Gwangyang's Gubongsan Mountain "Panorama Walk" Completes Trial Run, Opens Nov. 10

Trial-run visitors projected to reach 70,000... Visitors from outside Gwangyang account for 70%
Advance reservation system retained, with a limit of 200 visitors per hour
Dining, lodging and cultural offerings to expand... Links with nearby tourist attractions to be strengthened

Gubongsan Mountain’s “Panorama Walk,” a new tourist landmark in Gwangyang City, has completed its trial run and will officially open on November 10.

Gwangyang City in Jeonnam-Gwangju (Mayor Park Seong-hyeon) announced on November 6 that it had completed the trial run of the Panorama Walk, an interactive installation built at the summit of Gubongsan Mountain, and was preparing to welcome tourists in earnest.

Panorama Walk, an interactive installation atop Gubongsan Mountain in Gwangyang, has completed its trial operation and is now ready to welcome visitors. Provided by Gwangyang City.

The Panorama Walk is a key facility in a project jointly undertaken by Gwangyang City and POSCO to establish Gubongsan Mountain as a tourist attraction. POSCO invested 18 billion won in its construction. Visitors can walk along a spiral ramp measuring 13 to 21 meters wide, 27 meters high and 365 meters long, and take in panoramic views of the Gwangyang Bay, Yi Sun-sin Bridge, Gwangyang Steelworks, Baegunsan Mountain and other industrial, marine and natural scenery.

A total of 45,913 people visited during the trial run, which began on October 9 and ran through November 1. Excluding regular closure days and days closed due to bad weather, the average was approximately 3,061 visitors per day over 15 operating days. Based on this pace, cumulative attendance during the trial period is projected to reach 70,000 by November 8.

Gwangyang residents accounted for about 30% of visitors, while visitors from outside the city made up about 70%. The Jeolla region contributed the largest share, at around 40%, while visitors also came from across the country, including the Gyeongsang region, the Seoul metropolitan area, the Chungcheong region and Jeju Island, demonstrating the site’s potential as a new tourist attraction.

To turn demand for the Panorama Walk into a boost for the local economy, Gwangyang City plans to expand dining, lodging and cultural offerings in the Gubongsan area and strengthen links with nearby tourist attractions.

For a safe and pleasant visitor experience, the city will retain the advance reservation system, which limits entry to 200 people per hour and proved effective during the trial run. During the winter season (November to March), the facility will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; during the summer season (April to October), it will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. It will be closed every Monday.

Entry will be restricted if more than 150 people are on site at the same time or if instantaneous wind speeds exceed 8 meters per second. Operations will also be restricted in emergencies, including bad weather such as rain or snow, typhoon, heat wave or cold wave warnings, and earthquakes with a magnitude of 3.3 or higher.

To ensure stable operations, the city has assigned specialized staff for facility management, security, operations and visitor information. It has also established safety measures, including contracting a professional security company, operating motion sensors and obtaining liability insurance for public facilities.

Gwangyang City has asked POSCO to address issues identified during the trial run, including drainage improvements and the installation of additional safety railings. The city plans to carry out upgrades in stages during regular closure days and other suitable periods, conduct a final inspection, and then proceed with the donation and transfer of the facility.

“The Panorama Walk is a tourism asset where visitors can experience the cityscape shaped by Gwangyang’s industry, marine environment and nature from a new perspective,” Gwangyang Mayor Park Seong-hyeon said. “We will develop Gubongsan Mountain into a symbolic place offering views of Gwangyang’s past, present and future, and expand the tourism infrastructure so visitors can stay in the area and experience its many attractions.”

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