HIKING TRAILS IN NATIONAL PARKS REOPEN

[Anchor Lead]

Hiking trails in national parks have reopened after they had been closed to prevent forest fires. But there are clearly fewer groups of tourists enjoying natural sceneries due to the COVID infections.

[Pkg]

​This hiking trail leads from South Seorak to Daecheongbong Peak. One hiker after another walks up the trail. Access to the trails in the high mountainous areas had been banned since February to prevent forest fires. Now they have reopened after three months. Hikers are glad to be enjoying their hobby again.

[Soundbite] JANG YUN-SIL & JO JEOM-SEON(VISITORS) : "I haven't been to Seoraksan Mountain for a long time, but this time I went up all the way to Daecheongbong Peak. It was great."

Earlier this month, hiking routes in other national parks all across the nation reopened except for some segments. Due to the COVID-19 infections, however, there were practically no groups of tourists. Most were individual hikers. Nearby parking lots, which would have been packed with tour buses, remained largely empty.

[Soundbite] LEE YEONG-HWA(MERCHANT) : "I haven’t seen tour buses or tourist groups. I only saw a few hikers."

Meanwhile, Korea National Park has decided to suspend the operation of mountain shelters to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

[Soundbite] CHOI WON-NAM(KOREA NATIONAL PARK) : "Spending the night isn’t possible at the shelters because of COVID-19. So, make in advance one-day hiking plans that are right for your fitness level."

National park authorities have also asked visitors to maintain a two-meter distance between others and follow other disease prevention guidelines.