Danyang-gun in North Chungcheong Province and the east coast of North Gyeongsang Province have been added to UNESCO’s list of Global Geoparks, a designation given for their geological heritage of international significance.
The entire county of Danyang-gun will now be protected, including its 43 scenic areas of geological importance such as Dodamsambong, a peak comprising three rock pillars on the Namhan River. Valleys, caves, cliffs and rocks make up the rest of the scenic sites, according to the latest decision last week by the UNESCO executive board.
Danyang, the first Geopark in the Chungcheong provinces, made its bid for UNESCO recognition in November 2023 after being added to the national list of geoparks maintained by the Korean government.
Meanwhile, the east coast of North Gyeongsang Province stretching from Uljin-gun to Gyeongju is home to fossil records dating to the Cenozoic era. It is the largest fossil trail in the Korean Peninsula, according to UNESCO.
The designated area includes 29 scenic areas of geological importance, including Namsan Mountain in Gyeongju, the ancient capital of Silla, known for its granite range. The UNESCO application was filed in June 2023.
The Geopark along the east coast is the largest of the seven UNESCO Geoparks now in Korea.
siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com
