Geumgang Natural Recreation Forest
A forest recreation facility located beside the Geumgang River in Geumnam-myeon, Sejong City, beneath the Cheongbyeok Cliffs at the foot of Gyeryongsan Mountain. It featured the Geumgang Arboretum, a forest museum, and a campground. Under the unusual arrangement in which it was owned by Chungcheongnam-do but located within Sejong City’s administrative boundaries, operations ended on June 30, 2025. Following the Chungnam governor’s announcement in July 2026 of plans to reopen it, consultations with Sejong City are underway.
How a Village Accessible Only by Ferry Changed Beneath Cheongbyeok Cliff (1994–1997)
Geumgang Natural Recreation Forest is located near Cheongbyeok (Changbyeok), a cliff formed by river erosion where the mountainous terrain connected to Gyeryongsan was eroded by the Geumgang River.
This area was once a remote village blocked off by Cheongbyeok and accessible only by ferry. When the Chungnam Forest Environment Research Institute relocated here in 1994, the surrounding well-preserved dense forest was designated as Geumgang Natural Recreation Forest, and the Forest Museum opened in October 1997.
After Sejong City was launched in 2012, the area was incorporated administratively into Geumnam-myeon, Sejong Special Self-Governing City, from the jurisdiction of Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do. However, a unique structure emerged in which Chungcheongnam-do retained ownership of the land and facilities.
“The Administrative District Is Sejong, but Ownership Belongs to Chungnam” — A 13-Year Dilemma and the ₩305.4 Billion Wall
This unusual arrangement, in which assets owned by Chungcheongnam-do are located within Sejong City’s administrative boundaries, continued for 13 years. Whenever a sale was pursued, the enormous estimated value of ₩305.4 billion (₩295.8 billion for the land and ₩9.6 billion for the buildings) became an obstacle.
The Planning and Coordination Office of Chungcheongnam-do has stated that Sejong City lacks the financial capacity to purchase the Forest Resources Research Institute, leaving a private sale as the only option.
Based on visitor numbers before closure, the site had remained one of the most visited attractions in the Sejong area alongside the National Sejong Arboretum. Proposals such as developing it as a center for the MICE industry or attracting a theme park that would utilize its favorable mountain-and-water setting were also discussed, but the prevailing analysis was that the likelihood of realization was low.
June 30, 2025: The Doors Closed
As Chungcheongnam-do began formal closure procedures to accelerate its relocation to Cheongyang County, the Chungnam Forest Resources Research Institute, widely known as Geumgang Natural Recreation Forest, entered the process of closing around July 2025. A roadmap was prepared, consisting of permission to use the relocation site (June), cancellation of approval for the development plan (by July), closure of the facilities (August), and discontinuation of the administrative-property designation (September).
In fact, Geumgang Arboretum and Geumgang Natural Recreation Forest ended operations and closed on June 30, 2025. As a result, Sejong became the only one of South Korea’s 17 metropolitan local governments without a natural recreation forest.
After consulting with the Forest Resources Research Institute, Chungcheongnam-do decided not to immediately remove trees, including pine trees more than 30 years old, forest roads, and all facilities, but to leave them in place. This was because it planned to sell the site to a purchaser at a price that incorporated the value of these assets.
July 29, 2026: A Reversal — the Chungnam Governor Announces Reopening
During 2025, efforts were made to sell the site privately, with an estimated value in the ₩350 billion range, and to exchange it for nationalization in cooperation with the Korea Forest Service. However, the efforts failed because of the massive budgetary burden and development restrictions, leaving the site unused. The Chungnam Forest Resources Research Institute is currently temporarily relocated to a former school in Cheongyang under a lease, with a plan in place to complete its relocation to Cheongyang County as early as 2027.
Then, at a press briefing on July 29, 2026, Chungcheongnam-do Governor Park Soo-hyun officially withdrew the policy of private sale and formalized plans to reopen the site through cooperation with Sejong City. He proposed sharing the estimated annual operating cost of approximately ₩1.6 billion with Sejong City and stated that he planned to sign a joint MOU with the Sejong mayor soon.
However, an official from the responsible department explained that no specific timeline, such as opening in the first half of next year, had been finalized. The Geumgang Arboretum Public Interest Protection Network issued a statement welcoming the fact that discussions were proceeding on the principle of reopening.
Facilities Available Before Closure — From Geumgang Arboretum to Changyeonjeong Pavilion
Immediately before closure, Geumgang Natural Recreation Forest had accommodation facilities, including 18 rooms in 13 woodland houses, and a campground with 38 sites. The affiliated Geumgang Arboretum, covering 615,000㎡, preserved 2,383 species of forest genetic resources. The Forest Museum displayed 3,541 items in 1,869 categories across five exhibition rooms. The Animal Village housed 186 animals of eight species, while 196 species were planted in the wildflower garden (1.1 ha).
From Changyeonjeong Pavilion, an 118㎡ observatory pavilion, visitors could enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, including the Geumgang River, Cheongbyeoksan Mountain, Cheongbyeok Bridge, and Bulti Bridge. The site also had themed walking trails, including a 400-meter one-way barefoot walking path, an S-shaped ochre-colored Metasequoia Road, the Forest of Meditation, and the Forest of Literature.
The campground had 12 grass sites and eight wooden-deck sites, with five wooden cabins farther uphill. It was equipped with one men’s restroom, one women’s restroom, one men’s shower room, one women’s shower room, two washing stations, and a large shared parking lot. However, there was no convenience store at the campground or within the recreation forest, so visitors had to prepare necessary supplies in advance.
Visitor Information Before Closure — Now for “Reference” Only
According to Sejong City’s introductory materials from before the 2025 closure, visiting hours were 09:00–18:00 (ticket sales 09:00–17:00). The materials explained that the site had been under the jurisdiction of Chungcheongnam-do since opening in 1997 before jurisdiction was transferred to Sejong City.
According to official visitor-information materials from another period, the natural recreation forest operated from 09:00–18:00; lodging and camping check-in was at 15:00 and check-out at 11:00; and Geumgang Arboretum operated from 09:00–18:00 during the summer season (March–October) and from 09:00–17:00 during the winter season (November–February). Closing days were the first and second Wednesdays of each month for the natural recreation forest; the first Wednesday for the arboretum, tropical greenhouse, and museum; and the first and third Wednesdays for the woodland houses and campground. If a Wednesday was a public holiday, the facilities closed the following day. The opening date was recorded as October 31, 1997.
According to the same materials, stroller rental was unavailable and credit-card payments were not accepted, so operations were primarily cash-based. The inquiry telephone number was 041-635-7400.
Getting There — Via the Gongju IC Road and City Bus 580
For visitors arriving by car, the recommended route was to exit at Gongju IC on the Dangjin–Yeongdeok Expressway, follow the Geumgang River toward Sejong, turn right at Donam Intersection toward Bulti Bridge, and cross the bridge. Campground users had to return to the bridge entrance after confirming their reservation at the ticket booth.
For public transportation, official information recommended taking Gongju City Bus 580 from Gongju Express Bus Terminal and getting off at the Forest Museum stop.
Nearby attractions included Gongsanseong Fortress, the Gongju National Museum, the Gongju Folk Drama Museum, and Donghaksa Temple, making the site a convenient location for linked sightseeing before closure.
A Message for Travelers Viewing This Information Now
As of August 2026, Geumgang Natural Recreation Forest has been difficult to visit and use normally since its closure on June 30, 2025. Because the reopening date has not been officially confirmed, anyone planning a visit must first check the latest notices from the Chungnam Forest Resources Research Institute or Sejong City. Several webpages consulted while writing this article also displayed interface elements such as those shown below.
As an alternative place to enjoy flowers and trees in the Sejong area, the National Sejong Arboretum is also often mentioned because of its convenient access from the city center and numerous photo spots. It may be worth considering if this visit is not possible.
If reopening is confirmed, the “reference” information in this article, including operating hours, fees, and closing days, will need to be checked again against the actual official announcement.
Before You Go
- Address
- 110 Sanrimmuseum-gil, Geumnam-myeon, Sejong Special Self-Governing City (Postal code 30085)
- Hours
- Closed as of August 2026 (operations ended June 30, 2025; reopening date undetermined). Before closure, the natural recreation forest operated 09:00–18:00 (ticket sales 09:00–17:00), Geumgang Arboretum operated 09:00–18:00 in summer (March–October) and 09:00–17:00 in winter (November–February), and lodging and campground check-in and check-out were at 15:00 and 11:00, respectively.
- Closed
- Fully closed from July 1, 2025; reopening date undetermined. Before closure, the natural recreation forest was closed on the first and second Wednesdays; the arboretum, tropical greenhouse, and museum on the first Wednesday; and the woodland houses and campground on the first and third Wednesdays. If a Wednesday was a public holiday, the facilities closed the following day.
- Admission
- No admission fee is currently collected because operations have ended (there were separate peak- and off-season rates before closure, but the exact amounts could not be confirmed).
- Phone
- 041-635-7400
- Official site
- https://www.foresttrip.go.kr/indvz/main.do?hmpgId=ID02030085
- Transport
- Dangjin–Yeongdeok Expressway Gongju IC → follow the Geumgang River toward Sejong → turn right at Donam Intersection toward Bulti Bridge (driving route, based on information from before closure). By public transportation, take Gongju City Bus 580 from Gongju Express Bus Terminal and get off at the Forest Museum stop (current operation unconfirmed).
- Parking
- Before closure, there was a large shared parking lot. It was free for campground users, while vehicle fees based on vehicle class were charged for general visitors (specific amounts varied by period).
- Accessibility
- No official information on wheelchair or stroller accessibility was confirmed. Before closure, stroller rental was unavailable and credit-card payments were not accepted; cash was primarily used.
The information above is accurate as of the time of writing. Check the official information again before visiting.
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