http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=1758437 )
Depending on the trail you take, it takes about 1~2 hours (I may be wrong on this), but that's not the point.
Mountains in Korea usually have Buddhist statuses/temples and Seoraksan is known to have a giant one at the entrance. As shown in the image below.
As we were leaving the park, I saw my mom wander off and started to walk around the statue a couple of times; brisk walking. Then she stopped, screamed at the top of her voice, and came back to me. (Dad and Daniel were elsewhere.)
Bewildered I asked her, "엄마, what did you just do?"
"I walked around the statue seven times."
At once, I understood. She was referring to Joshua and the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6 in the Bible for reference.)
"I was hoping to see this Buddhist statue crumble down." She replied jokingly.
Although she told me this flippantly, her actions compelled me to reflect and realize how richly blessed I was. What she thought as a joke (perhaps not) was a reality for me to see that Christ was the center in her life - that the Gospel was working in our family, in me. This was about 4~5 years ago, before I went to college. (I can't remember.) But she kept telling me since, "Always seek the Lord. (Joshua 1:8)" And since then, I've been cherishing this memory.
"내 아들아 나의 법을 잊어버리지 말고 네 마음으로 나의 명령을 지키라" (잠엄 3:1)
"My Son do not forget my teaching, but keep my commandments in your heart." (Proverbs 3:1)
Happy Valentines day 엄마.