Environment ministry opens night trails in three national parks

The environment ministry said Friday it will open special night-time walking trails in three national parks from Oct. 23 through Nov. 14, pairing the country's night scenery with guided park tours for the first time.

The pilot program, run by the Korea National Park Service, will operate every Friday and Saturday during the four-week period, with no more than 20 people admitted per session. Reservations can be made through the park service's booking system at knps.or.kr, and a limited number of on-site bookings will be accepted for foreign visitors.

Three routes were chosen for the trial. In Gyeongju, the walk runs 1.2 kilometers from Woljeong Bridge through Gyerim to the Wolseong Moat. Bukhansan's Dobong district offers a one-kilometer course from Musugol to the Twin Peaks observation point, and the western Palgongsan section covers one kilometer between Seonbonsa Temple and the Gatbawi rock peak.

Each group will be accompanied by two trained nature interpreters working as a pair. Participants will be issued head lanterns and glow bands, and hikers will be asked to keep quiet during the sunset period to avoid disturbing wildlife.

"We will look closely at the results of this year's pilot operation and expand it next year so that more citizens and foreign tourists can experience the diverse appeal of the national parks," said Joo Dae-young, chairman of the Korea National Park Service.

The ministry said it will review the pilot's results and the safety of night hiking before deciding how far to widen the program in 2027, with more parks and routes under consideration.