'Call it Baegaksan, not Bugaksan': Seoul mountain opens final trail Saturday

Baegaksan — the Seoul mountain widely known as Bugaksan — will be fully open to the public Saturday, completing a three-phase restoration of access that had been blocked for more than half a century following the Jan. 21 incident of 1968. Military fencing and checkpoints installed for security purposes will be removed, and the mountain's green corridor and historic trails will be fully connected.

According to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Wednesday, a 1.32-kilometer trail on the southwestern slope of the scenic site designated "Seoul Baegaksan Area" will open at 9 a.m. Saturday. A commemorative ceremony will be held at 3:30 p.m. Friday near Changuimun Gate along the Hanyang City Wall. The mountain is commonly called Bugaksan today, but it was historically known as Baegaksan during the Joseon era — and its official cultural heritage designation remains "Seoul Baegaksan Area."

Access to Baegaksan was restricted after the Jan. 21 incident, in which 31 North Korean armed infiltrators attempted to raid Cheong Wa Dae. The mountain was subsequently placed under total access control for security reasons. It was partially reopened in phases — a 2.2-kilometer northern Hanyang City Wall trail in 2020, followed by a 3.0-kilometer southeastern forest section in 2022.

With this final opening, the green corridor running from Baegaksan through Inwangsan to Bukhansan will be fully connected, creating a foundation for integrating the area's natural scenery with its historical and cultural heritage. Security measures will remain in place, however, including a visitor information center, safety patrols and closed-circuit television surveillance.

The newly opened section begins at the Dolphin Rest Area, the first rest stop on the path from Changuimun Gate toward the summit, and passes along a trail offering views of Inwangsan, Namsan, Cheong Wa Dae and Gyeongbokgung Palace. It continues to Mansedongbang, a spring featuring a rock inscription wishing the king long life, and ends at the Jan. 21 Incident Pine Tree, which still bears bullet marks from the 1968 clash between North Korean infiltrators and South Korean security forces. The full stretch covers 1.32 kilometers.

Four new scenic rest areas have been added along the third-phase route, offering views of Baegaksan and the Seoul skyline. The completed trail network now brings together historical and cultural sites in one continuous walk — the Hanyang City Wall, Mansedongbang and Candlestick Rock among them. Visitors can also take in sweeping views stretching from the pine forests of Inwangsan to Gyeongbokgung Palace and Namsan. The trail will be open 24 hours a day, free of charge, starting at 9 a.m. Saturday; visitors should use the designated paths.

A Cultural Heritage Administration official said the agency plans to systematically preserve Baegaksan's natural landscape, ecology and cultural heritage while ensuring a safe environment for visitors. "We will continue to expand tour, interpretation and outreach programs linked to surrounding historical and cultural resources — including the Hanyang City Wall, Gyeongbokgung Palace and Cheong Wa Dae — so that this scenic site remains cherished for generations to come," the official said.