Solseom Island
Solseom Island, Jeollabuk-do West Coast National GeoparkAn aerial view of Solseom Island situated in Docheong-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun. Solseom, referred to as Pine Island, where degassing structures and tafone can be observed, is one of six Buan-gun geoparks on the Jeollabuk-do West Coast National Geopark.
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LocationGyeokpo-ro Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
- CategoryTour/ Natural Environment
- Korean솔섬
- FieldGeography / Natural Geography
- Contents TypePlace Name / Name of Natural Place
- AreaBuan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
- LocationGyeokpo-ro Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
- Definition
- An island located in Docheong-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do
- Natural Environment
- Solseom Island is repeatedly connected and separated from the coast by the tides. On the island, visitors can observe the tuff formation including pebble-like volcanic rock fragments and a structure formed by degassing when the tuff was deposited, and they appear uniquely round and swollen outwards. From the side of the island, visitors can view the cross section of the round, swollen section and the vertical funnel shape along with the round tube-like formation. It is a common feature formed immediately after the tuff was deposited, and the hot gas or steam inside would escape or “degas” via a tube-like opening. Due to these formations created by volcanic degassing, Solseom Island has geological importance. In addition, the island includes the sedimentary tuff that has become floatstone fragments in dark green, which are noticeably laid horizontally and parallel to the stratification.
Composed of volcanic tuffs, Solseom Island includes a landform called “tafone” formed by centuries of erosion. Tafoni are defined as weathering formations that include small to large cavities on the rock surface that look like multiple openings of a beehive. They are commonly found along the coast or volcanic site with higher humidity, in which selective erosion in the shade after rainfall may take place.
- Current Status
- Solseom Island is located by driving along the National Road No. 30 towards Mohang and about 3 km past Sangnok Beach. It is in front of the Jeonbuk Student Marine Training Center operated by the Jeollabukdo Office of Education in Docheong-ri, Byeonsan-myeon, Buan-gun. Composed of volcanic tuffs, Solseom Island offers rare sightings of volcanic rock fragments and formations created by volcanic degassing and tafone phenomena, whereby it has become a natural ecological resource for students. Its proximity to the Jeonbuk Student Marine Training Center operated by the Jeollabukdo Office of Education and Sangnok Beach makes it ideal for tourists. Solseom Island is one of six nationally-designated geological parks – alongside Jikso Waterfall, Jeokbyeok River, Chaeseok River, Mohang, and Wido Island – on the Western Coast, as certified on September 13, 2017. The island also marks the end point of Haeneomi Solseom-gil on Masil-gil’s Course No. 4 in Byeonsan and the starting point of the Mohang Mudflats on Course No. 5 where the sunset is very beautiful.