---
node: dest_sokcho
type: destination
slug: sokcho
title: "Sokcho"
lead: "Sokcho is a small east-coast city and the main gateway to Seoraksan, South Korea's most celebrated mountain park. It pairs beaches and fresh seafood with quick access to granite peaks and autumn colour."
published: 2026-08-10
updated: 2026-08-10
image_file: sokcho.jpg
image_source: "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seoraksan_National_Park_panorama_3.jpg"
image_author: "kallerna"
image_license: "CC BY-SA 4.0"
---

## Overview

Set on the East Sea below the peaks of Seoraksan, Sokcho is a relaxed coastal town of harbours, beaches and fish markets, busiest with hikers in the autumn foliage season. Once a settlement of refugees from the North, it keeps a distinctive district and a famous market food scene. It is a base for the mountains as much as a beach town, cool in summer and crisp in autumn, a few hours by bus from Seoul.

## Highlights

Seoraksan National Park rises just inland, with granite ridges, temples and a cable car to a rocky summit, at its most crowded and beautiful in October. The city beaches and the harbour serve some of Korea's freshest seafood, and the Abai village recalls the town's northern refugee roots. Nearby lie waterfalls, hot springs and the coastal road along the East Sea.