Hwaseong, Jeongok Port Stratified Tuff Marine Observation Walk Opens on the 30th

[Suwon Ilbo=Park Chan-hyeok Reporter] The 'Jeongok Port Stratified Tuff Marine Observation Walk' in Hwaseong Special City will make its debut to citizens on the 30th in conjunction with the '15th Hwaseong Boating Festival'.

The marine observation walk is installed crossing over the seashore with a total length of 531m and a width of 2.0m, with a total project cost of approximately 4.57 billion won. It is designed to allow close observation of tidal mudflats and rocks exposed according to tidal variations, and is expected to serve well as a living natural learning site.

Jeongok Port stratified tuff is a rock formed when volcanic ash was deposited and solidified approximately 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic Era, in the days when dinosaurs roamed, and is characterized by distinct horizontal stratification.

The sea cliffs carved by waves and the fault structure are themselves valuable geological educational resources and core attractions of the Hwaseong National Geopark designated last year.

The Goryeom area where the observation walk is located was previously an island, but is undergoing a transformation into a space where diverse marine and geological experiences are possible as it became connected to the mainland through the construction of infrastructure such as the Shihwa Lake Embankment and aerial cable car.

In particular, the area is densely packed with various sedimentary rocks, tuffs, faults, sea cliffs, and wave-cut platforms, making it possible to directly experience the Earth's past while walking along the observation walk.

The city plans to install landscape lighting on the marine observation walk to enable nighttime tourism within the first half of this year. Additionally, the city will expand geological and ecological tourism courses in connection with Jebu Island, Baengmiri, Gungpyeong Port, and other areas including Jeongok Port, and strengthen sustainable natural tourism infrastructure.

Mayor Jung Myung-keun said, "The Jeongok Port Marine Observation Walk will become a representative destination where citizens and visitors can vividly experience Hwaseong's excellent geological resources, where cities and nature, tourism and learning blend together," and added, "Going forward, we will continue to discover nature-friendly tourism content that can impress both residents and visitors."