• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.236-259
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• 2010

The examination of sediment distribution in Seongryu Cave shows existence of rocks contrasting with Joseon Supergroup contrary to existing knowledge. Contrasting especially with the Taeback Group, Daegi Formation, Hwajeol Formation, and Dongjeom Formation has been observed. Unlike Taeback area where Dumugol Formation and Makgol Formation are observed on top of Dongjeom Formation, the rocks of this area are not clear in its separation between the two, so that it was named Geunnam Formation. Seongryu Cave has been developed in this Ordovician Geunnam Formation of the Joseon Supergroup. The cave, mostly horizontal, runs in the NE-SW direction, and contains three lakes. The main passage and branches are about 330 m and 540 m, respectively, making the total length of the cave about 870 m (show cave area = 270 m). Through underwater examination, about 85 m-long underwater passage was newly discovered. Various speleothem such as soda straw, stalactite, stalagmite, column, flowstone, rimston, cave shield, cave coral, curtain, bacon sheet, cave pearl, cave flower, helictite and calcite raft can be found in the cave. There are sections with constant flow of cavern water, but the majority of cavern water in the cave come from the ceiling. The most important discovery in this study is the presence of various speleothem in the submerged part of cave passages. Traces of corrosion and/or erosion can be observed in the speleothem in the submerge passage.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.11-24
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• 2010

Seongnyu Cave have developed along the NE-SW direction in carbonate rocks of the Joseon Supergroup. The cave mostly shows horizontal passages and contains three lakes. The main passage is about 330 m long with 540 m-long branches, thus the total length of the cave is about 870 m. Through cave diving, about 85 m-long new passages were discovered. Numerous speleothems such as soda straws, stalactites, stalagmites, columns, flowstones, rimstones, cave shields, cave corals, curtains (and bacon sheets), cave pearls, cave flowers, helictites and calcite rafts can be found in the cave. Especially, some speleothems which were believed to have grown in the past were discovered in the submerged passage, and a few stalactites, stalagmites, flowstones and columns were eroded (or corroded) by the cave stream that flowed on the floor. Because these speleothems only grow in subaerial environments within limestone caves, it appears that they grew when there was no lake in the cave and became submerged as the lake level rose in the cave. The presence of these speleothems in the lakes indicate that they only grew during glacial periods when sea-level was lower. Therefore, detailed investigation of these speleothems will provide invaluable information on paleoclimatic evolution around the Korean peninsula in the future.