100-year-old wild ginseng worth $74,500 found on Mount Jiri

A cluster of 11 wild ginseng roots worth 120 million won was discovered on Mount Jiri in Hamyang County, South Gyeongsang Province. The find was announced Monday by the Korean Traditional Simmani Association. The roots were identified as cheonjong wild ginseng, with the oldest mother root estimated at about 100 years old. The cluster weighed 76 grams and was found near Odojae Pass at about 800 meters above sea level.

The cluster consisted of 11 wild ginseng roots and was appraised at 120 million won, or $74,500.

The roots were found near Odojae Pass in Hamyang County, South Gyeongsang Province, at an elevation of about 800 meters.

The association said the cluster was a five-generation family, with the youngest offspring believed to be at least 20 years old.

The oldest mother root was estimated to be about 100 years old, and the total weight of the cluster was 76 grams.

Published Sep 8, 2026 2:22 pm KST

Eleven wild cheonjong ginseng roots found on Mount Jiri / Courtesy of Korean Traditional Simmani Association

A cluster of 11 wild ginseng roots worth well over 100 million won ($74,500) has been discovered on the slopes of Mount Jiri, a find that would make any ginseng hunter cry out in joy.

According to the Korean Traditional Simmani Association, whose name refers to ginseng hunters, a herbalist in his 50s recently unearthed the roots at an elevation of about 800 meters near Odojae Pass in Hamyang County, South Gyeongsang Province. The association announced the discovery Monday.

The roots were identified as “cheonjong” wild ginseng, a term referring to ginseng that has grown naturally for at least 50 years with little human intervention.

The newly discovered cluster was identified as a family spanning five generations. The oldest “mother” root was estimated to be about 100 years old, while even the youngest offspring was believed to be at least 20 years old. Together, the 11 roots weighed 76 grams and were appraised at 120 million won.

"It is a precious finding, made under extremely difficult hiking conditions following more than three months of torrential rain and unusual heat this summer,” said Jeong Hyeong-beom, head of the association.

Last month, another family of nine cheonjong wild ginseng roots spanning at least four generations was discovered on Mount Baegun in Gwangyang, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City. The mother root was estimated to be about 80 years old, and the entire cluster was valued at 130 million won.

In January 2023, a rare wild ginseng root described as the world’s largest was also unearthed in the mountains of Suncheon, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City. Its age could not be determined, but it weighed a staggering 415 grams and was appraised at 680 million won.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

韩国庆尚南道咸阳郡智异山发现了一丛价值1.2亿韩元的野生人参，共11株。韩国传统参医协会于周一宣布了这一发现。经鉴定，这些野生人参为天宗，其中最古老的母株估计已有约100年树龄。这丛人参重76克，发现于海拔约800米的五岛峠附近。

这批野生人参共有 11 株，估价为 1.2 亿韩元，约合 74,500 美元。

这些根系是在庆尚南道咸阳郡五岛峠附近发现的，海拔约 800 米。

该协会表示，这群人是一个五代同堂的家庭，其中最小的孩子据信也至少有 20 岁了。

最古老的母根估计有 100 年历史，整个根簇的总重量为 76 克。

发布于2026年9月8日下午2:22（韩国标准时间）

在智异山发现的11株野生天宗人参根 / 图片由韩国传统参满尼协会提供

在智异山的山坡上发现了一簇11株野生人参根，价值超过1亿韩元（约合74500美元），这一发现足以让任何人参猎人喜极而泣。

据韩国传统人参猎人协会（简称“人参猎人协会”）称，一位50多岁的草药师近日在庆尚南道咸阳郡五岛峠附近海拔约800米处挖掘出了人参根。该协会于周一宣布了这一发现。

经鉴定，这些根茎为“天宗”野生人参，该术语指的是在几乎没有人为干预的情况下自然生长至少 50 年的人参。

新发现的这组根茎被确认为一个跨越五代的家族。其中最古老的“母根”估计已有约100年树龄，而即使是最年轻的“子根”也至少有20年历史。这11根根茎总重76克，估价为1.2亿韩元。

“这是一项珍贵的发现，是在经历了三个多月的暴雨和今年夏天异常炎热之后，在极其艰难的徒步旅行条件下取得的，”该协会负责人郑亨范说。

上个月，在全罗南道光州特别广域市光阳市白君山上，又发现了一株至少传承四代的九株天宗野生人参。据估计，母株树龄约80年，整株人参价值1.3亿韩元。

2023年1月，在全罗南道光州特别广域市顺天山区，出土了一株罕见的野生人参根，据称是世界上最大的人参根。虽然无法确定其年龄，但其重量惊人，达到415克，估价为6.8亿韩元。

本文来自《韩国日报》（《韩国时报》的姊妹报），由人工智能生成系统翻译，并由《韩国时报》编辑。