Chodanggul Cave, Samcheok

Chodanggul Cave in Samcheok is a large limestone cave estimated to be around 4 km long in total. It is formed of white, greyish-white and pale-pink limestone, and has a three-stage structure comprising a vertical shaft, a sloping passage and a horizontal passage. Inside the cave are many varied speleothems, including icicle-like stalactites, stalagmites rising from the floor, and columns formed where stalactites and stalagmites have met. Ponds of various sizes also occur in succession along the cave. Groundwater continues to flow through the cave into passages on a lower level, where an extremely rare aquatic alga known as mulgim grows naturally. Chodanggul Cave is a large limestone cave whose speleothems — stalactites, stalagmites and columns — are strikingly rich, and it is of very high academic value for sheltering this globally rare alga. To protect its speleothems and cave-dwelling organisms, Chodanggul is currently designated a restricted-access area; entry for management or research purposes requires the permission of the Administrator of the Korea Heritage Service.

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Where it is

Region

Samcheok, Gangwon

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물