National Park
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Seoraksan
Seoraksan (North eastern region)Designated as National Park in March 1970, it has an area of 398㎢. The highest peak on Mount Seorak, Daecheong Peak, is 1,708-meters, the third highest in Korea. The national park is located near Sokcho, Yangyang and Inje in Gangwon Province. Seoraksan can be divided into three parts: Outer Seorak in the East near the East Sea, Inner Seorak in the West and South Seorak. Outer Seorak has steep slopes and is renowned for its waterfalls. The park is a home to 25 species of mammals, 90 species of birds, 11 kinds of reptiles, 360 insects and 939 species of plants. In Korea, leaves first start coloring on Mt. Seorak in eastern Gangwon Province, where the temperature dips quickly. Trees start coloring when the temperature falls. As the day's sun shortens, meaning less sunlight, the yellow pigment carotenoid, the red pigment anthocyanin and the beige/brown tannin surface in the leaves. Nothing beats looking at the foliage up in the mountains. Colorful leaves gently sway in the wind, as sunrays intermittently penetrate between them. Seoraksan is known for its stunning peaks, beautiful valleys and fantastic rock formations. Inner Seorak has crystal clear streams, many eye-catching falls including Daeseung waterfall cascading down 88-meter cliff and lonely hermitages. South Seorak’s fame is in its mineral water, a kind of medicinal water that tastes like carbonated water, while Outer Seorak offers a numerous scenic hiking trails.
