Gwangmyeong Cave (Korean광명동굴) is a man-made[1] cave in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It is located on the far southwestern outskirts of Seoul. Since 2011, it has been open to the public as a tourist attraction, with amenities like a theme park, aquarium, and winery available inside. It is 7.8 km long.[1]

Gwangmyeong Cave
Gwangmyeong Cave entrance
Map
Coordinates37°25′50″N 126°51′41″E / 37.43056°N 126.86139°E / 37.43056; 126.86139
Depth275 m
Length7.8 km
Websitehttps://www.gm.go.kr/cv/en/index.do
Korean name
Hangul
광명동굴
Hanja
光明洞窟
Revised RomanizationGwangmyeong Donggul
McCune–ReischauerKwangmyŏng Tonggul

History

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Fish Sculptures in the cave

The cave was created during the Japanese colonial period and was a site of forced labor.[2][1] After the end of that period in 1945, it continued to be used as a mine until 1972. Eventually, due to floods and polluted rice paddies nearby, the mine was made to close.[1]

It was used as a storage facility for salted shrimp (saeu-jeot) from 1978 to 2010. Then, the Gwangmyeong city government purchased the land and made it into a theme park.[1]

The cave complex re-opened in 2011. It now has historical exhibits, but is chiefly entertainment-focused, with aquariums, sculptures, light shows, children's amusements, and other attractions, including an underground winery.[3][1]

The cave complex is popular, especially for its cooler underground temperatures in summer.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Ji-hyoung, Son (2018-08-09). "[Eye Plus] Theme park in abandoned gold mine". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  2. ^ "Gwangmyeong Cave (광명동굴)". english.visitkorea.or.kr. Retrieved 2017-09-05.
  3. ^ "Set Off to Gwangmyeong for a Refreshing Cave Tour!". english.visitkorea.or.kr. Retrieved 2017-09-05.