[One Day Ten Thousand Steps, One Day One Thousand Characters] Walking Through History... A Path with Historical Significance Emerges

Opening of the '2024 Yeongam Wangin Culture Festival' on the 28th
A path tracing the footsteps of women who left marks in modern and contemporary history

As the walking craze sweeps across the country, attention is focusing not only on scenic routes but also on paths imbued with historical significance. The idea is to walk through places where our history is deeply rooted, reflecting on the past and finding new meaning in the present.

A representative example is the '2024 Yeongam Wangin Cultural Festival' held in Yeongam-gun, Jeollanam-do, starting from the 28th. This year's festival, running until the 31st under the theme "Transcending Time and Space: The Culture of Wangin Becomes Light," takes place at the Wangin Park Historic Site, Sangdaepo, and Gurim Village, where cherry blossoms will be in full bloom. Wangin Park was a 4th-century Baekje scholar who transmitted knowledge to Japan. Along with Wangin Park, potters and technicians who conveyed Baekje culture crossed over to Japan, contributing to the development of ancient Japanese culture.

Yeongam-gun, the birthplace of Wangin Park, holds this festival annually. This year, the Wangin Park-themed parade "Steps Toward the Future" will proceed from Bongseondae to Namsongjeong Samgeori, Gurim Village, and Sangdaepo. A nationwide barefoot walking competition will also be held, allowing participants to honor Wangin's achievements through walking. An event to walk along Yeongam's proud 10-ri cherry blossom road is also organized.

In Jongno-gu, Seoul, a program tracing the footsteps of women who left a clear mark on modern and contemporary history is being conducted. It is called the "Jongno Women’s Travel (女行) Path Exploration Program." It offers an opportunity to visit important women figures and their key activity sites in Jongno, the center of modern and contemporary history.

This program consists of two courses, and exploration groups with guides will be recruited from the last week of this month. The first course, "Jongno Women Educators’ Path," relates to Cha Mirisa, who founded Geunhwa Girls' School, the predecessor of Duksung Women's University; missionary Campbell, who established Baehwa School; and Kim Ransa, who worked hard for women's enlightenment. The route starts at Jongno Church and proceeds to the Campbell missionary residence, Baehwa Girls' High School, and the site of Jinmyeong Girls' School.

The second course, "Jongno Women Independence Activists’ Path," commemorates the moment in 1898 when Korea’s first women's rights declaration, the Yeogwon Tongmun, was announced in the Bukchon area. It also introduces Park Jahye, who founded the nurse independence activist group Ganwoohoe. The walk begins at the site of the Iljeong Sanghwe, passes through Gamgodang-gil (Women Independence Activists’ Path), and continues to Duksung Girls' High School, Seoul Education Museum, Bukchon Cultural Center, Park Jahye’s midwife site, Taehwagwan site, and Geunwoohoe site.