The Bukaksan Trail Behind Cheongwadae Opens for the First Time in 52 Years

Newly opened right side of Hanyangdoseong (north side of Bukaksan)

The northern slope of Bukaksan Mountain behind the Blue House has been developed into a trail and will be reopened to the public from 9 a.m. on the 1st of next month. This marks the first time in 52 years since access was restricted to the general public following the 'January 21 Incident' in 1968.

The opening of Bukaksan is also a fulfillment of the promise made by President Moon Jae-in during his 2017 presidential campaign to "fully open Bukaksan and Inwangsan Mountains and return them to the citizens." The southern slope of Bukaksan is also scheduled to be opened in the first half of 2022.

With the opening of Bukaksan, the green space in downtown Seoul available for citizens to enjoy will be greatly expanded, and a long-held wish of mountaineers will be realized. The mountain range called 'Hanbuk Jeongmaek,' which extends from Chugaryeong in the Baekdudaegan range southward to the Han River and Imjin River, will be fully connected. It will be possible to continuously traverse the section starting from Ansan in Seodaemun-gu, passing through Inwangsan, Bukaksan, and Bukhansan.

A trail created to supplement the military patrol path

To open Bukaksan between the Hanyangdoseong Fortress and Bukak Skyway, the Presidential Security Service has formed a consultative body with the Ministry of National Defense, the Cultural Heritage Administration, Seoul City, Jongno-gu, and other related agencies, and has been carrying out a project to convert the existing military patrol road into a nature-friendly trail.

Demolished abandoned military facilities and concrete patrol roads have been transformed into about 10,000 square meters of green space, some military facilities along the trail have been preserved as spaces of memory, and rest areas and restrooms for citizens have also been created.

An official from the Presidential Security Service in charge of the Bukaksan opening project said, "Through this opening of Bukaksan, we expect to enhance the historical value of Hanyangdoseong, restore the natural environment, and greatly contribute to improving citizens' health by expanding urban green space usage." He added, "In particular, we hope that citizens exhausted by COVID-19 can take a walk along the trail and find peace of mind, even if only for a moment."

Wooden stairs provided for safe movement along the embankment

Jongno-gu plans to operate a Bukaksan trail exploration program linked with the Hanyangdoseong stamp tour once the COVID-19 situation stabilizes, and further plans to promote car-free streets on Inwangsan and Bukaksan, citizen walking contests, Hanbuk Jeongmaek explorations, and Bukaksan cultural heritage tours.

Meanwhile, health authorities recommend individual hiking instead of group hikes and urge compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines such as maintaining a distance of at least 2 meters and wearing masks.

A panoramic view of the Gwanghwamun area as seen from the amphitheater