The national parks of South Korea are preserved parcels of public land on which most forms of development are prohibited. They cover a total of 6.6% of the country's area, and are typically located in mountainous or coastal regions. The country's largest mountain park is Jirisan National Park in the southwest; this was also the first national park to be designated in 1967. The largest marine park is Dadohaehaesang, with an area of more than 2,200 km2 (850 sq mi), but almost all of this is water. The smallest park is Wolchulsan, with an area of only 56.1 km2 (21.7 sq mi).
There are currently 20 national parks in South Korea; the parks, with the exception of Hallasan National Park, are managed by the Korea National Parks Service, established in 1987. The Authority operates its own police force, and since 1998 has been under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Environment. It was previously under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Construction.
Read more about National Parks Of South Korea: List of National Parks of South Korea
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