South Korea's National Park Service has announced the temporary closure of several major hiking trails in the national parks of Seoraksan and Odaesan to prevent wildfires during the dry autumn season.

Starting from November 15th, the Seoraksan National Park will close 10 high-altitude trails, totaling 85.8 kilometers, until December 15th. Notable trails included in the closure are Maedeongnyeong-Hangyeoryeong, Bisunde-Heewungak Shelter, and Baekdam Visitor Center-Daecheongbong. However, some lower-altitude trails, such as Seorakdong-Ulsanbawi and Sokongwon-Bisunde-Geumganggul, will remain open.

Similarly, the Odaesan National Park will also close 7 high-altitude trails, covering a distance of 50.78 kilometers, for the same period. Trails like Jeongmeolbogung-Duroryeong and Guryongpokpo-Dongpigol will be inaccessible during this time.

The closure is aimed at reducing the risk of human-caused wildfires in these popular hiking destinations. The National Park Service will be stepping up patrols to enforce the trail closures and impose hefty fines for those who violate the regulations. Violators could face fines of up to 500,000 won for unauthorized trail access and up to 2 million won for littering or starting fires.

Park Yong-woo, the head of the Odaesan National Park's facilities department, urged hikers to be cautious and comply with the regulations. "With the recent dry weather, there is a heightened risk of wildfires nationwide. We ask that visitors pay extra attention to fire prevention measures when visiting our parks," he said.

The temporary closure of these popular hiking trails is expected to inconvenience many hikers, but officials believe it is a necessary measure to protect the natural environment and prevent devastating wildfires.

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