This Is How Instant Noodles Are Damaging The Tallest Mountain Of South Korea
Mount Halla, South Korea's tallest mountain, is experiencing environmental damage due to an unlikely culprit – instant noodles. The National Park Office of Mount Halla has initiated a campaign urging hikers not to discard ramyun broth on the mountain or in its streams to maintain a clean environment.
According to CNN reports, Hikers in South Korea often bring ramyun, a type of instant noodle served in disposable cups, with them during their hikes. The National Park Office has posted banners and signs around the mountain encouraging hikers to use only half of the instant soup and water.
Smoking, littering, unauthorized entry, and drinking are all prohibited on Mount Halla, with violators facing penalties of up to 2,000,000 won ($1,442.15). The National Park Office explained in a Facebook post that ramen broth contains high levels of salt, making it difficult for aquatic insects to survive in contaminated water. On June 25th, Jeju police conducted a brief crackdown on tourist behaviour following repeated complaints from residents.
Visitors can be ticketed or fined for actions such as littering, public urination, and smoking in designated no-smoking areas. On the first day of the new controls, Jeju police issued tickets and fines to nine foreign tourists, mostly for jaywalking. Fines range from 20,000 won ($14.50) for crossing the street outside of marked pedestrian crossings to 60,000 won ($43.40) for crossing at a red light.
Mount Halla is part of the UNESCO-listed Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes heritage site and attracted 923,680 visitors last year according to government statistics. The trend of consuming hot noodles on high peaks is now spreading beyond South Korea; Korean media reports that ramyun is available for sale at the top of Switzerland's Matterhorn peak.
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