Cork Oak of Daegok-ri, Andong

The cork oak is found in Japan, China and Korea, and is characterised by the well-developed cork that forms on its trunk. It thrives even on dry, south-facing sites or stony ground, and grows particularly widely in Gangwon State and North Gyeongsang Province. Its bark is used as cork and its acorns are used to make muk, a jelly-like food. The cork oak of Daegok-ri, Andong is estimated to be about 500 years old, standing 22.5 m tall with a girth at breast height of 5.4 m, making it the most robust and best-formed among the cork oaks currently under protection. In the village, after the farm work was finished, a good day in July would be chosen to repair the paths between the rice paddies and cut the weeds, and once the work was done the villagers would gather beneath the tree to hold a rite and share food. It is also believed that if a scops owl comes and calls in this tree in spring, the harvest will be bountiful. The cork oak of Daegok-ri, Andong has served as a spiritual pillar of the village, growing for centuries under the care and protection of past generations, and so has great folkloric value. It is also one of the largest and oldest cork oaks in Korea, and being of great biological conservation value, it is designated and protected as a natural monument.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Andong, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물