Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes

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Exploring the Natural Wonders of Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes

The Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes, located off the southern coast of South Korea, is a unique and captivating UNESCO World Heritage Site. This designation recognizes the island's exceptional geological features, particularly the Geomunoreum Lava Tube System, which showcases a remarkable display of volcanic phenomena.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes together comprise three sites that make up 18,846 ha. It includes Geomunoreum, regarded as the finest lava tube system of caves anywhere, with its multicoloured carbonate roofs and floors, and dark-coloured lava walls; the fortress-like Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone, rising out of the ocean, a dramatic landscape; and Mount Halla, the highest in Korea, with its waterfalls, multi-shaped rock formations, and lake-filled crater. The site, of outstanding aesthetic beauty, also bears testimony to the history of the planet, its features and processes.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

Criterion (vii): The Geomunoreum lava tube system, which is regarded as the finest such cave system in the world, has an outstanding visual impact even for those experienced with such phenomena. It displays the unique spectacle of multi-coloured carbonate decorations adorning the roofs and floors, and dark-coloured lava walls, partially covered by a mural of carbonate deposits. The fortress-like Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone, with its walls rising out of the ocean, is a dramatic landscape feature, and Mount Halla, with its array of textures and colours through the changing seasons, waterfalls, display of multi-shaped rock formations and columnar-jointed cliffs, and the towering summit with its lake-filled crater, further adds to the scenic and aesthetic appeal.

Criterion (viii): Jeju has a distinctive value as one of the few large shield volcanoes in the world built over a hot spot on a stationary continental crust plate. It is distinguished by the Geomunoreum lava tube system, which is the most impressive and significant series of protected lava tube caves in the world and includes a spectacular array of secondary carbonate speleothems (stalactites and other decorations), with an abundance and diversity unknown elsewhere within a lava cave. The Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone has exceptional exposures of its structural and sedimentological characteristics, making it a world-class location for understanding Surtseyan-type volcanic eruptions.

Encyclopedia Record: Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes

The Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes is a World Heritage Site in Jeju Province, South Korea. It was inscribed as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2007 because of the Geomunoreum Lava Tube System and the exhibition of diverse and accessible volcanic features which are considered to demonstrate a distinctive and valuable contribution to the understanding of global volcanism.

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IUCN World Heritage Outlook

The 2025 Conservation Outlook on Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes reports the following assessment:

Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) · View assessment