Mount Halla, the tallest peak in South Korea, is a popular site for tourists. Many of those visitors enjoy a mid-hike snack of ramen. Unfortunately, they may inadvertently damaging the mountain ecosystem. No, these hikers aren't littering empty Cup Noodles containers but rather dumping the broth on the ground.
Incredibly, they're pouring out 26 to 31 gallons of the salty soup each day, potentially causing real environmental damage.
"Ramen broth contains a lot of salt, so discarding it along the valley's water stream makes it impossible for aquatic insects to live in contaminated water," the National Park Office stated on Facebook.
According to Smithsonian, not only could the salt harm endangered plant species but the smell is alluring to crows and weasels.
The National Park Office of Mount Halla has kicked off a new campaign to inform visitors about the issue. One request? Hikers should make their ramen with half the amount of liquid.
Previously:
• Instant ramen recalled for being too spicy
• Ramen shop offers bowl of noodles with whole frog on top