Daegeumgul Cave, Samcheok

Site details

In Samcheok, Gangwon-do Province, the Daei-ri Cave System (designated a Natural Monument) encompasses a series of limestone caves whose names evoke a sense of mystery , including Daegeumgul, Hwanseongul, Gwaneumgul, Yangtomoksegul, Keunjesegul, Deokbatsegul, and Sadaribawibaramsagul. Among them, Daegeumgul Cave is remarkable, even in the story of its discovery. The valley where the cave is located was long known as “Mulgol,” (meaning “water valley”), because water constantly poured from cracks in the rocks below the cliffs. Wondering where such an abundant flow of water could be coming from, people traced the source through the rock crevices. In February 2003, the first waterfall chamber inside the cave was finally discovered. A monorail station is now located there. At first, the cave was called “Mulgolgul Cave” after the local place name. However, noting that large flowstones, stalactites, and stalagmites inside the cave seemed to shimmer with a golden hue, it was renamed Daegeumgul, meaning “a cave of great gold,” in 2006. From the ticket office to the tunnel entrance connected to the cave, located at an elevation of about 395 meters, the route follows steep cliffs and a valley. For this reason, visitors travel by monorail and may enter the cave only with advance reservations and a guide. In June 2007, approximately 800 meters of the cave’s total length of 1,610 meters were opened to the public for the first time. Clear water flows continuously through the cave, and tours may be suspended during periods of heavy summer rainfall. Inside the cave are well-developed formations, including Korea’s longest rod-shaped stalagmite at about three meters, cave pearls measuring up to four centimeters in diameter, and terraced rimstone pools. Beyond the approximately ten-meter-deep lake at the end of the visitor route, a passage continues for another 230 meters before reaching a second lake. However, only about 60 meters of this section have been examined through underwater exploration. Beyond that point, it has only been confirmed that a large underwater passage continues further inside. This has led to speculation that Daegeumgul Cave may be connected by water to Hwanseongul Cave.