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A bridge over a dry river links the main visitor area of Seoraksan National Park (hangeul: 설악산국립공원) to the north and Mount Seorak (hangeul: 설악산) to the south. Although the river was dry at the time this photo was taken (in October), when the snow melts in the Spring, and in the rainy season, the river can swell and become very fast flowing.
From Wikipedia:
The nature reserve protects an area of 163.6 square kilometers and contains many notable high peaks measuring over 1,200 meters above sea level including the highest peak of Soraksan, Daecheongbong, which has an altitude of 1,708 meters. The nature reserve contains mountain ranges of dissected granite and gneiss and is characterized by spectacular rocky hills and ridges. The magnificent natural beauty of Soraksan and the mountain ridges is due to these geographical features. Annual precipitation in Inner Soraksan is 1000 millimeters and 1300 millimeters in Outer Soraksan.
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Korea is one of the oldest continuous civilizations in the world with over five thousand years of history. According to the original creation myth, the world we live in today is the work of the Heavenly Prince Hwanung, whose father was the King of Heaven.The Heavenly Prince asked his father to give him some land to govern, so the Father sent him down to Mount Taebaek. With him the Prince brought the Minister of Clouds, the Earl of Rain and the Chancellor of Wind. They also brought three thousand helpers.Under the shade of a sandalwood tree the Prince founded a holy city called Sinsi, the City of God. He put his Ministers in charge of three hundred and sixty areas of human culture, teaching them to grow crops and to make laws concerning what is good and what is evil.A tiger and a bear living in a nearby cave saw this city and desperately wanted to become human. Every day they came to the sandalwood tree at the center of the city to pray fervently for becoming humans.Hwanung saw their devotion and gave them instructions to remain in the cave and fast for one month, eating nothing but garlic and mugwort. The tiger was too impatient to stand the long and boring days in the cave, so he gave up and left, but Bear maintained the fast. At the end of the month she was transformed into a beautiful woman who became the mother of the Korean people.Her first son was Don-gun, the First King of the Korean people. When Don-Gun passed on the throne to his own son, he became a Mountain God. It is interesting that mountain gods are still worshipped today in Korea.Text by Steve Smith.
