A construction tunnel built for a power plant project opens as a tourist attraction Thursday
Jindong Cave in Inje-gun was originally built as a construction tunnel during the development of the Yangyang Pumped-Storage Power Plant.
Technically a tunnel rather than a cave, the site has been rebranded under the "cave" designation — much as the Gwangmyeong mine was renamed Gwangmyeong Cave — to reflect its transformation into a tourism attraction.
Long left unused, the abandoned tunnel has been reimagined as a new tourism destination for Inje-gun, filled with light and storytelling.
Jindong Cave is a tourism facility spanning about 420 meters, combining media art, sculptures and narrative content to turn the tunnel's distinctive spatial character into an immersive attraction.
Efforts to develop Jindong Cave as a tourism asset gained momentum in 2021, when the site was selected as a pilot project under Gangwon Province's regional balanced-development initiative.
The visitor experience centers on the dream journey of "Kkotgomi," a bear character from Gombaeryeong, a highland meadow in the area.
As visitors move through the cave, light, video and spatial effects shift from section to section, allowing them to follow a single narrative and experience the space rather than simply viewing static exhibits.
Jindong Cave will operate from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and will be closed Friday for chuseok. The vast majority of the admission fee will be refunded as local gift certificates, naturally encouraging visitors to spend at nearby restaurants, shops and farm-produce stalls — giving them a fuller taste of what Inje-gun has to offer.
Inje-gun, which has adopted the upbeat slogan "Inje Sinnam," plans to accelerate the development of tourism products in the Jindong and Bangdong areas beyond the existing Sinnam district, using the cave's opening as a springboard.
Inje-gun plans to use Jindong Cave as a hub, strengthening links with nearby attractions — including Achimgari Valley, Gombaeryeong, a tourism development project centered on Bangdong Elementary School, and Inje Speedium — to draw visitors deeper into the surrounding region.
"We will establish Jindong Cave as a new tourism hub for Inje-gun and strengthen ties with nearby attractions such as Achimgari Valley and Gombaeryeong to extend visitor stays and boost local spending," said Lee Myeong-gyu, head of the tourism division at Inje-gun. "We will develop the Jindong-Bangdong area into a competitive, stay-oriented tourism zone so that the benefits flow through to local businesses and residents' incomes."
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