Pohang City GreenWay Academy Concludes Successfully... Building Consensus for a Walkable Pohang

Lecture by Chairman Jo Ung-rae, Founder of Barefoot Walking Sanctuary 'Gyejoksan Hwangtotgil'

‘There Is a Way in Reverse Thinking’ Theme, Citizen Academy with Over 500 Participants Successfully Concluded

On the 12th, Pohang City held the ‘Pohang GreenWay Academy’ at the Daejam Hall of Pohang City Hall to foster public consensus and spread awareness of participation in the Pohang GreenWay project.

On the 12th, Pohang City held the 'Pohang GreenWay Academy' at the Daejam Hall of Pohang City Hall to foster public consensus and raise awareness of participation in the GreenWay project.

The lecture, attended by about 500 citizens, featured Chairman Cho Woong-rae, CEO of Seonyang Soju, who shared his story of creating the Hwangtotgil Trail on Daejeon Gyejoksan Mountain and inspecting it every dawn for 18 years to ensure people could walk comfortably. He conveyed his management philosophy under the theme ‘There is a way in reverse thinking.’

The Hwangtotgil Trail on Daejeon Gyejoksan Mountain is a walking path created as a barefoot walking health theme. In 2006, about 20,000 tons of loess were used on a total of 14.5 km of forest roads. Due to the barefoot walking trend, barefoot walking enthusiasts flocked from all over the country, making it a nationally famous tourist attraction.

The barefoot walking movement is an exercise that anyone, regardless of age or gender, can easily do without restrictions on time, place, or economic cost. It has recently become a popular new lifestyle exercise and health culture nationwide.

The city designated ‘30 Best Barefoot Spots’ for 30 urban forests and waterfront spaces close to living areas such as Songdo Pine Forest, Heunghae Bukcheon Water, Gigaeseo Forest, and Hyeongsan Riverside. To ensure safe barefoot walking, continuous management and maintenance of the road surface, as well as the expansion of various convenience facilities such as foot washing stations and air guns, are being carried out.

A citizen who participated in the academy said, “After hearing the explanation about the Hwangtotgil Trail on Gyejoksan Mountain, I became interested in barefoot walking,” adding, “I will engage in happy and healthy barefoot walking with the people around me, just as the lecture suggested.”

Since 2016, Pohang City has been promoting the GreenWay project to create a pleasant and beautiful eco-friendly green city where anyone wants to live. Last January, the city completed the registration of the ‘Barefoot BI’ trademark and plans to hold the ‘2nd Korea Barefoot Walking Festival with the Pohang International Fireworks Festival’ on June 1st at Songdo Pine Forest and the coastal area. Efforts are also being made to create a city good for walking by utilizing urban forests created through the GreenWay project.

Mayor Lee Kang-deok stated, “The green forest area in downtown Pohang has increased significantly. Going forward, we will focus on creating good walking paths by connecting forests, mountains, and rivers, emphasizing a pedestrian-centered carbon-neutral city,” and expressed his commitment, saying, “We will strive to spread walking culture and help citizens enjoy a healthy life.”