Yeonin Mountain Provincial Park's Yongchu Valley Trail Fully Reopened After Flood Recovery on the 11th

Yeonin Mountain Provincial Park in Gyeonggi Province has completed disaster recovery work on the Yongchu Valley trail, which was damaged by heavy rains in July last year, and will fully open all 9.2 kilometers of the trail starting the 11th.

Previously, the province had closed the trail as facilities and pathways such as the Sorit Road section and Premium Valley Road were washed away due to the heavy rains.

Gyeonggi Province began construction in April of this year. In this recovery project, to prevent landslides from recurring and ensure visitor safety, the province reduced the gradient of damaged slopes and applied the "stone stacking" method, which securely fixes natural stones, thereby enhancing facility safety beyond pre-flood conditions.

The riverbank protection facilities at the valley's edge utilized construction methods using natural stones from the surrounding area. By connecting stones with wire to minimize movement and using concrete only behind the stones, the structures were reinforced to withstand heavy rains. The project emphasized maintaining the existing landscape of Yongchu Valley as much as possible through the use of natural stones.

The National Forestry Cooperative Federation, which was in charge of the construction, proceeded with the project based on experience from disaster recovery including the recovery of Seoul's Umyeon Mountain landslide.

Safety inspections and environmental cleanup were also conducted prior to the trail's opening. Staff from Yeonin Mountain Provincial Park directly entered the valley and collected approximately 7 tons of debris including wires and concrete left from the flood damage.

Visitors wishing to use the Yongchu Valley trail can depart from the trail information center and use a course passing through Sorit Road to the endpoint of Premium Valley Road. From the information center to the Jungsan-ri entrance takes approximately 1 hour, and from there to the endpoint of Premium Valley Road takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, requiring approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes (9.2 km) one way.

Lee Tae-seon, Chief of the Garden Industry Division at Gyeonggi Province, stated, "We have safely refurbished Yeonin Mountain Provincial Park, a resting place for Gyeonggi residents, and reopened the entire section, making it even safer than before the flood damage," and added, "Going forward, we will continuously inspect facilities and maintain a safe trail environment so that Gyeonggi residents can visit with confidence."