Evaluation of the Geomorphological and Geological Heritages in Sobaeksan National Park

The National Park Resource Survey, which is conducted every five years under the Natural Parks Act, assesses the overall status of national parks, including their natural ecosystems, landscapes, and cultural and human environments. Currently, a fifth-phase survey is conducted across 22 national parks in South Korea. Although geomorphological and geological surveys have been conducted since the 1990s, the lack of standardized assessment criteria has hindered comparative analysis between parks and resources. Additionally, conflicts have arisen between the utilization of geological heritage in geoparks and the conservation princi- ples of national parks. To address these issues, the 2021 National Park Resource Survey introduced a revised assessment system incorporating a framework that comprehensively evaluates the geomorphological and geological values of the surveyed resources. This study applied the revised assessment system to 1) evaluate the geomorphological and geological resources of Sobaeksan National Park, 2) analyze the assessment results to determine the resource distribution characteristics, and 3) establish a manage- ment and utilization strategy for each major region. The results indicated that Sobaeksan National Park contains 52 geomorphological and geological resources categorized as follows: Grade II (3.8%, 2 sites), Grade III (26.9%, 14 sites), Grade IV (53.8%, 28 sites), and Grade V (15.4%, 8 sites). The intrinsic value analysis highlights high ratings for representativeness, typicality, scale, and naturalness. Based on geographical distribution, resources were classified into northern, central, and southern regions, with the central region being particularly suitable for geoscience education and research because of its high resource density and significance. To ensure sustainable utilization and conservation of geomorphological and geological resources in Sobaeksan National Park, it is essential to adopt an adaptive management framework that allows flexible conservation strategies based on continuous monitoring. In addition, comparative studies of national parks that utilize data accumulated through park resource surveys should be conducted to enhance the effectiveness of conservation and management systems.