Gwongeumseong Fortress, Seoraksan

Gwongeumseong is a rocky summit in Outer Seorak that you reach in about five minutes by cable car from Seoraksan's Sogongwon area. It is the site of a Goryeo-era mountain fortress, but these days it is known less for its walls than for its broad granite slabs and the view from them. Ulsanbawi, the jagged ridges of Outer Seorak, the city of Sokcho and the East Sea are all laid out in front of you, which makes it the easiest way to get a taste of Seoraksan if a long hike is not on the cards.

A fortress built in one night

The name comes from a legend: when war broke out, two strongmen surnamed Kwon and Kim sent their families up the mountain and built a fortress in a single night to fight off the enemy. Records say it served as a refuge for local people during the Mongol invasion of 1254, under King Gojong of Goryeo. The walls ran around a beacon peak given as 800 m or 850 m above sea level depending on the source, but most have collapsed, and today only the site and scattered stones remain.

From the cable car to the beacon peak

The Seorak cable car leaves from Sogongwon and climbs 1,128 m in about 5 minutes to the upper station at 699 m. Gwongeumseong begins as soon as you step out.

• The beacon peak: a short climb along the rocky ridge from the station leads to the top of Gwongeumseong. Some stretches are smooth granite where you use your hands as well as your feet.
• The view: Ulsanbawi to the north, the sharp peaks of Outer Seorak to the west, and Sokcho with the East Sea to the east.
• Allagam and Muhaksong: a small hermitage tucked between the rocks and an old pine tree.

Important to know

There is no hiking trail up to or down from Gwongeumseong. You must ride the cable car both ways, and only return tickets are sold. Tickets are sold on the day only at the ticket office, with no advance booking, and each ticket has a set boarding time, so queues grow long on busy weekends.

Before you set off from Sogongwon

The fortress walls are said to have run for about 2.1 km around the beacon peak. The cable car station is a 5-minute walk from the Sogongwon entrance of Seoraksan National Park: buy your ticket on the ground floor and go up to the boarding level 5 minutes before your departure time. Cars run every 10–15 minutes when it is quiet and every 5 minutes when busy. The cable car website shows a live camera feed from the summit, provided by the Korea National Park Service, so you can check for fog before you go.

Tripto tips

• Fares (October 2026, return): KRW 16,000 for adults and middle-school students, KRW 12,000 for children from 37 months to primary-school age, free under 36 months.
• Hours: they change daily with the season and weather and are posted each day on the cable car website's front page. Operation stops in strong wind.
• Time needed: allow 60–90 minutes at the top, not counting the wait. If you take the last car up, you will only have about 20 minutes on the summit.
• Best time: the October foliage season is the most beautiful and also the busiest. Arrive early, buy your ticket first and explore the Sogongwon area while you wait.
• Watch out: the rock can be slippery, so wear shoes with good grip. Strollers are not allowed on board; wheelchair users can reach the boarding platform by lift.
• Getting there: from the Sokcho intercity bus terminal area take city bus 7 or 7-1 to the Seoraksan car park terminus, then walk to Sogongwon. There is no dedicated cable car car park; use the paid Sinheungsa car park.