Special Ⅱ

September 2022

Special 2

Returned to Nature

Mureung Byeolyucheonji Turns Abandoned
Limestone Mine into a Natural Spectacle

WRITTEN BY
Yu Pureum

Photographed by
Kim Byounggu

Mines played a major role in Korea’s economic development, but mining caused deep wounds to the environment and people who lived near them. If need be, people can move on to other jobs, but what about abandoned mines? Can such mines become part of the natural environment again? The Mureung Byeolyucheonji in Donghae City shows what kinds of possibilities exist in this regard.

SsangYong C&E mined limestone from the Donghae (East Sea) Mureung Byeolyucheonji for 40 years starting in 1978. When limestone could no longer be taken from the earth, the mine was closed in December 2017. It became the largest abandoned mine in Korea. The mine left behind barren mountain slopes and two massive pools of water caused by strip mining.

Regeneration Over Restoration

In principle, all abandoned mines in Korea must be restored to how they were before mining activities began. Byeolyucheonji also had to go through this process. Donghae City fell into a dilemma when an expert told city officials that an entire mountain near the mine needed to be cut away just to fill in the massive pools of water. Municipal officials were not sure whether such recovery efforts would be the right thing for the environment and city residents.

Ultimately, Donghae City decided to regenerate the abandoned mine instead of restoring it. In short, the city decided to develop the mine as a tourist site and return it to city residents, who had long endured the discomfort of dust and blasting noise due to the mine’s activities.

Over a period of around four years, the abandoned mine began to look green again. The two massive pools of water became the emerald-colored Cheongokho and Geumokho lakes, where fish swim and birds come to nest. The barren mountain slopes became gardens where flowers bloomed with the change of the seasons. Grass fields and walkways were created, along with a lavender garden with 13,000 plants. Halfway up the mountain, a viewing point was built to allow visitors to have a birds-eye view of everything below.

After the regeneration work was complete, Byeolyucheonji was transformed into a uniquely beautiful place that befit its name, which means “a place with the most beautiful scenery in the world.”

Visitors appreciate the magnificent scenery of Mureung Byeolyucheonji.

Double the Fun

It’s been less than a year since Byeolyucheonji opened to the public, but word of mouth has led to a daily increase in the number of visitors. The reason people visit this place is not just because of its beautiful scenery; it’s also because of the exotic experiences people can have here. Byeolyucheonji has four places where visitors can experience different things. Each place provides not only fun activities, but also ways for visitors to fully experience the site of the former mine in uniquely different ways.

The most popular of these activities is sky gliding. In fact, Byeolyucheonji was the first place to operate four-person sky gliders in Korea. The sky gliders are popular among visitors because they can see the emerald-colored lakes and magnificent rock faces of the old mine’s cutting area.

An offroad luge track was built on the old temporary and unpaved maintenance road of the quarry. The luge track spans 1.5km around Chongokho Lake. While enjoying the views of the lake and its cool breezes, riders can experience the thrill of going up to 40km/h on the track.

Byeolyucheonji also boasts an alpine coaster and zip line that visitors can enjoy in the pine forest.

The old stone crushing mill is now an exhibition hall.

Learning About the Past

The stone crushing mill, which was used to crush raw limestone into small fragments, has been reborn as a site for industrial and cultural regeneration. The mill’s conveyor belts, heavy concrete pillars, and the indoor podium show the identity and memories of the cement production facility.

The basement’s second floor is a multimedia hall that exhibits archive materials and the process of creating cement. Special commemorative exhibitions are also held there. The second floor, named the Stone Cruncher Gallery, displays items used in the old quarry, such as work clothes, hard hats, and work ledgers. Visitors can also see old pictures of Byeolyucheonji when it was a stone crushing mill.

Mureung Byeolyucheonji was an icon of environmental destruction. It has now proven that, in a diverse number of ways, abandoned mines can be returned to nature and back into the hands of local citizens.