Updated : 2015 - 05 - 11 21 : 51 The Korea TimesEndangered plants catch eyes of visitors A potted Kwangneung lady ' s slipper orchid is on display at the Rare and Endemic Plants Exhibition in the Korea National Arboretum in Gwangneung , Gyeonggi Province , Wednesday . It is one of a number of critically endangered plants in the country . / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun - chul By Jhoo Dong - chanKwangneung Lady ' s Slipper orchid , or cypripedium japonicum thunb , is one of many endangered plants at the Rare and Endemic Plants Exhibition at the Korea National Arboretum ( KNA ) in Gwangneung Forest , Pocheon , Gyeonggi Province . The orchid draws special attention from plant lovers because of its rarity . " Kwangneung Lady ' s Slipper orchid is a critically endangered ( CR ) plant , " said KNA plant conservation researcher Son Sung - won . " We estimate there are only 5 , 000 in fewer than 10 habitats in Korea . " Due to its interesting look , people have collected the plants indiscriminately . I heard there is even a black market . " Lee Duk - hye , a visitor from Suwon , Gyeonggi Province , said , " It is a very rare opportunity to see the orchid . I thought the plant became extinct in Korea a long ago . " The exhibition , the first of its kind , will end on May 16 . " It is our job to raise awareness about endangered plants and educate people on how to preserve them , " Son said . " We collected nearly 600 endangered plant specimens from around the country and try to propagate them . " Another exhibition attraction is Kungangguks , or pentactina rupicola nakai , which grows only in the Mount Geumgang area of North Korea . People in South Korea cannot see the plant because it is across the border . According to the KNA , American botanist Honest Wilson visited the mountain , collected the plant and took it to the botanical garden at Harvard University in 1917 . The plant was propagated there , and some were handed to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in 1924 . Since the Kungangguks at Harvard University died long ago , the plant at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh was the only one remaining outside North Korea . The KNA signed an agreement with the botanic garden and brought the plant to South Korea in 2012 . " We are very proud that many CR - rated plants are raised and propagated here , " said Son . " Nearly 3 , 000 people visit the exhibition every day . " Reservations are required for the exhibition at www . kna . go . kr . jhoo @ koreatimes . co . kr