Pohang, a Green City Ideal for Walking, Registers 'Barefoot BI' Trademark with the Korean Intellectual Property Office

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Pohang City recently completed the registration of the Barefoot BI (Brand Identity) as a service mark with the Korean Intellectual Property Office.

Pohang City's Barefoot BI registered as a service mark with the Korean Intellectual Property Office.

A service mark is a type of trademark used to indicate services for non-profit purposes. The city created the Barefoot BI to promote barefoot walking, a simple lifestyle exercise, and to advertise Pohang as a green city ideal for walking, and proceeded with the trademark registration.

'Barefoot-ro (路)' refers to Pohang’s walking paths where barefoot walking is possible, located in urban forests and waterfront spaces close to residential areas. The Barefoot BI was designed based on the core motif that all paths lead to the Pohang Greenway, symbolizing 'path + people + nature.'

Additionally, the design incorporates a footprint combined with a leaf shape to express a nature-friendly image, enhancing visual impact with a refreshing feel, which has received great response from citizens.

Barefoot walking is gaining popularity among enthusiasts aiming to improve health and vitality through practices such as reflexology, a foot massage technique using acupressure, and the earthing effect, which is known to help reduce inflammation and boost immunity by connecting the earth’s surface energy with the human body.

In response to the growing demand for barefoot walking, the city selected 30 ideal barefoot walking paths, with particularly popular locations including easily accessible urban forests like Songdo Pine Forest, Haedo Urban Forest, and Heunghae Bukcheon Water, as well as waterfront spaces such as Cheonmaji and Oeoji trails and Songdo Beach.

The 30 selected Barefoot-ro paths reflect the region’s natural characteristics where the sea, rivers, and mountains harmonize, offering outstanding views of the East Sea, Hyeongsan River, and waterfronts, and include walking trails for forest experiences.

Moreover, barefoot walking enthusiasts from across the country visit Pohang to explore the Barefoot-ro 30 paths along with nearby tourist attractions, earning the city recognition as a wellness tourism destination.

As the number of visitors to Barefoot-ro increases, Pohang City plans to enhance convenience and guidance facilities such as foot washing stations and dust removers. The city also expects synergy effects with barefoot walking programs run by the Nam-gu and Buk-gu Public Health Centers and the Barefoot School voluntarily organized by citizens, following the trademark registration.

A city official stated, “With this trademark registration, Pohang City has gained attention as a healthy green city. Through the infrastructure developed by the Greenway Project, we will spread a walking culture in daily life and create a sustainable green city by harmoniously connecting urban forests, forest trails, and waterways.”