Five Organizations Including the Ministry of Culture Sign Business Agreement to Promote 'Korea Dulle-gil'

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 30th that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the activation of the Korea Dulle-gil with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Korea Association of Mayors and Governors.

The Korea Dulle-gil was created by connecting existing peripheral trails around the country. It is the longest walking travel route in Korea, totaling 4,544 km. It consists of the DMZ Peace Trail in the Demilitarized Zone, the Haeparang Trail along the East Sea, the Nampalang Trail along the South Sea, and the Seohaerang Trail along the West Sea.

According to the MOU, the five organizations plan to jointly strengthen cooperation with local governments that oversee the routes to establish a more systematic and efficient management and operation system. In collaboration with related public institutions such as the Korea Tourism Organization and local private organizations, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will be responsible for operation and promotion; the Ministry of the Interior and Safety for tourism in border areas; the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for rural tourism; the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries for fishing village tourism; and the Korea Association of Mayors and Governors for route management and local content.

Furthermore, the government will actively develop the Korea Dulle-gil, which connects the edges of the Korean Peninsula, into a tourism content enjoyed by people worldwide, embodying the values of "coexistence," "peace," and "health."

To make the Korea Dulle-gil a core resource that strengthens connections between nature, local culture, tourism, and regions, the government will pursue ▲ the overhaul of the integrated information system (Durunubi) ▲ discovery of themed content and development of products linked to local tourism resources ▲ strengthening domestic and international promotion and marketing and expanding public participation ▲ expansion of information centers and convenience services ▲ and creation of a friendly walking travel environment.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will newly promote the operation of Korea Dulle-gil information centers (rest areas) next year to expand the guidance system and support customized services for walking travel. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will cooperate to ensure that facilities and content of rural homestays and fishing village experience resorts are closely linked with the information centers and walking travel programs. In addition, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans to discover content linked to the Korea Dulle-gil and share information to revitalize the DMZ Peace Trail cross-route and tourism in border areas. The Korea Association of Mayors and Governors will actively participate in route maintenance and information center operations through local governments.

A Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official stated, "As interest and demand for walking travel have increased since COVID-19, it is necessary to develop the Korea Dulle-gil into a representative walking travel content loved by people worldwide," adding, "We will strive to make this MOU a catalyst for making the Korea Dulle-gil a global tourism content and for the recovery of local tourism."