Korea's national parks curb 148 trails as autumn fire season begins

South Korea's national park authority said Sunday it will close 148 trail sections across the country for 31 days from Nov. 15, as it opens a 45-day autumn fire-prevention period running through Dec. 15.

The Korea National Park Service, which manages trails and conservation in the country's 18 national parks and is chaired by Joo Dae-young, said the closures cover 669.81 kilometers of trail. Of that, 115 sections totaling 474 kilometers will be shut entirely, including the ridge route from the Nogodan pass to Jangteomok in Jirisan, while 33 sections covering 101.49 kilometers will be partially restricted.

The blocked routes are largely high-altitude and ridgeline paths, including the Osaek-to-Daecheongbong and Baekdam shelter-to-Daecheongbong stretches of Seoraksan and the Hyangjeokbong-to-Yeonggak trail in Deogyusan. Jirisan accounts for the largest share, with 28 closed sections, followed by Palgongsan with 20, Songnisan with 13 and Taebaeksan with 12.

Hikers can still reach the remaining 515 sections, or 1,373 kilometers of trail, which stay open as usual. The list of closed routes by park is available on the service's website.

The service said autumn is the riskiest stretch of the year: fallen leaves accumulate, the air dries out, and a single spark can grow into a major blaze, while visitor numbers peak. Over the past decade, from 2016 to 2025, hikers starting fires accounted for 30 percent of blazes, with trash burning at 12.2 percent and field or paddy-dike burning at 10.1 percent.

Patrols will be stepped up to catch illegal smoking, cooking and burning near forest edges, and fire-prevention supplies will be provided to houses and temples inside park boundaries. The service also plans to deploy artificial-intelligence fire-detection cameras and thermal-imaging drones alongside fire watchers concentrated in vulnerable areas, and to run a regional response system linking its headquarters, four regional offices and 32 local offices so that nearby parks can send staff and equipment quickly to a fire.

Entry to a closed trail carries a fine of up to 500,000 won ($374) under the Natural Parks Act, and carrying flammable materials or smoking brings a fine of up to 2 million won ($1,498).

"A small act of carelessness can lead to major damage, which is why on-site prevention and a fast initial response matter more than anything," Joo said. "We ask visitors and local residents to follow closed sections and to join in fire-prevention rules such as no smoking and no cooking."