Gomaru Karst

Gomaru Karst is distributed around Gomaru-gil. The Gomaru area features dozens of dolines, uvalas, and large sinkholes distributed on the dark gray massive limestone layer of the Yeongheung Formation of the Yeongwol-type Joseon Supergroup, with natural caves in the vicinity, making it a representative karst region in Korea covering approximately 2㎢. Karst refers to dissolution landforms developed in limestone areas, that is, special landforms formed by the dissolution and erosion of rocks, minerals, and soil by rainwater or groundwater. This area has limestone (the Yeongheung Formation of the Lower Paleozoic Ordovician period) distributed and develops on a flat zone at the mountaintop south of Jaechisan Mountain (750.9m). The Gomaru area on the southern slope of Jaechisan Mountain is a mountainous region at an altitude of 530 to 750m above sea level, featuring very unique landforms created as limestone dissolves in rainwater or groundwater. Dolines, which are formed as limestone dissolves into basin-shaped depressions, uvalas formed by the merging of two or more dolines, and limestone caves created underground appear here. (Source: Pyeongchang-gun Culture and Tourism)