Hwaamdonggul Cave, Jeongseon

Site details

What is now known as Hwaamdonggul Cave originates from the former tunnels of Cheonpo Mine, which was ranked as the fifth-largest gold mine in Korea during the Japanese colonial era. Gold was mined there until 1934. After the mine closed, a natural limestone cave was discovered extending from within the mineshaft. Hwaamdonggul Cave is distinctive in that it has no natural connection to the outside; instead, the exterior and the inner cave are connected through the former mine tunnels. Hwaamdonggul Cave was designated as a Monument of Gangwon-do Province in 1980. In recognition of its scientific and scenic value, it was elevated to the status of National Natural Monument in 2019. It has also been included as part of a National Geopark. The cave has a total length of about 535 meters, of which approximately 100 meters, known as the Large Chamber, is open to the public. Its sections are not all connected to one another, and they are distributed separately at different elevations. A lake has formed in a closed section connected to the Large Chamber, and the cave’s water emerges near the outdoor parking lot. The current visitor route extends for about 1,990 meters and consists of approximately 1,455 meters of former mine tunnels and around 100 meters of cave, including the Large Chamber. The difference in elevation between the entrance and exit of the mine tunnel is about 80 meters. Along the mineshaft section of the route, visitors pass traces of the actual tunnels where miners once worked. This is followed by exhibition spaces in which figures inspired by dokkaebi (traditional Korean goblins) explain the process of gold production in an engaging way. There are also sections of vivid media art. In the cave section, the viewing path through the Large Chamber reveals large flowstone formations, stalagmites, columns, and other cave formations. Hwaamdonggul Cave is especially valued for the well-developed cave flowers and helictites found inside. To date, fifty-two species of cave-dwelling animals have been identified, and bats inhabit the Large Chamber and the closed section connected to it. Hwaamdonggul Cave offers visitors the chance to experience the history of gold mining together with the mystery of a limestone cave.