Mudeungsan

This rounded mountain can be seen from almost anywhere in Gwangju. Near the top stand Seoseokdae and Ipseokdae, rows of stone columns like folding screens; their individual columns are the largest of their kind recorded in South Korea. Mudeungsan, 1,187 m high, became Korea's 21st national park in 2013.

History and name

The mountain spans Dong-gu and Buk-gu in Gwangju and Hwasun and Damyang counties. It was once called Mujinak or Muak after Mujinju, an old name for Gwangju, and in the Goryeo period Seoseoksan, after the rocks near its summit. Mudeung is often read as "beyond comparison", but it may simply be a Chinese-character rendering of Mudeul or Mudol, Gwangju's native Korean name.

It became a provincial park in 1972. Its designation as a national park was announced in December 2012, and the park office opened in March 2013. It was the first new national park in 24 years, after Byeonsanbando and Wolchulsan. In 2018 the Mudeungsan area was certified as a UNESCO Global Geopark.

What to see

• Seoseokdae (about 1,100 m): a wall of tall stone columns. It is known as the highest point ordinary hikers can reach.
• Ipseokdae: columns standing individually like pillars. Together with Seoseokdae it was designated a Natural Monument in 2005. Both formed when lava from Cretaceous volcanic eruptions cooled and cracked.
• Gyubong and Jigong Neodeol: some 100 stone columns rise at Gyubong, while Jigong Neodeol is a slope covered with broken columns. Legend says the Indian monk Jigong laid the stones there by spiritual power. The area became a Scenic Site in 2018.
• Jeungsimsa and Wonhyosa: the main temples on the lower slopes and the starting points of the main trails.
• Mudol-gil: a 51.8 km walking trail that circles the mountain.

Good to know

• An air force unit has been based around the summit, Cheonwangbong, since 1966, so public access has been restricted. Since 2011 the summit area has occasionally been opened on special days.
• The park is home to about 2,296 species, including eight endangered ones such as the otter and the leopard cat.

Stories of the mountain

General Kim Deok-ryeong, a militia leader during the Japanese invasions of the 1590s, is said to have trained in martial arts on Mudeungsan, and the Chungjangsa shrine on its slopes honours him. Gyubongam below Gyubong, Wonhyosa and Jeungsimsa are all said to have been founded in the Silla period. Some 61 scenic features, including peaks, rock formations, Seoseokdae, Ipseokdae and Gyubong, are scattered across the park.

The Mudeungsan Global Geopark covers about 1,051 km², taking in all of Gwangju and Damyang County and part of Hwasun County, with 20 geosites such as Ipseokdae, Seoseokdae, the Hwasun dinosaur fossil site and the Jeokbyeok cliffs.

Tripto tips

• Routes: from Wonhyosa the trail to Seoseokdae is about 4.1 km and takes about 2 hours up. Another popular route climbs from Jeungsimsa via Jangbuljae to Ipseokdae and Seoseokdae. Allow 5–7 hours for the round trip.
• Best time: autumn silver grass and the frost-covered columns in winter are especially beautiful. Bring crampons in winter.
• Check before you go: trail closures, permitted hiking hours and any summit openings are posted on the Korea National Park Service website.
• Getting there: both the Jeungsimsa and Wonhyosa trailheads can be reached by public transport from central Gwangju.