Mountains Colors

[Anchor Lead]

Colorful fall foliage is at its peak on the Korean mountainsides. In some places an early winter chill has ushered in some very early snowfall. Here's a tour of Korea's beautiful autumn mountains.

[Pkg]

Hikers stream into the Songnisan National Park painted in assorted fall colors. A new walking course has opened to the public for the first time this year. The hiking trail supposedly follows the footsteps of King Sejo of the Joseon Dynasty. The trail is not that long, only 2.4 kilometers, but that distance is enough to enjoy the red maple leaves and the refreshing smells of a mountain forest.

[Soundbite] Jeong Gwan-su(Hiker) : "I feel as if I'm getting healthier, since the smell of forest is nice and the wind is refreshing. The fall leaves are also wonderful."

Juwangsan Mountain is also colored in splendid reds and oranges, as if splashed with paint. The fall foliage blends with craggy rocks to evoke an image of a watercolor painting.Hikers are busy taking pictures to remember these moments and magnificent views.

[Soundbite] Kim Dae-seung(Hiker) : "Being so close to nature, I feel more refreshed and the fall foliage seen from the summit was spectacular."

Silvery snow flowers have blossomed along the crater at the top of 1,950-meter Hallasan Mountain. Tree branches resembling deer horns are covered in a white blanket.And a cottony frost clings to the colored leaves. Hikers and tourists marvel at this masterpiece created by Mother Nature.

[Soundbite] British Tourist

The lowest temperature measured at Baengnokdam Lake is 4.8 degrees below zero. Sleet has accompanied frost and ice, and it was recorded as the day when the season's first snow, first frost, and first ice were observed all at the same time. Hikers, who were planning on admiring colorful fall leaves got unforgettable memories of a surprise winter scene at Mount Hallasan.

[Soundbite] Yun Seung-bo(Hiker) : "The Hallasan scenery with the clouds, the hard rime, and colorful fall leaves was amazing."

Hallasan Mountain has bloomed in white snow flowers even before the fall foliage has faded. The early arrival of winter has created a rare spectacle of the fall and winter coexisting side by side.