Goseokjeong

Walk down the steps into the gorge and, in the middle of the Hantan River between black basalt cliffs, a single rock crowned with pines stands on its own. Goseokjeong means "pavilion of the lonely rock", and the name covers the rock, the pavilion on the cliff above and the surrounding gorge. It ranks first among Cheorwon's nine scenic views and is a highlight of the Hantangang River UNESCO Global Geopark.

History: kings and an outlaw

No one knows exactly when the first pavilion was built. The Joseon geography Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam records that the Silla king Jinpyeong (r. 579–632) and the Goryeo king Chungsuk stayed here, and a record by the Goryeo monk Muoe and a poem by Kim Ryang-gyeong also survive.

The best-known story is that Im Kkeok-jeong, a Robin Hood–like rebel of the 16th century, hid inside a large hollow in the rock. Characters are carved on the rock and on the walls of the hollow. The two-storey pavilion burned during the Korean War, was rebuilt in concrete in 1971, was damaged again by floods in 1996 and repaired the following year. Goseokjeong and Sundam, downstream, were designated a Gangwon provincial monument in 1971.

Geology: a rock buried and uncovered

Goseok is granite that formed underground about 110 million years ago. After it had long been exposed at the surface, it was buried by basalt lava flows between roughly 540,000 and 120,000 years ago. The Hantan River later cut a new channel through the lava plateau and laid the granite bare again. That is why you can see the old granite below and the columnar-jointed basalt above in a single view. Sources give the rock's height as about 10 m or about 15 m.

Tripto tips

• Visiting: the gorge area is open at all times and free. Reaching the rock means steep steps down and back up, so wear good shoes.
• Parking: KRW 2,000 for cars, KRW 5,000 for large vehicles; free if you leave within 30 minutes.
• Goseokjeong Flower Field: next to the site, open 09:00–19:00 (last tickets 18:00) and closed on Tuesdays. Adult admission is KRW 10,000.
• Time: about 1 hour for the gorge and pavilion, 2 hours with the flower field.
• Security tours: Goseokjeong is known as the starting point for Cheorwon's border tours to the Second Tunnel, Cheorwon Peace Observatory and Woljeong-ri Station. These lie inside the civilian control zone, so check operation and booking with Cheorwon County in advance.
• Winter: the Cheorwon plain draws migratory birds such as cranes, so winter trips pair well with birdwatching.

Nearby

• Sundam Valley: about 2 km downstream, with white sand banks and rock cliffs. Its name is said to come from a small pond where the 19th-century minister Kim Gwan-ju planted sunchae, a water plant.
• Jiktang Falls: about 2 km upstream, a waterfall in the Hantan gorge.
• Hantangang Milky Way Bridge and Seungilgyo Bridge: crossings over the gorge, easy to add to the visit.