Hallasan Namseongdae Shelter and Others Newly Designated as National Forest Cultural Assets

The Hallasan Namseongdae Shelter and the Iksan Hamrasan Wild Tea Colony have been newly designated as National Forest Cultural Assets.

The Korea Forest Service announced on December 26 that it has issued a notice regarding new designations and delistings of National Forest Cultural Assets for this year.

Iksan Hamrasan Wild Tea Colony, newly designated as a National Forest Cultural Asset this year. Provided by Korea Forest Service

According to the notice, the Hallasan Namseongdae Shelter was designated as a new National Forest Cultural Asset for its significance as a space preserving the history of mountain safety and use. The Iksan Hamrasan Wild Tea Colony was recognized as a rare forest heritage site that preserves traces of indigenous tea culture.

With these new designations, the Korea Forest Service plans to expand the scope of preservation and, by promoting utilization in connection with local residents, enable the public to experience the value of forest culture in their daily lives.

The Uljin Sogwang-ri Great Pine Tree was delisted as a National Forest Cultural Asset, as it was deemed that its designation purpose had expired due to natural causes (death of the tree).

In accordance with the Act on Forest Culture and Recreation, the Korea Forest Service will continue to assess the preservation status and value of these assets through regular on-site inspections and expert reviews.

Song Junho, Director General of Forest Welfare at the Korea Forest Service, stated, "Continuous inspection and management are important even after a site is designated as a National Forest Cultural Asset," adding, "The Korea Forest Service will continue to actively discover and systematically manage forest heritage sites with high preservation value."