Jinan-Muju Geopark
The Jinan-Muju Geopark is an area that shows the process of formation of the basin occurred from ninety million years ago.
Especially, many geological attractions formed by the deposition and volcanic activities of the time are distributed. These geologic sites boast their beautiful scenery, mainly due to weathering and erosion, and are very valuable as learning materials for geological and landform structures such as taffoni, incised meander and porthole.
Ecological resource
Jinan’s natural monument is Pyrus ussuriensis Maxim, located in Jinan-gun, Maryeong-myeon, Dongchon-ri, Maisan Mountain, Eunsusa Temple’s precincts. The size is 18m tall, and 2.8m of diameter, and it is about 650 years old. It was originally planted by Taejo, the first king of Joseon Dynasty, to celebrate his visit and prayer. There are about six-hundred kinds of animals and two-hundred fifty kinds of plant groups in Muju area. Although it bleongs to southern region by floristic regional indicator, Jangansan Mountain is considered as the northern part of the southern region since various northern plants are found in this area.
Geological value
Jinan region has Maisan Mountain that is created from Cretaceous period. It is only made up with conglomerate and this kind is very rare to find in the world. Jinan also has Cheonbansan mountain, Gubongsan mountain and Unilam Banilam formed by various Cretaceous period’s volcanic activities and well-developed Gilbert-type layer of sediments. Formation and uplift of the Jinan Basin sedimentary rock, including Maisan Mountain seems to be closely related to the movement of the strike slip fault. Therefore this area is an important region for research on various unique deposition and volcanism and formation of mountain range by strike slip fault. In addition, the formation of rocks in the Jinan region is closely related to the activity of the geotactonic activity that formed Asia, so this area is also important for international geological studies. Muju region has Hyangjeokbong Peak made up of Precambrian schist, Gucheondong Valley of Muju made up of Precambrian igneous rock and metamorphic rock and Susimdae and Pahoe formed insde of the Cretaceous volcanic rock as well as Jeokjangsan Mountain formed by rise of the Cretaceous sedimentary basin. Thus Muju resion is crucial for the research of Precambrian period’s geological and geotactonic phenomenon and Cretaceous period’s geological process, and there is Muju spherophyric granite gneiss, designated as a natural monument.
Geological attraction
Jinan
Geological attraction
Muju