Two islets in Seoul, South Korea
Bamseom
(
Korean
:
밤섬
;
lit.
Chestnut Island
[1]
) is a pair of islets in the
Han River
in
Seoul, South Korea
. The uninhabited islets, with a total area of about 0.24 km
2
(0.093 sq mi) and length of 1,147 m (3,763 ft), are located between the larger island of
Yeouido
, to which they were once connected,
[2]
and the north shore. They remain connected to one another by a narrow strip of sedimentary silt.
Seogang Bridge
passes directly over the western islet, though there is no access available, as the islets have been left as a natural sanctuary. There is, however, an observation point for bird-watching. Migratory birds use the islets often and among the birds which can be seen are
mallards
,
great egrets
,
mandarins
,
common kestrels
, and
Eastern spot-billed ducks
.
[3]
History
[
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]
The islands were inhabited until the
Seogang Bridge
was built over them, using the west islet as a support for one of the beams. Most of the inhabitants of Bamseom in the
Joseon era
were shipbuilders.
February 10, 1968, Bamseom was detonated for the purpose of collecting rubble required for the construction of the embankment for the development of Yeouido, and the island was divided into upper Bamseom (northwest) and Lower Bamseom.
Ecosystem
[
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]
Bamseom is a key location for a wide variety of bird species, such as the
Mandarin duck
, and it serves as a shelter for migratory birds during the winter. There are also about 108 species of plants on the island, such as willow trees and
itch reeds
. Additionally, Bamseom is an excellent place for children living in the city to experience nature. In 1999, the Seoul metropolitan government registered Bamseon as a
"natural preservation district".
[4]
Banseom was designated
Ramsar site
2050 on 21-06-2012.
[5]
Banseom's waters are a spawning and nursery ground for many Korean indigenous fish, including
Acheilognathus yamatsutae
,
Acanthorhodeus gracilis
, and
Sarcocheilichthys nigripinnus morii
. It is also a wintering habitat for many waterfowl, and in summer it is a breeding ground for species such as
Spot-billed Ducks
(
Anas poecilorhyncha
) and
Black-crowned Night Herons
(
Nycticorax nycticorax
).
[5]
West Islet
[
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]
The west islet, over which
Seogang Bridge
passes, has a length of 560 metres (1,840 ft). This is the more forested of the two islets, particularly at the western point.
East Islet
[
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]
The east islet has a length of 655 metres (2,149 ft). This islet contains a bay which opens onto the strip of water between the islets. This bay has largely silted up and is therefore marshy and contains many reeds and reed-dwelling organisms.
Gallery
[
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]
Park
[
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]
Bamseon has extensive facilities for tourists and visitors. So far, 6 observatory platforms and direction boards for visitors have been erected. The facility allows citizens to visit from December to February.
[6]
This timetable was set by a 1999 governmental decision, as this is a
Ramsar site
[5]
and protecting the birds is critical when choosing a time for observation of the birds by ornithologists and naturalists.
Films
[
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]
Bamseon is the primary location in the
2009 Korean film
Castaway on the Moon
in which a man (
Jung Jae-young
) decides to commit suicide by jumping into the
Han river
, only to find himself washed ashore and stranded on the island.
See also
[
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]
References
[
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]
37°32′N
126°55′E
/
37.533°N 126.917°E
/
37.533; 126.917