At 10:25 on 12/5, rescue teams located the body of an 11-year-old boy in Juwangsan National Park, approximately 280 km southeast of Seoul. The victim was found about 100 m from the mountain's summit after more than 40 hours missing.

Earlier, on the afternoon of 10/5, the boy had visited the national park with his family. After stopping at a temple, he set out to hike alone to the mountain's summit, which stands over 720 m high, without a phone. When he did not return, his parents reported him missing to authorities at 5:53 p.m. that day. A large-scale search operation, involving over 350 people, launched immediately.

Authorities search for the missing boy on the mountain. Photo: Korea Times

Authorities suspect the boy slipped, leading to the accident and his death. Officials are investigating the specific cause and considering using a helicopter to transport the body due to the challenging terrain. Previous search efforts faced difficulties because the narrow, steep trail to the summit required specialized equipment, including helicopters.

Juwangsan National Park is named after a mountain in the Baekdudaegan mountain range, often called South Korea's "backbone". It is the third largest rocky mountain in the country, featuring numerous sheer cliffs.

Autumn in Juwangsan National Park. Photo: Fine art america

Juwangsan Mountain was designated a tourist destination on 30/5/1972 and became a national park on 30/3/1976.

Spanning over 105,000 square meters, the park offers a system of trails through valleys leading to waterfalls, ideal for hiking. Beyond its rocky peaks, Juwangsan National Park also features four waterfalls, a cave system, and Daejeonsa Temple, forming a comprehensive tourist destination.

Anh Minh (Source: Korea Times, Visit Korea)