Mountain climbers eating ramyun (Photo: a screenshot from social media)
JEJU, Apr. 1 (Korea Bizwire) – On the summit of Hallasan, the highest mountain on South Korea’s Jeju Island, a recent social media post showed a hiker enjoying a beloved Korean culinary staple: a cup of instant ramen noodle soup.
But that seemingly innocuous snapshot has highlighted an increasingly vexing environmental issue for the national park – how to manage the disposal of leftover ramen broth by hikers.
As more outdoor enthusiasts bring portable meals like ramen and kimbap (seaweed rice rolls) during their treks, Hallasan is facing a battle against discarded, salty ramen broth that experts warn could contaminate soil and waterways and disrupt the mountain’s delicate ecosystem.
At the Witse Oreum rest area, located at an elevation of 1,740 meters where vendors and cooking are prohibited, some hikers pack thermoses of hot water to prepare the instant noodle meals. While trash cans are provided for food waste, the leftover broth poses challenges.
The Hallasan National Park Office initially installed two waste disposal units but found them insufficient for the ramen broth volume.
The park launched a “Don’t Leave Ramen Broth Behind” campaign (Photo: a screenshot from the Hallasan National Park Office’s Instagram account)
Five additional 60-liter (16-gallon) containers were then added, yet some hikers have resorted to dumping the salty broth into toilets or directly on the ground surrounding the rest areas.
“The high salt content in ramen broth can pollute clean water sources, making it impossible for some species of larvae and snails to survive,” the park office warned on Instagram, adding that larger animals could be disrupted by eating discarded, contaminated food after being lured by the broth’s scent.
Starting on March 29, the park launched a “Don’t Leave Ramen Broth Behind” campaign, using banners and social media to encourage hikers to premix less broth powder with their hot water, therefore reducing the liquid waste.
The moves have drawn a mix of support and criticism online, with some netizens arguing that banning portable meals entirely may be more appropriate, citing existing rules prohibiting food on most hiking trails.
“I was surprised by how many tangerine peels I saw on the trail,” one commenter wrote. “Don’t litter those either.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
