Korea Forest Service predicts autumn foliage peak for late October

The Korea Forest Service has released the ‘2026 Korean Peninsula Autumn Foliage Peak Forecast Map,’ predicting that autumn colors will reach their peak across the country in late October. The first autumn foliage of the season was recorded on October 14 at the Jeombongsan Forest Genetic Resources Protection Area.

Foliage is expected to begin coloring in the northern mountainous regions of Gangwon Province in early October and gradually spread to central and southern regions. On average, the peak foliage timing is approximately 0.8 days later than the average of the last five years.

Key peak dates by location include: • Seoraksan: October 20 • Songnisan: October 28 • Naejangsan: November 4 • Hallasan: November 6

By species, ginkgo trees are expected to peak around October 30, while maple and oak trees are projected to reach their peak around October 31. The Korea Forest Service plans to integrate satellite-based forest observation data with existing meteorological and field observation data to improve prediction accuracy and monitor seasonal changes driven by climate change.