E2024-G052

The Promise on Mudeungsan Mountain: The Story of the Roh Moo-hyun Trail

Narrative

Roh Moo-hyun (1946–2009), the 16th President of the Republic of Korea, was the first sitting president to climb Mudeungsan Mountain. During a lecture in Gwangju Metropolitan City in 1999, he promised the citizens, “If I am elected president, I will climb Mudeungsan Mountain,” and he fulfilled that promise when he visited Gwangju in 2007 to attend the 27th anniversary ceremony of the May 18 Democratic Uprising. On May 19, the day after the ceremony, Roh hiked 3.5 kilometers from Jeungsimsa Temple to Jangbuljae Pass with local citizens. In 2011, the trail was officially named the Roh Moo-hyun Trail on Mudeungsan Mountain to commemorate his climb, and in 2016, a memorial stone was erected in front of Munbinjeongsa Temple. Today, the Roh Moo-hyun Trail remains more than just a hiking path—it stands as a place that embodies his philosophy of democracy and solidarity with the people.