Event Celebrates 'Cheongju Apgaksu' Designation as a Natural Monument

Korea Heritage Service, Cheongju City to Host Performances and Media Art at Jungang Park

The Korea Heritage Service and Cheongju City will hold an event at 6 p.m. on October 22 in the area around Jungang Park to mark the designation of "Cheongju Apgaksu" as a Natural Monument.

Natural Monument 'Cheongju Apgaksu'/Korea Heritage Service.

Apgaksu is a ginkgo tree estimated to be about 900 years old, located at the site of the Cheongju government office within Cheongju Eupseong Fortress. According to an account passed down in works such as the "Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam," Mok Eun Yi Saek and others, who were imprisoned on false charges in the second year of King Gongyang's reign (1390), climbed the tree when a flood struck and escaped harm. Its historical value is so significant that its location is marked even on "Cheongju Eupseongdo," a map from the late Joseon period. Recognizing this value, the Korea Heritage Service designated it a nationally designated natural heritage site and Natural Monument in February 2026.

The event will open with a performance of "Taepyeongmu," a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. It will conclude with the presentation of a designation certificate to the management organization and awards for people who have contributed to the effort, following a screening of an introductory video and a report on the designation process. From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., a media art show will share the history and stories of Cheongju's cultural heritage, including Apgaksu, through digital technology.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.