[One Day Ten Thousand Steps] "Our Neighborhood is a Walking Hotspot"... Local Governments Renovate Walking Trails This Year

Local Governments Renovate Walking Trails This Year
New Programs Introduced... Expecting Influx of Tourists

As nationwide interest in walking grows, local governments have begun refurbishing 'walking trails' this year. After the 'Gyeongchip' period on the 5th, when all things awaken from their winter slumber, more people are starting to walk in earnest. Local governments are busy laying new paths and preparing new walking programs. They expect that refurbishing walking trails will invigorate not only residents' health but also tourism activation.

Wonju City announced on the 6th that it will operate the Wonju Walking Travel Trail program this year. Known as the "City of Trekking," Wonju has prepared a program from March to November that allows people to see and experience Wonju's history, culture, and ecological resources through walking. Wonju has walking trail infrastructure such as Chiaksan Dullegil, Wonju Gubigil, and Wonju Sopunggil, which attracted 580,000 visitors last year. Based on this, various walking events and programs will be operated.

On the first Saturday of every month, 'Eco Healing Barefoot Walking' is held on barefoot-friendly courses such as Yonghwasan Scenery Trail, Dangu Park Dullegil, and Ungok Solbaram Trail. On the second Saturday, 'Wonju Walking Travel Trail Together Walk' is planned on Chiaksan Dullegil. On the fourth Saturday, 'Wonju Love Clean Walking,' where participants pick up trash while walking, is held. Also, the Wonju Barefoot Walking Festival, first introduced last year, will be expanded to four times this year, and in June, the 140 km Chiaksan Dullegil Challenge will take place over a week. In August, the 20th Wonju Love Walking Parade will be held, and in October, the 30th Wonju International Walking Competition will take place. As a nationwide event held every two months, Wonju plans to become the top walking exercise mecca in Korea.

In Hoengseong, the '5th Hoengseong Lake Trail Festival,' which combines Hoengseong Lake and various attractions, will be held in May. From the 10th to the 12th, this three-day event will take place on five sections of the Hoengseong Lake Trail. To prepare for this event, Hoengseong County and the Hoengseong Lake Trail Festival Committee have begun full-scale preparations. Especially this time, with support from Korea Water Resources Corporation Hoengseong-Wonju Branch and Hoengseong Culture and Tourism Foundation, a richer and more special lake trail will be presented to visitors.

Daegu City has a new barefoot walking trail. Dong-gu, Daegu, completed construction on part of the barefoot walking trail being built along the Kumho Riverside from Gonghanggyo Bridge to Yulhacheongyo Bridge embankment area last month. The completed section is 3.37 km from Gonghanggyo Bridge through Ayanggyo Bridge to Hwaranggyo Bridge. It features a coarse sand walking path, cherry trees, event paths, foot washing stations, restrooms, and comprehensive information boards. Dong-gu plans to complete the remaining 1.87 km section from Hwaranggyo Bridge to Yulhacheongyo Bridge by the first half of this year.

Seoul's Guro-gu has decided to rename the 'Anyangcheon Love Family Health Walk,' which has been held for 21 years, to 'Guro Carbon Zero (ZERO) Walk' and promote it anew. This event started in 2003 with the purpose of keeping Anyangcheon, the region's representative stream, clean and taking care of residents' health. The cumulative number of participants over the past five years has reached 70,000. The inclusion of 'Carbon Zero' in the event name from this year is to specify the promotion goals and direction. This year's offline events will be held four times in total, twice in the first half (May and June) and twice in the second half (September and November). The dedicated mobile app for online participation has been completely revamped under the new name 'On Guro.' The participation sections have also expanded from the original single Anyangcheon area to four locations: Anyangcheon embankment path, Dorimcheon, and Maebongsan. Completion is recognized when participants check in at designated points in each section.