[Report] Streams Bestowed by the Jade Emperor... Pristine Waters of Baekdusan Crafted by Nature and Time

Nongshim's 'Baeksansu' Bottles Baekdusan's Volcanic Spring Water
Pristine Naeducheon Water from Primeval Forest, Preserved as It Is
"An Eternal Spring... Clean and Consistent Water Quality All Year Round"

Baekdusan Jangbaek Waterfall. The stream that begins at Cheonji splits into two as it flows past Jangbaek Waterfall and reunites again at Ido Baekha.
[Photo by Gu Eunmo]

"The Jade Emperor made two streams flow from Cheonji Lake on Baekdusan so that its waters would never dry up, allowing the people to live in abundance without ever knowing drought."

Idobaekha, where the two streams originating from Cheonji Lake on Baekdusan merge into one, is the site of the legend of the Jade Emperor. After a bus ride of just over two hours from Yanji Airport in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin Province, China, we arrived at Idobaekha. This place has long been considered the gateway to Baekdusan and now serves as the base camp for Baekdusan tourism. Idobaekha, the starting point for Baekdusan tours, is also where Nongshim’s bottled spring water brand "Baeksansu," now celebrating its 60th anniversary, began its journey.

Good water comes from good sources... 'Baeksansu' nurtured in Baekdusan's primeval forest

The source of Nongshim Baeksansu is Baekdusan's Naeducheon
[Photo by Nongshim]

What is commonly referred to as "bottled spring water" is natural spring water containing minerals, sold in bottles after only physical treatment and without any additives. Because the mineral content is preserved in its natural state, the quality of the water source directly determines the taste and quality of the water. Rigorous quality control is maintained from the water source to the final product. This is why the bottled spring water business begins with the search for the best possible water source.

Since 2003, Nongshim has focused on finding the best water source, comparing and analyzing sources not only in Korea, such as Jirisan and Ulleungdo, but also in various countries overseas. After years of exploration, the final source selected was "Naeducheon" in Idobaekha, located about 42 kilometers from Cheonji Lake on Baekdusan. Situated at an altitude of 670 meters, Naeducheon is a rare, low-temperature natural volcanic bedrock spring, maintaining a temperature of 6.5 to 7 degrees Celsius year-round. It is located in a pristine, protected primeval forest area inaccessible to people and covers an area of 330 square meters (about 100 pyeong).

A well at Nongshim's Baekdusan Naeducheon water source. Through the well, underground spring water rises to the surface.

The Naeducheon water source, reached after walking through the lush greenery at the foot of Baekdusan, was tranquil even at midday with the sun high in the sky. Instead of the vigorous gushing and roaring water I had vaguely expected, there was a calm and clear reservoir nestled among the green trees. The water source, which looks like a shallow moat, is connected to 22 wells and pipes, through which the collected water is transported to the production plant.

The water from Naeducheon is a natural spring that rises to the surface without any external pressure. Rainwater that seeps into the ground slowly travels through the 45-kilometer volcanic bedrock layer of Baekdusan over about 40 years, during which impurities are filtered out and beneficial natural minerals are absorbed in a balanced way. The water, shaped by the nature and time of Baekdusan, emerges at Naeducheon at a rate of 24,000 tons of volcanic bedrock water per day. This groundwater rises through circular wells embedded 3 to 5 meters deep and is transported via pipes.

The view of Naeducheon, the water source of Baeksansu by Nongshim, located in Baekdusan.
[Photo by Koo Eunmo]

An Myungsik, head of Yanbian Nongshim, expressed pride, saying, "Baekdusan is an area where the possibility of pollution is fundamentally blocked, making Baeksansu truly a gift from Baekdusan's nature." He added, "Baeksansu is a natural spring that maintains consistent water quality throughout the year. Environmentally, because the water rises naturally, there is no risk of environmental damage or depletion."

The water drawn from Naeducheon is transported via water pipes, taking advantage of the difference in elevation, to a pump station 550 meters below. Here, it undergoes a three-stage filtration process. First, in a 30-ton buffer tank, natural filtering is achieved using 10 meters of water pressure. Next, a strainer filter removes foreign substances. Finally, the "Ball-CIP system," made of synthetic rubber, cleans the water pipes between the source and the factory to maintain cleanliness.

Buffer tank of the pump station located about 500 meters from Naeducheon, the water source of Nongshim Baeksansu.
Photo by Koo Eunmo

An Myungsik stated, "To ensure the highest quality, we carefully selected world-class companies as partners for our production facilities. In particular, we used 'SUS 316L' piping, the same material used in medical devices such as stents, to connect directly to the production line without exposure to air." He further emphasized, "The ball system is a unique piping system found only at five locations in Europe and, in Asia, exclusively at Baeksansu. This is a prime example of Nongshim's world-class sanitation technology."

New plant marks 10th anniversary... "The best water bottled with the best facilities"

A panoramic view of the Baeksansu factory in Idobaekha, Ando County, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin Province, China.
[Photo by Nongshim]

After the initial filtration, the water is transported to the new Baeksansu factory, located 3.7 kilometers from the water source. The new plant was built in 2015 with an investment of approximately 260 billion KRW and marks its 10th year of operation this year. The Nongshim Baeksansu plant is a fully automated "smart factory." Ensuring the safe bottling of the collected water is just as important as selecting a good water source, so only minimal filtration systems are used, and the production facilities are designed to bottle Baekdusan water as cleanly as possible. From water collection to production, logistics, and shipping, every step is untouched by human hands, fundamentally preventing any possible contamination.

Nongshim has also calculated the amount of energy used to produce each bottle of Baeksansu in order to improve energy efficiency. Changes inside and outside the production facility are shared as big data, and production data is transmitted and accumulated in real time at the Seoul headquarters and other locations.

The capping process, where the cap is combined with the bottle, is underway.
[Photo by Nongshim]

Because bottled spring water is produced using the raw water collected directly from the source, the production process is relatively simple. It is largely divided into purification and packaging. First, the water transported from the source to the factory is stored in water tanks. After a brief stay in the tank, the water passes through a high-performance nano filter, which removes microorganisms and foreign substances through microscopic pores, while beneficial minerals and other components pass through. After the nano filter, the water is sterilized with ultraviolet light to control microorganisms, and then a sterilizing filter is used to ensure complete microbial safety, completing the purification process.

After purification, the water undergoes a filling process in a sterile environment, where it is bottled without contact with air. Next, the disinfected cap is combined and sealed with the product in the capping process, which also takes place in a sterile room. After the cap is attached, the products undergo final inspections for vision and weight, are packaged by unit, and then shipped. The facility can produce 2,550 bottles per minute, with an annual production capacity of up to 1 million tons.

Nongshim Baeksansu after the final packaging process.
[Photo by Nongshim]

Logistics facilities have also been established for fast delivery. A railway has been built on the new plant site. Nongshim has secured exclusive rights from the Chinese government for the 1.7-kilometer section from the new Baeksansu plant to the nearby railway station. Thanks to this railway network, Baeksansu produced at the new plant can be quickly supplied not only throughout China but also to various regions. An Myungsik emphasized, "It is extremely rare for a foreign company to obtain exclusive rights to a section of the national railway network in China."

Nongshim is actively promoting the excellence of Baeksansu by offering factory tours that showcase its state-of-the-art smart factory system and the pristine quality of Baekdusan’s single water source to tourists visiting Baekdusan. The Baeksansu factory tour has become an essential part of the Baekdusan tourist experience, attracting an average of over 5,000 visitors annually over the past two years. Starting this year, Nongshim aims to double the number of tour participants to 10,000 per year.

Nongshim Baeksansu Factory Tour Route View.