Barefoot Walking-Friendly Cities Nationwide 'Stepping Up'... Pohang City Selects 30 Barefoot Paths

Designated 'Barefoot 30 Selections' of Pristine Coastal, Riverside, and Forest Scenery with Expanded Safety and Convenience Facilities

National Barefoot Walking Competition to be Held in Pohang in April, Enhancing Position as an Eco-Friendly Ecolog

Barefoot walking club members taking barefoot walking certification photos.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] As barefoot walking for health spreads in Pohang City, the city is making nationwide strides as a "barefoot-friendly city" through the 'Barefoot Road 30 Selections' created as part of the Greenway Project and the active participation of citizens.

Barefoot walking is known to help improve health and vitality through reflexology, a foot massage via acupressure, and the earthing effect?where the Earth's surface and our bodies connect to transmit natural energy that aids in anti-inflammation and immune enhancement. Recently, the number of enthusiasts engaging in barefoot walking to boost health and vitality has been steadily increasing.

In Pohang, it is not difficult to find the "footprints of barefoot enthusiasts" everywhere, who enjoy barefoot walking along with the region's natural coastal trails and railroad forest, exploring nearby tourist attractions.

Last June, the city designated 30 locations including Songdo Pine Forest, Heunghae Bukcheon Water, Gigaeseo Forest, and Hyeongsan Riverside as the 'Barefoot Road 30 Selections' to create a barefoot-friendly city. To ensure safe barefoot walking, the city continuously manages and maintains the walking surfaces and expands various convenience facilities such as foot washing stations and air guns.

The Barefoot Road 30 Selections chosen by Pohang City highlight the area's regional characteristics where sea, river, and mountains harmonize. They include barefoot paths offering views of the magnificent East Sea and Hyeongsan River, as well as forests dense with large trees, making them highly regarded as future tourism products.

While Pohang City has developed the barefoot walking infrastructure such as the Barefoot Road 30 Selections, at the heart of barefoot walking expansion is the citizens' group called the 'Barefoot School Pohang Chapter.'

The 'Barefoot School Pohang Chapter' is a voluntary organization formed by citizens who enjoy barefoot walking. Since registering as a non-profit private organization last October, its membership has grown to about 350 people. Through active activities and promotion, it has taken the lead in helping Pohang City become a "barefoot-friendly city."

Barefoot School Pohang Branch activity scene.

In December last year, the Pohang Chapter signed an agreement with a local hospital to implement a healing program for cancer patients using the Barefoot Road 30 Selections, expanding citizen health promotion programs led by the private sector.

This April, the Barefoot School Pohang Chapter plans to hold the "National Barefoot Walking Competition" in collaboration with Pohang City, utilizing key sections of the Barefoot Road 30 Selections. The event aims to introduce Pohang to barefoot walking clubs and individual participants nationwide and to enhance the city's image as an "eco-friendly ecological city ideal for barefoot walking."

Kim Eungsu, head of the Green City Project Group, stated, "This year, under the slogan 'Filling daily life with forests and gardens! Connecting urban areas, nature, and people! Sharing sustainable green culture with citizens!' we will implement an upgraded Greenway policy." He added, "As part of this, through the selection of the Barefoot Road 30 Selections and the expansion of barefoot walking using these paths, we will do our best to make Pohang a 'human-centered city ideal for barefoot walking.'"