Bugaksan

Bugaksan is a granite peak about 342 m high rising directly behind Gyeongbokgung Palace and the former presidential compound, Cheong Wa Dae. In the Joseon period it was called Baegaksan, and as the guardian mountain on the northern side of the capital, the Seoul City Wall runs along its ridge. Closed to the public from 1968, it reopened step by step and was fully opened in April 2022. Walking along the wall, you look down on Gwanghwamun and across to Bukhansan at the same time.

History: from the capital's backdrop to a closed mountain

Bugaksan was the protective mountain of Gyeongbokgung and the starting point of the city wall. Sukjeongmun Gate stands on the eastern pass, Changuimun Gate at the western foot, and Samcheong Park on the south-eastern slope. Joseon geomancers believed the mountain's shape carried the energy of fire, so they took precautions such as placing haechi statues in front of Gwanghwamun.

After North Korean commandos tried to attack the presidential residence on 21 January 1968, the mountain became a military zone. The Sukjeongmun section reopened first on 1 April 2006, the northern slope on 1 November 2020, and the southern slope on 6 April 2022, so it can now be climbed from several directions. In 2009 it was designated a national Scenic Site as "Baegaksan Area in Seoul".

What to see

• Baegak section of the Seoul City Wall: The walk from Changuimun past the summit, Baegak Maru, to Sukjeongmun follows the wall, where you can compare stones laid in different periods.
• The 1.21 Incident pine tree: A pine still marked by bullets from the 1968 firefight, with a sign explaining what happened.
• Cheongundae and viewing points: Gyeongbokgung, Gwanghwamun and the downtown towers fit into one frame, and to the north the ridges of Bukhansan rise beyond Pyeongchang-dong.
• Source of Cheonggyecheon: The stream that runs through central Seoul begins on Bugaksan; the spring was identified in a 2005 survey.
• Bugak Skyway and Palgakjeong Pavilion: A road along the north-eastern ridge opened in 1968, with night views over the city from the pavilion.

What the newly opened trails reveal

The southern trails opened in 2022 lead through forest and rock that went untouched for decades. At the Beopheungsa temple site, said to date from the reign of King Jinpyeong of Silla, lotus-carved foundation stones remain, and at the Mansedongbang spring a rock is carved with a wish for the nation's prosperity and the king's long life. You also pass an old swimming pool built in a stream for soldiers and the Candlestick Rock rest area. On a clear day the Cheongundae viewpoint looks as far as Lotte World Tower.

In the Joseon period the mountain also went by names such as Myeonak and Gonggeuksan. When it was named a Scenic Site in 2009, it was praised for showing the principles used to site the capital and for preserving a Joseon landscape centred on pine trees, laid out like a back garden for Gyeongbokgung. 208 plant species grow on the mountain, including 81 kinds of tree.

Tripto tips

• Entrances: You can start at Changuimun (near the Yun Dong-ju Literary Museum), Samcheong Park (Samcheong information centre) or Sukjeongmun (Seongbuk-dong side). For Samcheong, take village bus Jongno 11 from in front of Gyeongbokgung to the Samcheong Park entrance.
• Opening: Free. When the trails opened in 2022, hours were 07:00–18:00 in March–April and September–October (last entry 16:00), 07:00–19:00 in May–August (last entry 17:00) and 09:00–17:00 in November–February (last entry 15:00). Visitors collected a pass at the entrance booth and returned it on the way out, so check Jongno District's latest information before you go.
• Time: Allow 2–3 hours to walk the wall from Changuimun to Sukjeongmun and come down to Samcheong-dong.
• Watch out: The wall section has many steep steps, so wear good shoes and bring water.
• Combine with: Sukjeongmun, Samcheong-dong, Seochon and Inwangsan.