Hongreung arboretum

Welcome to Dongdaemun-gu

Hongneung Arboretum

Hongneung Arboretum

Hongneung Arboretum is Korea’s first-ever arboretum established after the Forestry Examination Center opened in 1922. Affiliated with the National Institute of Forest Science, it is an experimental research forest that systematically collects and manages various domestic and international plant genetic resources for the growth of basic plant studies. As of 1999, it exhibited more than 200,000 plants of 157 classes and 2,035 species (1,224 species of trees, 836 domestic species, 388 foreign species / 811 species of herbs).

Also, it owns 1,143 kinds of pressed leaf specimens of tree plants inhabiting South Korea (945 domestic species, 198 foreign species) and 812 kinds of seed samples (734 tree plants, 78 foreign species). Though it used to span over a total area of 99 ha (299,035 pyeong) until the 1960s, a portion of it has since become a property of Korea Institute of Science and Technology, currently residing over an area of 44ha (14.5ha of arboretum, 3.5ha of nature learning site, 4ha of fixed experiment site, 15.5ha of environmental preservation forest, 6.5ha of scenic forest). It is seated on the southwest slope of Cheonjangsan Mountain (altitude: 141m) in the eastern part of Seoul, and experiences an annual average temperature of 11.1℃ and annual precipitation of 1,259 mm, hot and humid during summer and cold and dry during winter. Hongneung Arboretum and Forest Science Hall offer free admission to anyone on Sundays and to student groups during weekdays, providing a great opportunity to experience the value of nature, environment learning and forests. As the capacity for participants is limited, it is recommended to make a reservation in advance during the week.

History of Hongneung Arboretum – Named after Tomb of Queen Myeongseong

The current location of Hongneung Arboretum used to be the home of Queen Myeongseong's tomb, the wife of King Gojong of the Joseon Dynasty. Her tomb is called Hongneung and, thus the forest was named after the tomb. Hongneung has since been relocated to Geumgok-dong in Namyangju, Gyeonggi-do so, only remains mark the old location of the tomb in Hongneung Arboretum today.

Queen Myeongseong

The wife of King Gojong in late Joseon, she opposed the closed-door policy implemented by Heungseon Daewongun, her father-in-law, and helped her husband to rule on his own by organizing the government and establishing diplomatic relations with Japan. During the crises of the Imogullan (Anti-Japanese revolt of 1882) and Gapsinjeongbyeon (Gapsin Coup of 1884), she requested and obtained assistance from the Qing Dynasty, and sought to drive out the Japanese occupying power with the aid of Russia but failed and, was eventually assassinated by a group of paid Japanese vagabonds.

Address and Contact

  • Address57, Hoegi-ro, Dongdaemun-go, Seoul
  • Phone02)961-2522
  • Websitehttp://www.nifos.go.kr Go to website

Days and Hours

  • Sat-Sun (Closed on Mon-Fri, holidays)
  • Winter November - February (10:00 - 16:00)
  • Summer March - October (10:00 - 17:00)

Admission

Free

Direction

  • Subway
    • 20 mins on foot from Exit 2 of Cheongnyangni Station (Line 1)
    • 10 mins on foot from Exit 3 of Korea Univ. Station (Line 6)
  • bus201, 273, 1226