The Travel of Sanjeong Lake

We drove on the Dongbuganseon(Eastern Main) Road for Sanjeong Lake, being departure yesterday at 09:30 from Songpa-gu, Seoul. On the way of the lake, we dropped by the Korean War Monument at Chukseok Hill where the battalion commander Kim accompanied with his artillery battery commander rushed to the hill foot, deciding to destroy North Korean tanks braking through South Korean resistance line at Kumo-ri at early dawn on the date of 26 June 1950. He thought if he couldn’t fight off the tanks, collapse of Seoul should be taken place. He brought one 105 mm artillery to shoot directly the lead tank at the hill foot and succeeded to destroy it. But, he and his group were immediately killed by the counter shoots from the tanks following that lead tank. We took our steps on the stairs to see the monument and the sculptures of the soldiers and monument tower were stood. I found the passage to the monument was paved newly because it took a few years to come before. This monument was located just by the Chukseok Hill Service Area where I dropped by to get some snacks and found a lot of mushrooms harvested near mountains by the store owner. The owner said “Mushrooms are available in these mountains and she will eat it for her family without selling. I have no experience to sell so I don’t know the price.” She also added that the store could be launched here because her family was a veteran of Korean War.”

We kept going to Sanjeong Lake, taking the national road 43 to the direction of Cheolwon and arrived at the Sang-dong Parking Lot at around 12:30, passing by Hanwha resort was. We had a lunch box at the parking lot and walked along the strolling passage around the lake. The Lake was famous for the Myungseong Mountain and North Korean Dictator Kim IlSeong Pension. This area was above the 38^th parallel before the Korean War so it was North Korean territory at that time when the pension was built. It had been addressed that Kim was so attracted by the pension in an East European country that he choose this lake for the pension. If you watch out from the pension, you can find beautiful scenery created by the Myungseong mountain standing like a folding screen. There has been a legend about the mountain, which refer to King of the Post Koguryo Kungae defeated by the First King of Koryo Wanggeon and killed in this area.

It has been addressed that Name of Myungseong Mountain was called as Crying Mountain because of the last Prince of Shilla Maeui who was crying in this mountain in his way of evacuation to Kumkang Mountain.

We walked for 30 minutes to arrive the Kim Pension and tool some pictures. We also saw the Biseon(Flying Fairy) Fall forming cascade from its outlet near Ha-dong Parking Lot and returned to the starting point Sang-dong Parking Lot. On the way of returning, my wife bought some acorn powder made of fruits reaped from trees to make a jam. 

We worried about traffic jam on the way of home if we took the national road 43 as same as we came to the lake so we challenged to take the new express road Pocheon and Kuri Road. We entered to Shinbuk IC and surprisingly drove 50 Km to the South Kuri IC for 40 minutes far faster than 2 hours or more before. We arrived in Seoul at 17:30.

You are recommended to take this express way for your journey to Pocheon. You will find much value to pay 3,800 KRW for the tall fee. This road make you to see more places as like Il-dong Makkeoli, I-dong charcoal barbecue meats and more.