Jeongseon

Jeongseon County lies deep in the mountains of Gangwon; High1 is one of Korea's largest ski resorts, with a skywalk, the Arirang five-day market and mining-heritage art nearby.

Jeongseon County lies deep in the Taebaek Mountains in southern Gangwon State, South Korea. Ringed by peaks and threaded by the winding Donggang and Joyanggang rivers, it was once Korea's most important coal-mining region. After the mines closed one by one in the 1990s, the government built High1 Resort and Kangwon Land around Gohan and Sabuk, and today the area is known for skiing, mountain getaways and its mining heritage. Sightseeing falls into two main areas. In the southeast, around Gohan and Sabuk, are High1 Ski Resort, the Kangwon Land casino and Samtan Art Mine, with Manhangjae — Korea's highest road pass — Jeongamsa Temple, which enshrines relics of the Buddha, and Mindungsan, famous for its autumn silver grass, nearby. In the northwest, around Jeongseon town, are the Jeongseon Arirang Market (held on dates ending in 2 and 7), the Byeongbangchi Skywalk and zipline, and Hwaam Cave; farther north are the Gujeolli rail bikes and the Gariwangsan cable car. The two areas are about 40 km apart, so you'll need a car or to change buses. Seasons: December–March for skiing; July–August for wildflowers on Manhangjae and cool mountain air; September–October for Mindungsan's silver grass and autumn colors at their best. Getting there: take the train from Cheongnyangni Station in Seoul to Gohan-Sabuk Station (about 3 hours), or a bus from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal (about 3.5 hours); High1 runs free shuttle buses. For Jeongseon town, take the train to Jeongseon Station. Plan 2–3 days: 1–2 days of skiing or hiking, plus a day for the market and Skywalk loop around Jeongseon town. Note that winters in the mountains are bitterly cold with icy roads, so drivers need snow tires; many sights close on Mondays or Tuesdays.

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