On July 19 the opening ceremony for Seoul Camping Ground in Pocheon Nature Village took place at a closed school. The old, neglected school has undergone a makeover and reopened as a camping site. Families who visited the new campground were obviously excited, but even more delighted were the residents of a nearby village. They were ready to greet visitors with treats and drinks at the opening ceremony.

(Woman 1) I’m putting rice cakes on plates. The village women’s association is volunteering for the opening of the camping ground. We brought rice cakes, fruits, and cookies.
(Woman 2) I’m the president of the women’s association. We have cooked potato and corn to pass out to visitors. It’s nice to have a new camping ground. It’s been a few years since I last came to this school. My children used to go to school here, but it has been empty since they graduated. The building was so neglected. But now that the city of Seoul has renovated the place, it will rejuvenate the village. I think good things are going to happen for our village.

The Sajeong branch school has been reborn as a camp site. For 20 years, elementary school students went there to learn, but as the number of children dwindled in the surrounding villages, the school closed down in 1985. Since then, the school grounds were used as a youth training center, but that, too, shut down in 1992. The school building became dilapidated, with weeds growing thick all over the field and the empty classrooms exuding eeriness. It had long become an eyesore. But as the Sajeong branch school underwent remodeling, the villagers began to look forward to the school’s transformation. Here’s Mr. Choi Hyeong-bae최형배 of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Cooperative Education Bureau to tell us more about the new school-turned-campground.



This used to be the branch of Sajeong Elementary School. It closed down in 1985 after 20 years in operation. It was then turned into a youth training center, but that didn’t work out either, so it remained unused for a long time. The local areas lost vitality, because only the elderly were left in the villages after the young people moved to the cities. In order to rejuvenate the local economy, the school was reopened as a campground to meet the recreational demands of city people.

The Sajeong branch school in Pocheon is not the only camp site operated by the Seoul city government. Last year the Wolhyeon월현 branch of Gangnim강림 Elementary School in Hoingseong횡성 County, Gangwon Province was turned into a camping site. Wolhyeon village where the Wolhyeon branch is located is known for its pristine environment. Clusters of stars shine so bright that they appear close enough for you to touch. This is the first village in Korea to be designated a starlight protection zone in May 1999. The Wolhyeong branch school opened in 1946, but the declining number of students forced its closure in 1995. Immediately following the shutdown, the school was turned into a community center for local residents, but wasn’t used much. But when it was remodeled into a camping ground, the 70-year-old school provided the most relaxing environment for recreational activities. A number of tall, lush trees inside the school grounds made people feel like they’d come to an old forest. The Jucheon주천 River near the school is a great place to cool down, and campers can get fresh organic produce from the nearby village. These are the features that made the Wolhyeong branch school campsite one of the hottest vacationing spots for campers last year.

And this year a new camp ground set up at the Sajeong branch school in Pocheon is ready to welcome visitors.

(Man 1) I’m from Gimpo. I heard about this place from my friend. I would usually be scared in a closed school, but it’s very clean and tidy here. I brought a lantern, a fan, a blanket, and food. I think my children will love this experience. We’re going to have barbecue tonight and do some sightseeing tomorrow before returning home.

The Sajeong branch school camp ground in Pocheon Nature Village has 25 tent plots, in addition to restrooms, shower rooms, cooking facilities, a convenience store, and other amenities. It is a perfect place to camp. Mr. Choi Hyeong-bae from the Seoul Metropolitan Government is here again.

The cost is kept to a minimum. The Seoul city government plans to open 20 more such sites in the future. Our designers have come up with the blueprint and local painters and carpenters were employed to build the facilities for the camping ground.

Once campers enter the school, the first thing they see is tall trees lined up along the wall. Just looking at the dense trees tells how old the school is. Although a parking lot was built in front of the school building, rest of the compound remains as it was decades ago. Tent-pitching lots are located in the innermost part of the school complex. Large wooden platforms for setting up tents are available to prevent ground moisture from seeping into the tent overnight and to make tent-pitching easier.

Another merit of the Sajeong branch school camping ground is that tents can be rented free of charge. When you pay about 20 dollars for camp ground admission, a tent for four to five people and a floor mat come free. Here’s Mr. Choi Hyeong-bae from the Seoul Metropolitan Government to explain more.

There are 25 campsites – five for large tents and 20 for smaller tents. The tents are provided free of charge. Admission is only about 20 dollars, so anyone, even novice campers, can bring their families. There is an extra fee for electricity, but that amounts to less than three dollars for a party of four or five people. In winter people can use electric heating mats. So for under 23 dollars people can enjoy a night of camping.

There is no need to haul cumbersome tents to this campground and people can experience camping at a reasonable fee. The camp ground takes into consideration families with young children. When the children feel frightened or uncomfortable about sleeping in a tent or if it rains or becomes too cold, they can choose to sleep indoors, in the old classrooms equipped with heated floors.

This room used to be the teachers’ office. Campers can use this room when the weather is bad or when natural disasters occur. Also, it can be quite hard for parents to sleep outdoors with young children. This room is fitted with heated floors so the parents and their children can have a good night’s sleep.

Campers get famished quickly, as they labor to set up tents and settle down. Now comes the most anticipated part of camping experience – camp side barbecue! Mouthwatering smells of smoky-flavored grilled meat fills the camping ground.

Outdoor barbecue is even more delicious when shared with family and friends amid clean and refreshing natural surroundings.

(Woman 1) I’m from Dobong-gu in Seoul. I brought some chicken feet, pork rind, and two chickens for soup.
(Woman 2) It’s great. I’m glad I came here. It’s like a party, with wine and something to nibble on.
(Woman 3) This is awesome. Even the air feels different.
(Man 1) I usually can’t stand the heat, but it feels alright today. It’s really nice and my sons-in-law are so good to me. I thank them for keeping me company.
(Woman 4) It’s nice to talk with my friends, because I haven’t seen them for a while. We’ll talk some more and enjoy the night.

It wouldn’t be a fun party without alcohol. Campers share cold beer and make loud toasts, wishing for the health and happiness of their family and friends.

While grownups build friendships over glasses of beer, young children entertain themselves at a small pool set up on one side of the schoolyard.

The pool is small, only able to accommodate about 20 children. But for these children today it rivals any water park in fun and excitement.

There is even a badminton court on the school compound. Two families who met for the first time at the camping ground test their badminton skills against each other.



(Man 1) Since I’m working out in nature, I think I could eat a lot of meat.
(Man 2) The air is so refreshing. I’m really happy. I can see what schools looked like during my father’s generation. I’m happy to spend the night in such a place.

The classrooms here have been renovated into entertainment rooms. Visitors can play go or chess in one room, while others can watch a movie in another. There are also a number of sports and leisure facilities outdoors, so there are just as many ways to have fun as in a big, fancy resort. Mr. Choi Hyeong-bae explains more.

The classrooms have been remodeled. There is a chess room and a library for book lovers. The desks and chairs were donated by an elementary school in Seoul. This classroom has board games and this room has four ping pong tables. People can play doubles or singles here. One room measures six by eight meters.

It wouldn’t be much fun if vacationers were confined to the camping ground. The areas around the camping ground feature many sites with beautiful scenery, such as the Hantan한탄 River, Gonam고남 Mountain, and Sanjeong산정 Lake. There are great destinations for both swimmers and mountain climbers. Mr. Choi Hyeong-bae tells us what other activities people can enjoy here.

This area is blessed with wonderful places for sightseeing. Sports enthusiasts can enjoy rafting on the Hantan River, and those who prefer calmer activities can visit a herb farm called Herb Island, Baekwun백운 Valley, and Sanjeong Lake. Since this is a rural community, visitors with children can volunteer to work at a farm and show children how vegetables are grown and even return home loaded with fresh, home-grown produce. One farmer even brought out a calf to show visitors.

The rural interactive program operated with kind-hearted village residents achieves two purposes – give much needed help to short-handed farmers and give city dwellers a chance to experience rural life. Also, volunteers and farmers share their harvest, so vacationers can go home with generous gifts of vegetables they helped pick.

The Seoul city government opened two city-operated camping grounds over the past two years. It plans to remodel 20 more closed schools into campgrounds by 2018. A decline in student enrollment in rural communities has left these school buildings bare and neglected. But now the closed-down schools are given new purposes, being used as cultural centers, local museums, and campgrounds. These new campgrounds are certain to revitalize the rural communities and provide people with exciting and memorable experiences.