Anyone do any kind of 'packn' in korea/

Do you mean "backpacking" or "packn" as in carrying firearms? I did a fair amount of the latter for my employer, the United States Army, who made me an offer I could not refuse in 1960.

I did do one excursion, climbing a nice looking peak called Pae Gon Dae (White Cloud Mountain) between our division headquarters and Seoul. It was a third, perhaps minimum fourth class jaunt. I was later told that our route lay within an old mine field

Korea was then a very different country, very much in the Third World. They have changed amazingly since then.

You will be glad to know that I kept them dirty commies at bay by typing perfect letters (no strikeovers, erasures, or errers of any sort) for the Commanding General. I also served cupcakes decorated with the division insignia (1st Cav) at official meetings.

I loled

Not me, but I did have a professor that spent a few days behind enemy lines during the 50's and made it back to tell about it.

He was one of my Bible professors. A very interesting man and a great teacher.

My eldest son (who retired from the Air Force a year ago) was stationed in Korea for a year in the mid 1990's. Despite being separated from family, he enjoyed his time there. I don't know if he did any hiking, but he really enjoyed wandering around the Korean countryside. His favorite thing was to make the rounds of little restaurants that basically consisted of a "take-out window" in the kitchen of a private home. However, before he started this hobby, he was careful to learn the Korean word for "dog" so he could avoid that particular delicacy!

I did some day hikes in Seoraksan and Gyereonsan Nationa Parks.
Pretty much the same all over continental Korea: steep, rocky, heavily forested. Lots of trails, heaps of people in summer (hot hot hot...)Hiking is some kind of national pastime for koreans, who go out for the weekend with full expedition gear .

Many of these trails are old pilgrimage paths, and one discovers beautiful views, a hidden temple in the forest, or a whole group having a picnic in the least expected place...

Here are a few pictures:

I did some of that hiking too but probably not nearly as much. Some things I found;
- heavily forested but not 'old' forests or 'large' trees. The forests were decimated in the war and pretty much all that exists now has been planted in the last 50 years.
- a Disneyland-like experience in at least one of those national parks. Lots and lots of people on the trail and even food vendors with their hibachis...

Still, it was fun and interesting and almost 25 years ago. Maybe things have changed...

FB