Land creep, characterized by the slow downslope movement of an entire soil mass due to the presence of clay layers within bedrock or the influence of groundwater, is a distinct type of sediment-related disasters in Korea. It differs significantly in triggering mechanisms and movements from shallow landslides or debris flows. Although the land creep has historically been considered a rare in Korea with only 36 officially reported sites prior to 2017, it gained national attention following the observation of creeping monitored by sensors during the Pohang earthquake event in 2017. In response, the Korea Forest Service conducted a nationwide analysis in 2018, identifying a total of 189,585 potentially susceptible sites. Since 2019, field investigations have been conducted at approximately 2,000 sites annually. As of 2024, a cumulative total of 12,311 sites have been surveyed, with 241 sites (approximately 2% of those investigated) ultimately designated as land creep risk areas. These areas commonly exhibited the following morphological and geological characteristics: sedimentary parent rock, moderately weathered to weathered bedrock, slightly convex-curved or straight hilltop slopes, and slope angles ranging from 20 to 30 degrees. In 2025, research is underway to delineate the spatial extent of identified land creep risk areas and to classify their hazard levels. Moving forward, the development of a rational management strategy will require continued field-based investigation to clarify the morphological and geological characteristics of land creep in Korea and to establish scientifically sound criteria for its identification and risk assessment.
저자
Daeseong Yang [ Korea Association of Forest Enviro-conservation Technology ]
Corresponding Author
Jinho Lee [ Korea Forest Service, 189, Cheongsa-ro, Daejeon, 35208, South Korea ]
Sangjun Im [ Forestry and Bioresources, Seoul National University, 1, Gwanak-ro, Seoul, 08826, South Korea ]
Jung Il Seo [ Department of Forest Science, Kongju National University, 54, Daehak-ro, Yesan, 32439, South Korea ]
Dongyeob Kim [ Department of Forest Resources, Daegu University, 201, Daegudae-ro, Gyeongsan, 38453, South Korea ]
