Are You Tired of 'Corona'? We'll Offer You a Cozy Forest Trail

Busan Gijang-gun Accelerates 'Post-Corona' Forest Recreation Facilities and Forest Trail Development Project

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Although 'COVID-19' left a notorious mark, post-COVID-19 projects in Gijang-gun, Busan, such as creating healing forests, are actively underway as countermeasures to overcome it.

On the 7th, Gijang-gun announced that it will carry out projects to create forest recreation facilities and forest trails in preparation for the post-COVID-19 era.

The purpose, according to Gijang-gun, is to provide healing spaces for residents, increasing opportunities for rest for those exhausted by COVID-19, and to revitalize the Gijang area.

The county plans to install public restrooms at the entrances of hiking trails such as Dareumsan, Mangwolsan, and Ilgwangsan to enhance convenience for hikers, and will continuously maintain 83 km of major hiking trails.

In the second half of this year, the Baegunsan hiking trail will be maintained to allow hikers to enjoy safer mountain climbing.

A roughly 1 km cypress forest trail connecting Dareumsan Prayer Center to Okjeongsa Temple will be created to provide a place for walking and forest bathing, and 1 billion KRW will be invested in the planned Gomnaejae Forest Rest Area project scheduled for the second half of the year.

Facilities such as a children's forest experience center will be installed to provide healing spaces accessible to residents.

In May, Gijang-gun received positive feedback from residents by maintaining the Ilgwangsan hiking trail so that new town residents can use the themed forest road and hiking trail simultaneously, in line with the development of Ilgwang New Town.

A Gijang-gun official said, “In the upcoming post-COVID-19 era, forest recreation facilities and forest trails will become important healing spaces.”

He added, “Through continuous maintenance and project implementation, we will comfort the residents of Gijang-gun and seek to revitalize Gijang.”