The Ministry of Environment selected five places –DMZ eco tour in Yanggu, wetland trail in Gokseong, Wangpicheon valley inUljin, eco-tour zone at the South Sea and Dongbaekdongsan Wetland in Jeju - as the places for trial run of ecotourism designation system, which will be implemented for the first time in 2013.

The Ministry selected the places with the experts on eco-tourism and announced the result on the 13th.

Among the selected areas, DMZ eco tour of Yanggu is located at the center of the country where waterfalls and ponds are generated. Also, scenery of Geumgangsan can be felt at Dutayeon and there is clean Daeamsan which will be disclosed to the public in 60 years.

The wetland trail of Gokseong is the area with excellent wetlands where the widely distributed wetlands and meadows of Seomjingang and Boseonggang are the habitats of wild animals. The area maintains its beautiful undamaged river sceneries.

Wangpicheon valley in Uljin is designated as ecological and scenery conservation area with great vegetation and beautiful nature scenery and thus called as ‘the treasure of nature as it is’.

Eco tour zone at the southern coast of the South Sea is the only coastal ecotourism zone with abundant tourist attractions.

Wetland of Dongbaekdongsan in Jeju is referred to as ‘the Amazon of Jeju’for preserving the original nature.

The Ministry designated the well-preserved nature assets as the ecotourism areas and is pursuing the ‘ecotourism designation system’ with environmentally friendly programs to allow the public to experience ecotourism.

*Government press release (December 13)