Hikers from across South Korea flocked to Seoraksan after high-altitude trails on the mountain reopened following a two-month closure imposed to prevent spring wildfires.
The Seoraksan National Park Office under the Korea National Park Service fully reopened the high-altitude trails at 3 a.m. on the 16th, marking the end of the wildfire prevention period. Visitors staged an "open run," lining up to enter the moment the trails became accessible.
The number of visitors to Seoraksan that day reached 16,000. From the early morning hours, large hiking-club buses and private cars streamed into major trailheads at Osaek, Hangyeryeong, Baekdamsa and Seorak-dong. In front of some visitor support centers, hundreds of hikers wearing headlamps lined up waiting for the gates to open.
With the trails opening for the first time in 73 days since the closure began on March 4 and the reopening coinciding with a weekend, the crowds rivaled those typically seen during peak autumn foliage weekends.
The concentration of visitors has also raised concerns about disorder and illegal activity. The Seoraksan National Park Office said unauthorized entry into off-limits trails and smoking continued throughout the closure period, and announced it would step up enforcement following the reopening.
Under the Natural Parks Act, unauthorized entry into restricted areas carries a fine of up to 500,000 won (200,000 won for the first offense, 300,000 won for the second, and 500,000 won for the third). Smoking or possessing flammable materials such as lighters or matches can result in fines of up to 2 million won (600,000 won for the first offense, 1 million won for the second, and 2 million won for the third). Local governments and the Korea National Park Service also said they would deploy more on-site enforcement personnel to crack down on illegal trash dumping and cooking near shelters.
A significant portion of the Seoraksan crowd consists of those in their 20s and 30s. The hiking boom that gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic has solidified into an "MZ hiking craze." A search for "deungsanstagram" (hiking-stagram) on Instagram returns about 1.57 million posts, while "deungrini" (hiking beginner) yields 771,000 posts, highlighting the strong consumption of hiking content on social media.
Certain mountains have also drawn larger crowds after being touted as "spiritual energy spots." After a fortune-teller mentioned on a broadcast, "When your luck isn't going well, go to Yeonjudae on Gwanaksan," verification photos spread across social media. On the afternoon of the 1st, Gwacheon City sent out an emergency disaster alert urging caution about trail congestion and safety distances.
Seoraksan is riding a similar wave. As the Gongnyong Ridge has become both a dream and a notoriously demanding course for hikers, a "stamina-verification travel" culture has spread among the MZ generation, and long-distance hiking content from Seoraksan has consistently trended on social media.
The Seoraksan National Park Office urged hikers to choose courses suited to their fitness levels, check trail closure information and weather conditions, prepare equipment such as lanterns, warm clothing and emergency rations, and adhere to the principle of descending before sunset, citing concerns about safety accidents and natural damage caused by crowd concentration. The office said in its advance guidance that it would strictly crack down not only on unauthorized entry into restricted areas but also on illegal activities such as smoking and cooking.
