DistantNews
Support us
🇰🇷 South Korea /Disasters & Emergencies

Eight hikers rescued after being stranded by rising stream in Seoraksan

From Dong-A Ilbo · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Eight hikers became stranded in Towanggol Valley in Seoraksan National Park while descending after rock climbing as rain rapidly raised the water level.
  • National park and 119 rescue teams rescued all eight after about 90 minutes; some reported hypothermia but had no life-threatening injuries.
  • Park officials warned that mountain streams can rise and accelerate quickly after short periods of rain.

Eight hikers were stranded in Seoraksan's Towanggol Valley after rain caused the stream to swell during their descent from a rock-climbing outing. They called for help when the rising water made it difficult to continue moving.

The report came in at about 9 p.m. the previous day, according to the Seoraksan National Park Office. A national park special rescue team and a 119 rescue unit reached the group and rescued all eight in roughly 90 minutes.

Seoraksan has many deep, steep valleys, so stream water can rise suddenly when it rains, making it easy for people to become stranded.

· Choi Seung-cheolThe Seoraksan National Park official warned hikers about rapidly changing conditions in mountain streams.

Some of the hikers complained of hypothermia after the rescue, but officials said none had life-threatening injuries. The incident highlighted the danger of mountain streams, where water from upstream can converge quickly and cause water levels and currents to change sharply after even brief rain.

Choi Seung-cheol, head of disaster and safety at the park office, urged hikers to abandon planned trips and descend promptly to a safe area when rain begins. “Seoraksan has many deep, steep valleys, so stream water can rise suddenly when it rains, making it easy for people to become stranded,” he said.

Even if a hike has been planned, you should give it up when it rains and quickly descend to a safe place.

· Choi Seung-cheolHe advised hikers to abandon planned outings and seek safety when rain begins.
About this summary

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog