 recently Long-distance cycling trips in South Korea have a funny way of turning into the local version of a wine-tasting tour with grapes swapped for rice and the vintage a milky beer called makgeolli my friend Jared and I were riding north from Sokcho Geumgang,” proclaimed a road sign on the outskirts of the city as the mountain is on the other side of the militarized border—the infamous DMZ—that has separated South Korea and North Korea for over half a century Soon we were passing beaches fenced off with razor wire and roads lined with camouflaged concrete blocks loaded with dynamite Our goal for the day was the Unification Observatory and we were hoping for a glimpse of North Korea’s beaches and peaks through coin-operated binoculars Alternating between the highway and a seaside bike path we stopped for lunch in the town of Goseong we happened upon a restaurant serving gamja ongsimi The proprietress easily convinced us to order a bottle of local makgeolli The sentry path and bike trail began to blur during the next leg of the trip and we passed soldiers patrolling the fence The Korean cyclists we saw were often in groups of up to 20 In their sunglasses and full-body uniforms The path took us through golden fields of rice then an abandoned shack named Last House Squid we approached a roadblock and an arch marking the beginning of the “civilian access control line.” Three young soldiers blocked the way registered vehicles only beyond this point,” one of them said on a tiny strip of land near the harbor that was settled by refugees from North Korea Abai’s specialty is ojingeo sundae—squid that has been stuffed and was a perfect match for the squid and side dishes like deep-fried shrimp pleasantly fatigued and sipping on the hearty libation it didn’t seem overly optimistic to think that we could someday continue this trip all the way up the coast to China Join our newsletter to get exclusives on where our correspondents travel If you want to get close to regular North Koreans where Dear Leader’s people frolic in the surf booze as cheap as water: insights for South Korea’s wired-up capital Writer Will Philipps takes part in the Pyongyang marathon in the first year the Hermit Kingdom has opened the race to foreign amateur runners even if the sea cucumber liquor and dog casserole are overpriced Visitors at the Baengmagoji course in Cheorwon Gangwon look over the surrounding area from this file photo The rump of the once mighty STX empire continues to be hived off a Korean yard that was part of STX Offshore & Shipbuilding is set to be taken over by a joint venture involving Samkang M&T and local asset manager UAMCO Samkang has said Geseong will be transformed into a ship repair facility targeting larger ships just ahead of the conglomerate entering financial difficulties The yard has a floating dry dock with a length of 430 m the yard focused on building crude tankers and boxships Other parts of the STX yard empire have been on the chopping block for a long time including its facilities in France and in Dalian in northeast China STX’s sole shipyard going forward is its original base in Jinhae in the south of South Korea a yard that was formerly known as Daedong Shipbuilding before being bought out by tycoon Kang Duk-soo in 2001 Kang was arrested on graft charges a couple of years ago as the sprawling STX conglomerate imploded They should be bright yellow so they are visible in the ocea.. Don't have an account? National [Photo News] Goseong fire destroys 125 homes A record-scale fire broke out in the eastern coastal region of Gangwon Province on Thursday evening The main conflagration was extinguished by Friday morning but flames were reportedly still blazing in limited areas as of 10:30 a.m Fire trucks from across the nation were dispatched to tackle the flames in a fire disaster classed as level three The National Fire Agency estimated that the fire had destroyed some 250 hectares of forest and 125 homes as of 7:30 a.m Highway rest stations near Goseong reportedly also burned down The evacuees included military members in the region Should the fire spread north of the border the South Korean government will cooperate with North Korea to put out the fire Telecommunication in the Gangwon area is unstable at the moment Network companies said they are doing their best to control the situation Czech court blocks Czech-Korean nuclear deal A Czech court said Tuesday it blocked a multi-billion-dollar deal between Prague and South Korea's Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power on the construction of two nuclear units following a complaint by France' Amazon Prime sign deal to increase K-content access Korea mark 60 years of ties with sculpture Respect wanes: Teaching no longer highly coveted job in S As unused homes increase in rural South Korea Supreme Court’s verdict sours Lee Jae-myung’s presidential bid Korean mothers are opting for C-sections at record rates Lee Jae-myung leads in hypothetical three-way race with Han Duck-soo Costco’s steep membership hike tests loyalty of Korean shoppers Netflix's 'The Devil’s Plan' returns with star-packed season 2 Jang Seong-woo reacts after winning the Baekdu weight class for athletes under 140 kilograms at the Withus Pharmaceutical Chuseok Ssireum Competition on Monday at Goseong-gun National Sports Center in Goseong Heo Sun-hang celebrates winning the Taebaek class for athletes under 80 kilograms at the Withus Pharmaceutical Chuseok Ssireum Competition on Friday at Goseong-gun National Sports Center in Goseong Lee Min-ho celebrates winning the Geumgang class for athletes under 90 kilograms at the Withus Pharmaceutical Chuseok Ssireum Competition on Saturday at Goseong-gun National Sports Center in Goseong Choi Sung-hwan celebrates winning the Halla class for athletes under 105 kilograms at the Withus Pharmaceutical Chuseok Ssireum Competition on Sunday at Goseong-gun National Sports Center in Goseong two workers were crushed to death by a ship structure at a shipyard in Goseong employees were laid on a ship block structure at a shipyard in Donghae-myeon A Korean worker in his 40s and a Cambodian national worker in his 30s were crushed by the structure and taken to a hospital rescued the workers by lifting the ship's structure with its own crane but it was reported that it was already in cardiac arrest These employees are known to have been involved in an accident while working to level the block at a height of about 1.5 meters The police plan to investigate the exact circumstances of the accident Dozens of small octopus boats moored at Daejin Port in Goseong County Women put squid into boxes at Jumunjin Fish Market in Gangneung People jump into the water to catch squids at the squid-catching festival at Jangsa Port in Sokcho Squid dishes sold by seafood vendors in Gangwon The left dish is raw sliced squid and the right is steamed squid Vendors at Sokcho Port in Gangwon are closed Buildings burn in Goseong County early Friday as a wildfire spreads in Gangwon’s northeastern coast killing at least one person and leading thousands of people to evacuate the area Some 15,000 firefighters and 16,500 soldiers were deployed to the scene seek refuge in a makeshift evacuation center in a gym at Donggwang Middle School Thursday night; Cars at a junk yard in Sokcho are burned Friday morning; Firefighters douse a camping site in Donghae South Korea’s Goseong Offshore & Shipbuilding a subsidiary yard of bankrupt STX Offshore & Shipbuilding has failed to attract bidders in its latest auction According to the Seoul Central District Court the auction to sell Goseong Offshore fell through because only one contestant with questionable fundraising ability entered a bid The court will rearrange another auction for the shipyard which has been under a court-led reorganization program Goseong Offshore & Shipbuilding posted an operating loss of KRW13.8bn for the year of 2015 and has debts of KRW322.5bn In November, it was reported that an unnamed British investment fund has submitted a letter of intent to the court in Seoul to buy STX Offshore & Shipbuilding and its yard in France 30 (Yonhap) -- A Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) hiking trail on the east coast will be closed indefinitely this week as part of the government's efforts to fight the spread of African swine fever (ASF) in inter-Korean border areas said it will shut down the Goseong DMZ Peace Trail program on Tuesday following similar decisions by two other border towns in the central and western border regions on Sept Goseong launched the nation's first DMZ Peace Trail program in April as part of Seoul's efforts to allow visitors to experience inter-Korean peace and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula This file photo shows tourists participating in the Goseong DMZ Peace Trail program is one of the world's most heavily fortified borders with the rival Koreas technically in a state of conflict as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce The second and third DMZ Peace Trail programs kicked off in the central border town of Cheorwon in July and the western border city of Paju in August Goseong's county officials said the suspension will remain in place until the situation settles down in order to prevent further spread of the highly contagious animal disease protect local livestock farmers and support the nationwide campaign to terminate the ASF crisis South Korea's quarantine authorities have been implementing disinfection operations at major roads and rivers near the inter-Korean border as the country has experienced nine ASF cases since Sept but it is fatal for pigs and there is no known cure "There has not been any ASF outbreak reported in the Goseong area but the suspension of the DMZ trail program was inevitable to join the nationwide efforts to contain the highly infectious swine disease We also ask for greater understanding from those who have long waited for the opportunity to explore the scenic coastal border areas," a Goseong official said The Goseong DMZ trail was particularly popular among tourists wanting to have a closer look at North Korea's scenic eastern coast Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker April 4 (Yonhap) -- Residents from several towns in an eastern region of South Korea were asked to evacuate following a series of mountain fires that struck the area According to the Gangwon Fire Headquarters fire broke out in the northeastern border town of Goseong on a roadside and spread to a nearby mountain leading to the evacuation of residents and guests of a nearby condominium Firefighters said they are still making efforts to put out the fire Gangwon Province is struggling to fight another fire in the mountainous county of Inje firefighters said they were only able to extinguish roughly 10 percent of the area Firefighting efforts are being delayed by the pullout of helicopters after sunset with strong wind also making the mission more complicated No casualties from the fire were immediately reported Fire strikes the northeastern border town of Goseong on April 4 take a closer look at stunning photos of the abandoned Alps Ski Resort Sign up here to get INSIDER's favorite stories straight to your inbox. The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) was established in 1953 as part of the Korean Armistice Agreement between the United Nations It’s in essence a line in the sand that extends the entire 160 mile width of the Korean peninsula and at one point is just around 50 miles from the Olympic village in PyeongChang The zone serves as a buffer between North and South Korea inside which neither country can fire weapons What goes on along either side of the Korean border as the area surrounding the DMZ is the most heavily fortified border in the world The Armistice was intended to serve as a cease fire until a “final peaceful settlement” was achieved which stops at the Sea of Japan — known in Korea as the East Sea — for a look at some of the most remote portions of the 160 mile demarcation line Barbed wire fencing marks the entire two-mile-wide DMZ mines pepper the barren landscape and watch stations for patrolling soldiers rise along its entire length Read More: North and South Korea Made Peace for the Olympics. But It Won’t Last like any must-see destination around the world government officials are busy constructing a massive observatory tower scheduled to open this summer to replace the small building built by the South Korean army in 1983 from which visitors currently view the last section of border fence dividing the two nations Enterprising entrepreneurs also sell jewelry it wasn’t long ago that North Korea allowed tourists to come by the busload to visit Geumgangsan managed by an arm of the South Korean conglomerate Hyundai the program of good will was terminated when a North Korean soldier shot a South Korean visitor at the resort when she wandered into a restricted part of the hotel The road leading straight into North Korea still remains in the event that tensions between the countries improve again Incidents like that one keep South Korean soldiers on the lookout for any potential aggression by their Northern counterparts including possible attempts to cross over the DMZ Soldiers accompanied TIME’s videographer to ensure that none of the heavily fortified installations on the South Korean side of the border were recorded Read More: How the North Korean Figure Skating Trained for the Olympics—in Canada In the decades since the DMZ was established South Korean forces have uncovered numerous attempts by North Koreans to violate the terms of the agreement and infiltrate the South with the intent of breaking the cease fire four tunnels extending from North Korea into South Korea were discovered (the most recent in 1990) and capable of transferring up to an estimated 30,000 troops an hour the soldiers agreed to allow TIME to shoot video footage so long as a water tower blocked the view of the South Korean side of the DMZ the soldiers said they took several month-shifts patrolling different areas of the DMZ; one admitted his least favorite duty was covering the watchtower closest to North Korea these soldiers are from a generation that has few ties to the Korean War and no memories of life without a DMZ The experience of patrolling can be lonely but the South Korean soldiers remain connected to the world beyond As one soldier waited in his Jeep for his partner to return Contact us at letters@time.com The Korean government has declared a state of disaster in areas of Gangwon Province following a massive wildfire a fire broke out around Ilsung Resort in Goseong County and spread to downtown Sokcho 250 hectares (approximately 618 acres) of forest approximately 350 times the area of a soccer field and 79 base transceiver stations and 235 Internet circuits were damaged It was previously reported that two people died but it was later revealed that there was one casualty resulting from the fire 2,263 residents have evacuated to emergency shelters The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has sent all possible resources including 346 firetrucks and helicopters and about 15,000 people to resolve the situation the government will provide temporary living accommodations the government will provide support for funerals and treatment as well as psychological support services Source (1) (2) This file graphic shows three DMZ Peace Trails Fire strikes the northeastern border town of Goseong The 1952 Korean War armistice set up a demilitarized zone between North Korea and South inadvertently creating a critical nature sanctuary the Zone is deadly to humans: some 800 soldiers have been killed during flare-ups in and around the DMZ since the war ended without a peace treaty More than 28,000 American soldiers remain stationed in South Korea The un-ending division between the two halves of the peninsula and the Korean people hasn’t exactly been a triumph of diplomacy “Establishing a wildlife preserve was never a goal of the armistice that ended the Korean War, of course,” writes historian Lisa M but that’s precisely what happened once people were essentially banned from the area “A wide variety of Korea’s native plants and animals were the direct beneficiaries,” she explains the existence of the sanctuary has meant the difference between survival and extinction.” the cross-peninsula DMZ “represents a nearly complete set of Korean ecosystems within its boundaries ranging from wetlands to grasslands to mountainous highlands.” The area had been intensively farmed before the war and much fought over during the war—the line of battle was directly along the center of the Korean DMZ the front marked by the so-called the Military Demarcation Line the area has been largely untouched by human hands establishing a “new ecological regime”: a corridor of rich biodiversity otherwise vanquished from the peninsula by brutal colonial exploitation and rapid industrialization and economic development and anecdotal evidence suggest there are “1,200 plant species insects and microorganism” to be found there now “are listed as threatened or endangered and some were even thought to be extinct.” Some of the most celebrated of the DMZ’s animals are Asia’s iconic crane species who use the oasis during their annual migrations north and south And hopes for revival of the Siberian or Amur Tiger which once ranged throughout the mountainous peninsula and may still hold on in the North (Korea was once called the Land of Tigers; though culturally significant the last tigers in the south were gone by the mid-1940s.) Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" all potentially threaten this accidental preserve Hence the idea of making the area a Peace Park as entomologist Ke Chung Kim proposed in the mid-1990s turning the DMZ and a three-mile buffer zone on either side of it into the Korean Peace Bioreserves System The reserve would total some 1,600 square miles He and others have suggested that environmental issues are an unprovocative subject for talks between the two Koreas As precedent, bird-watching and other ecotourism activities near the DMZ have already been established Tourists can pass through the CCZ and look into the natural wonders of the DMZ itself a state of nature before humans…or after them Support JSTOR Daily! Join our new membership program on Patreon today. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" 14 (Yonhap) -- A huge number of tiny squids were found washed ashore and dead on an east coast beach in the northeastern province of Gangwon on Thursday morning bewildering residents and sending some of them rushing to pick up the sea creatures each measuring 4 to 5 centimeters in length were found scattered on a white sandy beach Firefly squid is a mysterious deep-sea creature known for living 200 to 600 meters below the water's surface and growing to merely 7 cm Dead firefly squid cover a beach in Goseong on South Korea's east coast on Jan Large numbers of firefly squid were found on a 500-meter section of the Goseong beach between Bongpo Port and Cheongganjeong Pavilion "I saw an enormous amount of small dead squids washed ashore on the beach while going for a walk in the morning I've never seen something like this before," said a Seoul resident who was vacationing at a condo resort near Cheongganjeong Pavilion and his wife were busy picking up the dead firefly squids on the beach "I've lived in Bongpo for about 40 years but this is my first time to witness this weird scene I've seen a school of anchovies pushed out on the beach but it's the first time I've seen small squids pushed out," Cho said His wife said she plans to make salted seafood with the tiny squids after cleaning them This is not the first time for groups of dead firefly squid spotted on the east coast A similar phenomenon occurred on a beach in Sokcho Experts believe that the rare sight of firefly squid washed ashore may have been caused by the so-called upwelling phenomenon cold water rises rapidly toward the surface "Tiny squids found on the Goseong beach are not the Japanese flying squid mainly caught in the East Sea but firefly squid," an official at the National Institute of Fisheries Science said "It is likely that the swarms of firefly squid perished unable to withstand the rapid changes in water temperatures and air pressure caused by the upwelling phenomenon before being pushed to the beach," the official said