[One Day Walk] "Nature is Content" Seodaemun-gu Cultural Hub 'Ansan Jarakgil'

[Editor's Note] The Korea Forest Service has selected 50 "Premium Forest Trails Perfect for Walking" to commemorate the 50th anniversary of national reforestation. The selected trails allow for about a day's hike and are easily accessible, enabling the public to use them comfortably and conveniently. We introduce these premium forest trails provided by the Korea Forest Service every Friday.

Today's 10,000-step course is the "Ansan Circular Barrier-Free Footpath" (hereafter Ansan Footpath) located in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul.

Ansan is a low mountain with an elevation of 295.9 meters, also known as Muaksan. This mountain belongs to six administrative neighborhoods in Seodaemun, making it easily accessible to residents around Seodaemun.

Due to these advantages, local residents formed a council to develop the course and established a framework for a health walking trail connected to Hongje Station, Muakjae Station, and Dongnimmun Station.

For example, Ansan improved accessibility by linking Hongjecheon Stream, allowing people to walk from the Han River to Hongjecheon and then to Ansan. Also notable is the construction of the "Muakjae Sky Bridge," which facilitates passage between Inwangsan and Ansan.

Citizens are enjoying walks and forest experiences on the Ansan Circular Barrier-Free Trail. Provided by the Korea Forest Service

In particular, the Ansan Footpath, established in November 2013, is the nation's first circular barrier-free trail, offering advantages for walking-vulnerable groups such as citizens with strollers, wheelchair users, children, and the elderly to easily climb the mountain. This was achieved by creating a wooden deck path without stairs and reducing slopes.

From the outset, the Ansan Footpath was designed considering social factors such as the increasing elderly population and rising demand for experiential leisure, with the purpose of enabling all citizens, including walking-vulnerable groups, to climb the mountain and experience the forest.

Along this path, visitors can experience themed forests such as locust tree forest, metasequoia forest, pine nut forest, and spruce forest by section, and depending on the direction?east, west, south, or north?they can view the Han River, Inwangsan, Bukhansan, and the Blue House. Nearby are historical sites such as Seodaemun Independence Park and Seodaemun Prison History Hall, allowing visitors to combine forest experiences with historical exploration.

Above all, the Ansan Footpath is regarded as a cultural content hub in Seodaemun-gu where nature and culture coexist.

Throughout the year, 27 cultural events are held here, including the Ansan Beacon Fire Sunrise Festival, Ansan Cherry Blossom Concert, Disability Day events, and district residents' walking events. It is estimated that the annual attendance for these events reaches 50,000 people.

The 'Barrier-Free Deck Road' placed on the Ansan Circular Barrier-Free Trail stretches long along the forest path. Provided by the Korea Forest Service

These advantages have led to a significant increase in the annual number of visitors to Ansan since the footpath was established. The daily average number of visitors, which was 200, has increased to 2,000 on weekdays and 7,000 on weekends, with the annual cumulative number of visitors reaching approximately 800,000.

A 2018 satisfaction survey of visitors to the Ansan Footpath showed that 89% of respondents were "satisfied," and 88% expressed an intention to "visit again," raising expectations that the number of visitors will continue to grow.

This trail was named one of the "Top 10 Must-Visit Walking Travel Courses" by the Korea Tourism Organization and has achieved notable success, with local governments such as Jeju, Busan, and Daegu visiting to benchmark it.