Natural Ecology Resources
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Ungok Ramsar Wetland Eco-tourism Area
For the first time in Korea, the whole administrative districts of Gochang-gun is designated as UNESCO biosphere conservation are in 2013. Ungok wetland, Gochang mudflat, Dongrim reservoir wildlife sanctuary, Dolmen world heritage, Seounsan mountain provincial park are specially designated as five important areas that contain a high value both historically and culturally. Ungok Ramsar wetland is one of the most well-known inland wetland in Korea. It was originally a farmland until 1980, but the villagers had to move to another towns because of the contructions of Ungok reservoit. After the area was abandoned, the wetland could naturally restore its original form over thirty years. Ungok Swamp was designated as national wetland preservation area in March 2011. According to Ministry of Environment’s investigation, about 840 different species of animals and insects inhabit in the area, including endangered animals such as otter, stork, wildcat, and sable. Yonggye town displays a successful business models by using its natural resouces and cultural heritage, and it also has an excellent geological condition because it can reach any places in Gochang-gun in twenty minutes.
- Address
- Jeollabuk-do Gochang-gun Asan-myeon Yonggye-ri 212
- Inquiry
- 063-560-2692 (Biosphere Reserve Office, Gochang-gun)

Wild Cat
Wild Cat is Carnivora order Felidae family animal and ranked second for endangered species. Also called salkwaengi(lynx), have a 45~75 cm of length and 4.5~6.8 kg of weight. Period of gestation is 56 days. it has a round-shape earflap and marked stripes in forehead and spotted body. Jaw muscles are well developed so bite-force is strong. Live alone or a pair and have a nocturnal habit but often hunt at daytime in valley or odd corner.
Experience Program
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Hoam Village Eco-Road Sinabeuro
Explore the history and ecology or Hoam Village and make flower brunch and flowerpot.
- Target : All ages (minimum number of people : 20)
- Operation Time : March ~ November (Twice a month)
- Time Required : 2 hours
- Participation Fee
- 10,000 won
- Inquiry
- ☎ 063-564-5582 (Gochang Ungok Wetland Ecotourism Conference)
- ☎ 063-560-2691 (Ecological Environment Division, Gochang-gun)

Hoam Flower Party
Experience customs made of kudzu vine weeds of Hoam Village and make flower brunch and flowerpot.
- Target : All ages (minimum number of people : 3)
- Operation Time : May ~ October (Twice a month)
- Time Required : 2 hours
- Participation Fee
- 10,000 won
- Inquiry
- ☎ 063-564-5582 (Gochang Ungok Wetland Ecotourism Conference)
- ☎ 063-560-2691 (Ecological Environment Division, Gochang-gun)

Firefly Ecology Tour
Observe fireflies in Ungok Ramsar Wetland and understand habitat environment and ecology.
- Target : All ages (minimum number of people : 3)
- Operation Time : June (8 times a month)
- Time Required : 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Participation Fee
- 10,000 won
- Inquiry
- ☎ 063-564-5582 (Gochang Ungok Wetland Ecotourism Conference)
- ☎ 063-560-2691 (Ecological Environment Division, Gochang-gun)

Picnic to Ungok
Enjoy learning experiences of various themes such as eco party, pond ecology experience, and acorn picnic at Ungok Ramsar Wetland.
- Target : All ages (minimum number of people : 3)
- Operation Time : April ~ October (Twice a month)
- Time Required : 3 to 4 hours
- Participation Fee
- 10,000 won
- Inquiry
- ☎ 063-564-5582 (Gochang Ungok Wetland Ecotourism Conference)
- ☎ 063-560-2691 (Ecological Environment Division, Gochang-gun)

Ungok Wetland Village Program
Enjoy mulberry experience, silkworm experience, and eco food therapy experience at Yonggye Village in Ungok Wetland.
- Target : All ages (minimum number of people : 3)
- Operation Time : March ~ June
- Time Required : 1 hour and 30 minutes ~ 2 hours
- Participation Fee
- 5,000 ~ 7,000 won
- Inquiry
- ☎ 063-564-5582 (Gochang Ungok Wetland Ecotourism Conference)
- ☎ 063-560-2691 (Ecological Environment Division, Gochang-gun)

Dolmen and Ungok Wetland GeoPark Program
Enjoy various making experiences and explanation on geology of Dolmen Park and Ungok Wetland.
- Target : All ages (minimum number of people : 20)
- Operation Time : Throughout the year
- Time Required : 3 hours
- Participation Fee
- 5,000 ~ 7,000 won
- Inquiry
- ☎ 063-564-5582 (Gochang Ungok Wetland Ecotourism Conference)
- ☎ 063-560-2691 (Ecological Environment Division, Gochang-gun)
Historical Culture Resource
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Dolmen World Heritage known for distinctive feature that various kinds of dolmens are scattered for the highest density in the world. Several historical devoting from Cultural asset index investigation in 1965 to several excavation and index investigation, international academic symposium made it designated as cultural asset in December 1994, and achieved World Heritage in December of 2000. The dolmens are stone artifacts distributed throughout the world as tombs in bronze age, symbolizing the prehistoric megalithic culture. Total 1,500 pieces of dolmens are distributed in the Gochang area. Gochang area has the highest density of dolmen in Korea.
- Address
- Jeollabuk-do Gochang-gun Gochang-eup Goindolgongwon-gil 74
- Inquiry
- 063-560-8666
Lodging
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- Geobug Lodge
- Jeollabuk-do Gochang-gun Asan-myeon Samin-gil 23 063-564-9976
- Gyeongsubong Lodge
- Jeollabuk-do Gochang-gun Asan-myeon Jungchon-gil 48-16 063-563-3419
- Morning of Gochang Sansa Pension
- Jeollabuk-do Gochang-gun Asan-myeon Samin-gil 10 063-562-6868
- Dajeong Lodge
- Jeollabuk-do Gochang-gun Asan-myeon Seonunsa-ro 114-7 063-564-1050
- Seohaejang Lodge
- Jeollabuk-do Gochang-gun Asan-myeon Seonunsa-ro 78 063-562-6611
- Sunlight-full house
- Jeollabuk-do Gochang-gun Asan-myeon Seonunsa-ro 86 063-562-0320
Recommended Course
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Coordinate Tourism
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Sangha PlantationBased on theme of ‘make・play・eat’, Sangha plantation is a sixth industry theme farm that bind production(primary), process(secondary), service・tourism(tertiary) industry together. After eight years of preparation, It opened in 2016. Exotic scenery mingles well with environment, and various experience/explore programs are popular. You can experience programs that produces milk-bread, ice-cream and cheese from Gochang’s harvested food, and animal farm where you can touch and communicate with goat, piglings and milk cow are very popular to child or family tourists.
Address Jeollabuk-do Gochang-gun Sangha-myeon Sanghanongwon-gil 11-23
Inquiry1522-3698

Hajeon Mud Flat Experience Center Various programs like digging Manila clam and riding mud-taxi through cultivator. Under supervision of Hajeon village fishing society, you can experience mud flat with cultivator, and dig Manila clam or catch other ocean fish you can bring home as souvenir
- Address
- Jeollabuk-do Gochang-gun Simwon-myeon Seojeon-gil 30
- Inquiry
- 063-563-0117
A bio-resource Survey
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Biological Distribution Range
Woongokseowon, woongok wetland, woongok wetland experience center, Dolmen Sit
Remark
There are many Sympetrum eroticoides in the wetlands. A variety of ferns are distributed. There are more herbs than trees because it is a young wetland.
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Desmodium podocarpum DC. (gaedodooknomeugalgori)
PlantThe whole body is hairy and its length is 60-90 CM on average. Seeds have hooks and thus are easily attached to animal hair or clothes. Once upon a time a thief broke into a house in town. So it was decided to gather all the villagers and find out the thief. A smart child pointed at someone. A small seed was attached to the person’s clothes. It was the seed of a gaedodooknomeugalgori (roughly translating to “dognapper’s hook”) growing around the fence of the house where the thief lived.
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Cyllorhynchites ursulus
InsectThere is a record that they are distributed in the northern, central and southern area and Jeju islands of Korea, and also in Japan, China, and Far East Russia. Its body is 8.5 to 10.5 MM long. The body is black or dark brown colored. It cuts a hole in the unripe acorn and lay an egg in each hole, and then cut an acorn branch so the acorn drops to the ground. A grown larva hatched inside an acorn fruit goes into the ground and becomes a pupa.
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Elder tree
PlantIt is a deciduous shrub that grows in the forests of all the regions in Korea. This tree is also called a bone-setting tree since it is used to attach broken bones. The inside of the tree’s branch is empty like a sponge, so cutting off the branch makes a snap sound because of the air pressure. We can dig into a sponge-like stem and put nuts or seeds in it to play with it like a toy gun.
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Watercock
BirdThe average body length is 20 CM. Its back and wings are brown colored and belly is lightly reddish brown. The middle of the chest is lighter in color and the front neck is white. The beak is gray and the tip of the beak is black. The wings are round.
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Sewer vine
PlantWhite flowers bloom in July and August; they have purple dots and inside of flowers are purple. Cone-like inflorescences and cyme are formed on axils. It has low tolerance to cold, but it is still strong in dry condition. Also it has high sprouting ability that buds grow out on every node.
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Penthorum chinense Pursh
PlantAround July, the branches split in all directions at the tip of the main stem, and off-white flowers grown in a form of raceme. The flowers mainly bloom on the top part, and it looks like legs of small octopus (Korean common name for the species is Nakjidari, referring leg of small octopus); the inflorescences have short hair. The calyx is viridescence and bell-shaped. Its end is split into 5 pieces. The lobe is acute egg-shaped. The species has no petal. 10 stamens which are yellow, grow out to the calyx.
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Marten
AnimalIt's body is yellow but its head, legs, and tail are black. It usually preys on mice and squirrels, but it also hunts young Chinese water deer and Korean hares. Since it is a good climber, it eats persimmons and gooseberries. Unlike weasels, its feces are often twisted. It likes honey so it attacks beehives sometimes; so that, the feces contain wasps, bees or persimmon seeds and this differentiates the Martens from the weasels.
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ricefield swamp eel
FishIt is a fresh water fish that is a family of Flutidae and is 60cm long. Its body color is dark brown with irregular dark brown patterns. The orange colored-belly has lightly colored spots all over. The head is small; it has an expanding layer of flesh from the back of the eye to upper part of the gill cleft, which is significantly higher than the lower part of the body; the height decreases from the latter part of the gill cleft.
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Tomapoderus ruficollis
InsectThe elytrons on abdomen are deep purple and have metallic luster. It folds and rolls a leaf with its mouth, leaving the leaf midrib to lay eggs in there. Lastly, it nibbles away the leaf midrib to block moisture from the cradle and let the leaf wither. The moisture-proof leaf will wither only the outside, but the inner part will be remained fresh; it will become a perfect food for caterpillars that just hatched from eggs.
-
Korean Hare
AnimalUnlike domestic rabbits, yeanling Korean hares have fur and open eyes. Rather than a dense forest, they live in sunny areas such as grass fields and cemeteries. They have outstanding protection color, and they are hardly recognized. They tend to run away, stop, and hide for a long time if human approaches to them. We can assume their inhabitation by their footprints on the snow, trace of foods, and feces.
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Eel
FishEel is a very long and slim – about 60cm long. It has scales covered by skin and doesn’t have a ventral fin. Its back is greenish gray and its belly is white or yellow. It is a carnivore, usually feed on benthic invertebrates, and active at night. It lays eggs during spring and summer; the bamboo leaf- shaped larva of the eel, Leptocephalus, travels with ocean current. Then it transforms to a glass eel and moves to a creek to be fully matured.
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Gray heron
BirdIt is 91 to 102 cm long. The back is grey, the bottom part is white and the chest and flank have gray vertical lines. The head is white. The black line extends from the eyes to the back of the head, making a plumage. The legs and the beak are yellow or pink, depending on the season. They are common summer birds in Korea, and some of them are migratory birds that spend winter in the central and southern region after breeding.
-
Parnara guttatus
InsectThere are not much difference between patterns of male and female; but male has 2 white patterns in same size on the outer edge of the front wings, while female has only one. The width of the wings and white patterns are larger for female. To distinguish its gender, cheicking the tip of the abdomen is advisable.
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Pale thrush
BirdIt is a Passerine Muscicapidae bird and is about 23cm long. The male’s winter plumage is olive-grey. The front part of the eyes and the edge of the eyes are dark-ash color. The lower part of the chin is white. The cheek, ear coverts and throat are gray and the upper chest is olive-gray. The flank is reddish-brown. The sides of the belly are grayish brown and the center of the belly is white. The tale is with angles.
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Source by
National Institute of Biological Resources
(https://species.nibr.go.kr)Korea National Arboretum
(https://www.nature.go.kr)
A bio-resource Survey
ㅡ
Biological Distribution Range
Woongokseowon, woongok wetland, woongok wetland experience center, Dolmen Sit
Remark
There are many Sympetrum eroticoides in the wetlands. A variety of ferns are distributed. There are more herbs than trees because it is a young wetland.
-
Desmodium podocarpum DC. (gaedodooknomeugalgori)
PlantThe whole body is hairy and its length is 60-90 CM on average. Seeds have hooks and thus are easily attached to animal hair or clothes. Once upon a time a thief broke into a house in town. So it was decided to gather all the villagers and find out the thief. A smart child pointed at someone. A small seed was attached to the person’s clothes. It was the seed of a gaedodooknomeugalgori (roughly translating to “dognapper’s hook”) growing around the fence of the house where the thief lived.
-
Cyllorhynchites ursulus
InsectThere is a record that they are distributed in the northern, central and southern area and Jeju islands of Korea, and also in Japan, China, and Far East Russia. Its body is 8.5 to 10.5 MM long. The body is black or dark brown colored. It cuts a hole in the unripe acorn and lay an egg in each hole, and then cut an acorn branch so the acorn drops to the ground. A grown larva hatched inside an acorn fruit goes into the ground and becomes a pupa.
-
Elder tree
PlantIt is a deciduous shrub that grows in the forests of all the regions in Korea. This tree is also called a bone-setting tree since it is used to attach broken bones. The inside of the tree’s branch is empty like a sponge, so cutting off the branch makes a snap sound because of the air pressure. We can dig into a sponge-like stem and put nuts or seeds in it to play with it like a toy gun.
-
Watercock
BirdThe average body length is 20 CM. Its back and wings are brown colored and belly is lightly reddish brown. The middle of the chest is lighter in color and the front neck is white. The beak is gray and the tip of the beak is black. The wings are round.
-
Sewer vine
PlantWhite flowers bloom in July and August; they have purple dots and inside of flowers are purple. Cone-like inflorescences and cyme are formed on axils. It has low tolerance to cold, but it is still strong in dry condition. Also it has high sprouting ability that buds grow out on every node.
-
Penthorum chinense Pursh
PlantAround July, the branches split in all directions at the tip of the main stem, and off-white flowers grown in a form of raceme. The flowers mainly bloom on the top part, and it looks like legs of small octopus (Korean common name for the species is Nakjidari, referring leg of small octopus); the inflorescences have short hair. The calyx is viridescence and bell-shaped. Its end is split into 5 pieces. The lobe is acute egg-shaped. The species has no petal. 10 stamens which are yellow, grow out to the calyx.
-
Marten
AnimalIts body is yellow but its head, legs, and tail are black. It usually preys on mice and squirrels, but it also hunts young Chinese water deer and Korean hares. Since it is a good climber, it eats persimmons and gooseberries. Unlike weasels, its feces are often twisted. It likes honey so it attacks beehives sometimes; so that, the feces contain wasps, bees or persimmon seeds and this differentiates the Martens from the weasels.
-
ricefield swamp eel
FishIt is a fresh water fish that is a family of Flutidae and is 60cm long. Its body color is dark brown with irregular dark brown patterns. The orange colored-belly has lightly colored spots all over. The head is small; it has an expanding layer of flesh from the back of the eye to upper part of the gill cleft, which is significantly higher than the lower part of the body; the height decreases from the latter part of the gill cleft.
-
Tomapoderus ruficollis
InsectThe elytrons on abdomen are deep purple and have metallic luster. It folds and rolls a leaf with its mouth, leaving the leaf midrib to lay eggs in there. Lastly, it nibbles away the leaf midrib to block moisture from the cradle and let the leaf wither. The moisture-proof leaf will wither only the outside, but the inner part will be remained fresh; it will become a perfect food for caterpillars that just hatched from eggs.
-
Korean Hare
AnimalUnlike domestic rabbits, yeanling Korean hares have fur and open eyes. Rather than a dense forest, they live in sunny areas such as grass fields and cemeteries. They have outstanding protection color, and they are hardly recognized. They tend to run away, stop, and hide for a long time if human approaches to them. We can assume their inhabitation by their footprints on the snow, trace of foods, and feces.
-
Eel
FishEel is a very long and slim – about 60cm long. It has scales covered by skin and doesn’t have a ventral fin. Its back is greenish gray and its belly is white or yellow. It is a carnivore, usually feed on benthic invertebrates, and active at night. It lays eggs during spring and summer; the bamboo leaf- shaped larva of the eel, Leptocephalus, travels with ocean current. Then it transforms to a glass eel and moves to a creek to be fully matured.
-
Gray heron
BirdIt is 91 to 102 cm long. The back is grey, the bottom part is white and the chest and flank have gray vertical lines. The head is white. The black line extends from the eyes to the back of the head, making a plumage. The legs and the beak are yellow or pink, depending on the season. They are common summer birds in Korea, and some of them are migratory birds that spend winter in the central and southern region after breeding.
-
Parnara guttatus
InsectThere are not much difference between patterns of male and female; but male has 2 white patterns in same size on the outer edge of the front wings, while female has only one. The width of the wings and white patterns are larger for female. To distinguish its gender, cheicking the tip of the abdomen is advisable.
-
Pale thrush
BirdIt is a Passerine Muscicapidae bird and is about 23cm long. The male’s winter plumage is olive-grey. The front part of the eyes and the edge of the eyes are dark-ash color. The lower part of the chin is white. The cheek, ear coverts and throat are gray and the upper chest is olive-gray. The flank is reddish-brown. The sides of the belly are grayish brown and the center of the belly is white. The tale is with angles.
Source by
National Institute of Biological Resources (https://species.nibr.go.kr)
Korea National Arboretum (https://www.nature.go.kr)