The Cultural Heritage Administration (Director Heo Min) has designated the traditional village forest that has long protected the village, 'Gochang Hagori Samtae Village Forest,' as a national designated natural monument.

The 'Gochang Hagori Samtae Village Forest' is an 800-meter-long village forest formed along the Samtaecheon in front of Hagori Samtae Village in Seongsong-myeon, Gochang. The villagers voluntarily created this forest to protect the village from various natural disasters. It serves as a windbreak forest to protect the village from the wind and also plays a role in protecting the farmland around the riverbank by being created on the embankment.

Moreover, it is the largest royal willow habitat in Korea, with 224 large trees of various species such as royal willow, zelkova, fir, Japanese cedar, and oak trees, including 95 royal willow trees that exceed 10 meters in height and 3 meters in circumference.

In front of Samtae Village flows the Samtaecheon, and the villagers created the forest on both sides of the riverbank to protect the village, which is shaped like a boat according to Feng Shui principles, from drifting away. It is believed that if this forest is damaged, a great disaster will befall the village, so they have revered and protected it.

You can visit the Samtae Village Forest in 'Jeollado Muchangyeondo,' which shows that this forest has existed since well before the 1830s and was already famous and symbolic in Muchang County at that time.

The 'Gochang Hagori Samtae Village Forest' is a natural heritage of high symbolic value that combines the faith and identity of the village community, with its beautiful landscape harmonizing with the surrounding farmland and the stable presence of various large trees adding to its comprehensive value.