Seoraksan National Park (Korean: 설악산국립공원) is a national park in South Korea. It is recognized by UNESCO as a possible World Heritage Site. The park is located in the east-central part of the Korean peninsula and includes areas such as Dinosaur Ridge, Injegun, Yanyanggun, and Sokchosi. Many tourists and nature lovers visit the park because it has many rare plants and animals.
Description
The reserve covers an area of 163.6 square kilometers (63.2 square miles) and includes many mountain peaks that are more than 1,200 meters above sea level. The tallest peak is Daecheongbong, which reaches an altitude of 1,708 meters (5,604 feet). The mountain ranges are mostly made of broken-up granite and gneiss. The yearly rainfall is about 1,000 mm (39 inches) in Inner Soraksan and 1,300 mm (51 inches) in Outer Soraksan. Most of this rain falls during the summer as heavy storms that can add up to several hundred millimeters in one day. Occasionally, typhoons bring more than 100 mm of rain in just one hour.
The park is known for having many different types of plants. There are about 1,013 plant species in total, including 822 vascular plant species. Siberian pines are common on the southern slopes, while the northern slopes have oaks and other trees that lose their leaves in winter. Thuja trees grow in deep valleys. Dwarf pines and yews grow on both low and high slopes. Juniper, hawthorn, and Manchurian fir are also found in the area. Other plants include forsythias and saw-worts. Rare plants in the reserve include Hanabusaya asiatica.
There are 1,562 different animal species in the reserve. Animals found here include otters, Siberian flying squirrels, kestrels, Chinese sparrowhawks, lenoks, Chinese minnows, and spotted barbels. Endangered animals include Tristram's woodpecker, Korean goral, and Korean musk deer.
The reserve also has cultural landmarks, such as the Buddhist temples Baekdamsa and Sinheungsa.
History
In 1965, the government named the area a nature reserve. In 1982, UNESCO named it a biosphere reserve. It was also the first Korean national park created under the National Park Law in 1970.
From August 9 to 16, 1991, the 17th World Jamboree took place on Mount Sorak. The World Jamboree is the largest event for boy and girl scouts and happens every four years. In 1991, thousands of scouts from around the world came to Mount Sorak to enjoy activities and games. They shared cultures, talked about environment and climate issues, and made friends.