Falling rocks prompt investigation at Jeju's Seongsan Ilchulbong site
Published: 16 Sep. 2025, 16:18
Updated: 16 Sep. 2025, 17:47
![Firefighters takes safety measures in Seogwipo [JEJU FIRE SAFETY HEADQUARTERS]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/16/90a57b81-0435-4549-a66a-d94ec9f3fed5.jpg)
Firefighters takes safety measures in Seogwipo [JEJU FIRE SAFETY HEADQUARTERS]
Falling rocks were reported at Jeju Island's Seongsan Ilchulbong, a Unesco World Natural Heritage site, prompting relevant authorities to begin an on-site investigation.
A passerby reported hearing “a collapsing sound” near the volcanic tuff cone in Seogwipo, Jeju, at around 8:43 p.m. Monday, according to the Jeju Fire Safety Headquarters on Tuesday.
The joint response team of police and firefighters confirmed that two rock masses measuring 70 to 80 centimeters (27.6 to 31.5 inches) in diameter and three trees had tumbled down in a restricted-access area near Jinji Cave, located about 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) west of the Seongsan Ilchulbong trail. The rocks were found to have fallen from about 3 meters (9.84 feet) above ground.
No injuries or casualties have been reported.
Officials from the police, fire department, Seogwipo City and the Jeju World Natural Heritage Center are now controlling access to the site and investigating the cause, as they believe additional rockfalls remain possible.
Some point out that the risk of a rockfall had already been signaled two days earlier. On Saturday morning, the Korea Forest Service notified Jeju that its landslide information system — powered by Korea Meteorological Administration rainfall data — had issued a “watch” level landslide alert for Seongsan-eup.
![Seongsan Ilchulbong in Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo, on Dec. 16, 2024. [YONHAP]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/09/16/c22efbe2-0a90-4dd0-adcf-b67c4b44e7f2.jpg)
Seongsan Ilchulbong in Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo, on Dec. 16, 2024. [YONHAP]
“Since Seongsan-eup covers a wide jurisdiction, we first informed Seogwipo of the alert,” said a Jeju official. “After a situation assessment meeting, the alert did not escalate to a full crisis warning.”
“Landslides refer to large-scale collapses of mountainous areas, whereas Seongsan Ilchulbong has experienced occasional rockfalls over time,” said the official.
Seongsan Ilchulbong remains open to visitors. Designated both a Unesco World Natural Heritage site and a national natural heritage, the crater is a sunrise viewpoint rising 179 meters above sea level, with a circumference of 2,927 meters and a total area of about 453,000 square meters.
Considered the top scenic spot among Jeju’s 10 celebrated views, or “Yeongju Sipgyeong,” it draws countless domestic and international tourists each year.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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