'Tis the season for clear skies and colorful leaves.
And the first autumn foliage of the season is to start this weekend.... at Seoraksan mountain in Gangwon-do Province.
Lee Min-sun has more.
With temperatures starting to fall, the trees that cover Korea's mountains are starting to change their colors.
And the first autumn leaves of the season can be seen this weekend at Seoraksan mountain in Gangwon-do Province.
The official first autumn foliage is announced when 20% of the leaves on the mountain have changed color. Korea National Park Service has said the leaves have started to change color at Seoraksan mountain's Daechongbong Peak.
The color changes start from the peak of the mountain and spread down the mountainside at a speed of about 40 meters per day. The changes also start in the north of the country and move southward at a speed of 20 to 25 kilometers per day.
Chungcheong-do Province will start to see leaves changing color in mid-October and southern regions will see colorful leaves in late October.
It will take about two weeks for the autumn foliage to to reach its peak when more than 80% of the leaves on the mountain are red, orange and yellow.
Seoraksan mountain is expected to reach peak autumn foliage on October 18th and Bukhansan mountain in northern Seoul should reach its peak on October 29th. Southern regions such as Mudeungsan mountain and Jeju's Hallasan mountain will reach their peak in early November.
The start of the autumn foliage season comes one to four days later than previous years because of late heat in early September and frequent rain from typhoons and the autumn rainy season.
Lee Min-sun Arirang News.