The national parks of South Korea are preserved parcels of public land in South Korea, on which most forms of development are prohibited. They cover a total of 3.7% of the country's area, and are typically located in mountainous or coastal regions.[1] The country's largest mountain park is Jirisan National Park in the southwest; this was also the first national park to be designated, in 1967. The largest marine park is Dadohaehaesang; it has an area of more than 2,200 km2 (850 sq mi), but almost all of this is water. The smallest park is Wolchulsan, with an area of only 56.1 km2 (21.7 sq mi).
There are currently 20 national parks in South Korea; the parks, with the exception of Hallasan National Park, are managed by the Korea National Parks Service, established in 1987.[2] The Authority operates its own police force, and since 1998 has been under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Environment. It was previously under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Construction.
| Name (English, hangul, hanja) |
Photo | Location | Designated | Area | Land type[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bukhansan 북한산국립공원 北漢山國立公園 |
Seoul, Gyeonggi |
1983 | 80 km2 (31 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Byeonsan-bando 변산반도국립공원 邊山半島國立公園 |
Jeollabuk-do | 1988 | 155 km2 (60 sq mi) | Marine and coastal | |
| Chiaksan 치악산국립공원 雉岳山國立公園 |
Gangwon-do | 1984 | 182 km2 (70 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Dadohaehaesang 다도해해상국립공원 多島海海上國立公園 |
Jeollanam-do | 1981 | 2,325 km2 (898 sq mi) | Marine and coastal | |
| Deogyusan 덕유산국립공원 德裕山國立公園 |
Jeollabuk-do, Gyeongsangnam-do |
1975 | 232 km2 (90 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Gayasan 가야산국립공원 伽倻山國立公園 |
Gyeongsangnam-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do |
1972 | 77 km2 (30 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Gyeongju 경주국립공원 慶州國立公園 |
Gyeongsangbuk-do | 1968 | 137 km2 (53 sq mi) | Historical | |
| Gyeryongsan 계룡산국립공원 鷄龍山國立公園 |
Chungcheongnam-do, Daejeon |
1968 | 65 km2 (25 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Hallasan 한라산국립공원 漢拏山國立公園 |
Jeju-do | 1970 | 153 km2 (59 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Hallyeohaesang 한려해상국립공원 閑麗海上國立公園 |
Jeollanam-do, Gyeongsangnam-do |
1968 | 545 km2 (210 sq mi) | Marine and coastal | |
| Jirisan 지리산국립공원 智異山國立公園 |
Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do, Gyeongsangnam-do |
1967 | 472 km2 (182 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Juwangsan 주왕산국립공원 周王山國立公園 |
Gyeongsangbuk-do | 1976 | 107 km2 (41 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Naejangsan 내장산국립공원 內藏山國立公園 |
Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do |
1971 | 81 km2 (31 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Odaesan 오대산국립공원 五臺山國立公園 |
Gangwon-do | 1975 | 304 km2 (117 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Seoraksan 설악산국립공원 雪嶽山國立公園 |
Gangwon-do | 1970 | 398 km2 (154 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Sobaeksan 소백산국립공원 小白山國立公園 |
Chungcheongbuk-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do |
1987 | 322 km2 (124 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Songnisan 속리산국립공원 俗離山國立公園 |
Chungcheongbuk-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do |
1970 | 274 km2 (106 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Taeanhaean 태안해안국립공원 泰安海岸國立公園 |
Chungcheongnam-do | 1978 | 326 km2 (126 sq mi) | Marine and coastal | |
| Wolchulsan 월출산국립공원 月出山國立公園 |
Jeollanam-do | 1988 | 56 km2 (22 sq mi) | Mountainous | |
| Woraksan 월악산국립공원 月岳山國立公園 |
Chungcheongbuk-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do |
1984 | 288 km2 (111 sq mi) | Mountainous |
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