Hwanho Park

On the hill just north of Yeongildae Beach in Pohang, Hwanho Park covers about 514,000 m², making it the largest park in the city. The Pohang Museum of Steel Art, playgrounds and an outdoor stage are scattered among its woodland paths, and at the top sits Space Walk, a walkable sculpture that twists like a roller coaster above Yeongil Bay. It is a good place for a half-day walk with the sea, the steelworks and the city all in view.

A park built with the steel city

Hwanho Park opened in 2001. Pohang City and the steelmaker POSCO built it together, with POSCO donating KRW 20 billion, half of the roughly KRW 40 billion construction cost. Most of the park is made up of paths winding through the wooded hillside. In 2019 the two partners agreed to give the park a new landmark, and Space Walk was the result.

Space Walk

• The artists: designed by the German artist couple Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genz, who visited Pohang three times before starting work.
• Scale: the structure measures 60 m by 57 m and rises 25 m, carrying a 333 m steel track with 717 steps. It used 317 tonnes of steel made in Pohang.
• Opening: it opened to the public in November 2021, and by May 2026 it had welcomed about 3.96 million visitors.
• The walk: as you climb and dip along the track, the forest and museum appear below you, then the POSCO steelworks, Yeongil Bay and Yeongildae Beach. The number of people allowed on at once is limited, so expect queues at weekends.

What else to see

• Pohang Museum of Steel Art: the city art museum, opened in 2009, is known for its "steel art" exhibitions.
• Forest trails: paths wind along the hillside and stay shady even in summer.
• Plaza, fountains and stage: fountains and an outdoor stage sit around the park's plaza.
• For children: playgrounds and a children's library make it popular with families.

A day along Yeongil Bay

Hwanho Park sits at the centre of Pohang's Yeongil Bay waterfront. Below it to the south runs Yeongildae Beach, with the traditional Yeongildae pavilion standing out over the water. From the park's hill and from Space Walk you look across the bay to the long line of the POSCO steelworks, a view that sums up Pohang as a steel city. Spend the day on the forest paths and in the museum, climb Space Walk around sunset and finish with an evening walk on the beach to get the most out of both park and shore.

Tripto tips

• Time needed: about an hour for Space Walk alone, 2–3 hours if you add the museum and the forest paths.
• Opening: the park itself is open to walk in freely. Space Walk has seasonal opening hours and closes in rain or strong wind, so check the notices on the Pohang City website first. The museum is usually closed on Mondays.
• Best time: around sunset, when the lights of the steelworks come on over Yeongil Bay. The track can be slippery, so wear flat shoes.
• Getting there: Pohang KTX Station is about 4.5 km away, roughly 15 minutes by taxi. From Yeongildae Beach it is around a 30-minute walk along the coast.
• Combine it with: Yeongildae Beach and the Yeongildae pavilion standing over the water are linked by the coastal path, making an easy half-day route.