A giant bowl in the mountains
The Punchbowl, or Haean Basin, lies in Haean-myeon, Yanggu. Yanggu County describes it as a highland basin roughly 400–500 metres above sea level. Its rim of mountains makes the bowl-like nickname easy to understand.
How did it form?
The county's tourism explanation mentions a meteorite-impact theory but favours differential erosion: rock that weathers more quickly is gradually worn down relative to the surrounding terrain. The basin is best understood as a landscape shaped over geological time.
Geography and the memory of war
The area also carries the history of intense Korean War battles. This is a sensitive border region where landmine warnings may be present. Lookouts, DMZ trails and ecological zones may require different access procedures. Access to a village in the basin does not grant entry to restricted surrounding areas.
Yanggu County gives the general location as Huri, Haean-myeon, Yanggu-gun, Gangwon State. It is not a single parking-lot address. Confirm your specific viewpoint or trail and current entry rules, and never leave marked routes or cross landmine warnings.