Department stores and outdoor clothing retailers are beginning to see a slight sales slow down in recent months in an area of the South Korean economy that was thought to have been recession-proof.

Sales have been surging forward at 20% year on year for almost the last decade, but retailers have revealed that this growth rate has dropped to 15.2 percent last month. As the long range forecast for the winter is expected to be extremely cold then increased sales were expected for outdoor clothing and accessories. However, it appears that they were a little optimistic, even when they offered the normal seasonal discounts.

Part of this slowing of sales is due to the unexpected warmer temperatures, which have been almost three degrees Celsius warmer then average. However, there is a growing concern that the marketplace itself has simply become over saturated. It is thought that over eighteen million South Koreans own at least one piece of outdoor clothing in their wardrobe. However it is still expected the market will grow by around 10% a year as people replace and upgrade old kit.

However they have an amazing country to explore, including several national parks and long distance trails in which they can use their equipment and gear. One of the most popular is the Gyeongiu National Park, situated a couple of bus rides from Seoul, which contains a bevy of cultural preserved sites dating back to the Silla Dynasty. It contains seven separate areas for you to explore. The Namsan District contains more than one hundred temple sites including the Poseokieong Pavilion, which was part of the living quarters the king had built outside of his palace for feasts.

Whatever happens to the South Korean economy there will be plenty to see and do in this amazing country. However, here at Outdoor Look, we are always on hand to satisfy any of your requirements the outdoor clothing retailers can’t and we can save you money at the same time, so check out the website and see what bargains you can find.