❑ Jeju’s oreum will be managed differently depending on the degree of damage. Severely damaged oreum will be restored through a natural rest-year system, while less damaged oreum will remain open for visits. The goal is to balance conservation and use.

❑ Jeju Special Self-Governing Province will announce the “Guidelines for Conservation, Use, and Management of Oreum” for the systematic conservation and wise use of oreum in the province.

❍ The guidelines establish standards to prevent damage to oreum and ensure their sustainable conservation and use. They include management measures by damage type, management measures by damage grade, implementation of the natural rest-year system, and standards for installing and managing natural environment conservation and use facilities.

❑ First, damage occurring on oreum trails and surrounding areas is classified into eight types, including trail branching, surface erosion, trail widening, exposed rocks, exposed roots, slope erosion, channelization, and fallen trees. Management measures are presented for each type.

❍ Damage is also classified into five grades according to severity, with step-by-step responses such as maintenance, immediate restoration, and application of the natural rest-year system.

❍ Oreum with high damage grades will be managed with a focus on recovery through the natural rest-year system. Decisions on whether to lift restrictions will be based on on-site inspections and the degree of vegetation recovery.

❑ The standards for operating the natural rest-year system have also been clarified. Oreum classified as Grade 4 or 5 under the damage management indicators will be designated through on-site inspections, preparation of field-specific survey reports, committee review, final confirmation, and public announcement.

❍ Lifting the designation will be decided after a joint on-site inspection before the designation period expires, confirming restoration of topography and geology and whether vegetation coverage has recovered by at least 80%.

❑ Standards for natural environment conservation and use facilities — including visitor information centers, parking lots, trails, signs, and rest facilities — have been specified so that they minimize environmental damage and harmonize with oreum landscapes.

❍ The guidelines also include conservation-oriented principles, such as avoiding artificial facilities on summits and using existing trails as much as possible.

❑ Director General Lim Hong-cheol said, “Oreum should not be closed indiscriminately nor opened indiscriminately. They must be managed according to the degree of damage and field conditions. We will strengthen on-site management and institutional operations so that the value of oreum can be preserved while they are used wisely.”