Mayor Kim Dong-geun: "Jail Forest Bathing Area Will Become a Symbol of Uijeongbu Ecological City"

One Year Since the Opening of Jail Forest Bathing Area in Uijeongbu
Established as a Healing Spot in the City
A Green Forest Preserved by Development Restrictions
Transformed into a Nature-Friendly Space

Jail Forest Bathing Area, the first forest recreation facility in Uijeongbu City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Dong-geun), is establishing itself as a healing spot within the urban area.

Mayor Kim Dong-geun is communicating with citizens while conducting an on-site inspection on the 5th to mark the 1st anniversary of the opening of Jailsan Forest Bathing Area. Provided by Uijeongbu City

According to Uijeongbu City on the 6th, since its official opening in March last year, citizens have been visiting this place to stroll along the lush forest trails and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Jail Forest Bathing Area is a space created under the “Forest Culture and Recreation Act” where citizens can breathe clean air, take walks, and engage in physical exercise. Although there are 218 such sites nationwide and 42 in Gyeonggi Province, there was none in Uijeongbu until now.

After long deliberation and effort, the city established the Jail Forest Bathing Area. The area around Jail-dong, which had been difficult to access for a long time due to being designated as a development-restricted zone and a military facility protection zone, was preserved in its natural state and returned to the citizens.

Overcoming legal restrictions and transforming into an eco-friendly space, Jail Forest Bathing Area has now become a healing spot offering comfortable rest within the city.

Jail Forest Bathing Area. Provided by Uijeongbu City

Jail Forest Bathing Area was carefully designed to maintain the natural environment while providing a comfortable resting place for citizens.

The 3-hectare pine forest, created through a reforestation project in 2003, and the dense forest preserved in its original form as a development-restricted zone combine to offer visitors a pleasant forest environment.

The site features ▲walking trails (deck roads) ▲picnic areas ▲forest rest spots ▲wooden platforms ▲wind therapy zones ▲sawdust barefoot paths ▲hydrangea gardens ▲woodworking experience centers, allowing anyone to relax in nature without burden. In particular, various wooden crafts such as swings, photo zones, and nameplates made by the “Happiness Sharing Woodworking Workshop” are installed, enabling visitors to spend comfortable time in a nature-friendly space.

What makes Jail Forest Bathing Area even more special is the involvement of local residents throughout. Beyond being a simple recreational facility, from the creation stage, residents directly participated in brand design, branding sculpture production, and program planning through the “Forest Recreation Facility Ecocultural Resident Participation Branding Project.” This added symbolism of “Jail Forest Bathing Area loved by citizens and owned by citizens.”

Entrance of Jailsan Forest Bathing Area. Provided by Uijeongbu City

Over the past year, Jail Forest Bathing Area has operated various forest experience programs, creating special moments with citizens. From March to December, 286 sessions of “forest interpretation education” were held, with 6,502 participants learning the importance of forests and getting closer to nature.

In May, during the “Youth Career Festival,” 35 students experienced the joy of woodworking by making cup carriers themselves. In June, the “Local Leader Exploration Program” involved 95 community leaders and public officials communicating in nature through forest interpretation and woodworking experiences.

At “Uijeongbu Forest,” 208 people participated in 10 sessions of forest walking, meditation yoga, aroma and wine therapy, healing both body and mind. The “Forest Family Camping” events held in May and September saw 140 families spending special days together in nature.

The “Picnic Space,” operated since April, has become a resting place where citizens can spend leisurely moments with their loved ones. The city plans to continue nurturing the forest of Jail Forest Bathing Area with citizens, making it a space filled with even richer stories.

Jail Forest Bathing Site Facility Map. Provided by Uijeongbu City

Starting with Jail Forest Bathing Area, the city is promoting various projects to develop Jail-dong into “the representative ecological village of northern Gyeonggi” by 2026.

To this end, the city plans to create the “Memorial Tower Memorial Park,” where veterans’ culture and resting spaces coexist, and establish leisure green spaces and ecological learning centers as natural education spaces for children and youth. The ecological learning center is expected to serve as an environmental education venue for future generations, providing opportunities to experience the importance of nature.

In particular, aiming for completion in June 2026, a deck road connecting Jail Forest Bathing Area and the Memorial Tower will be constructed, organically linking the Memorial Tower Memorial Park to maximize synergy effects. Additionally, to improve visitor convenience, roads and public parking lots will be expanded to facilitate easier access.

Mayor Kim Dong-geun visited the site on the 5th to mark the first anniversary of the opening of Jail Forest Bathing Area, inspecting the overall facility management status and communicating with citizens.

Kim Dong-geun, the mayor, participating in the local leader exploration program. Provided by Uijeongbu City

Mayor Kim Dong-geun said, “Jail Forest Bathing Area is not just a resting space but a symbolic place representing the ecological city that Uijeongbu aims for. Having established itself as a special space where citizens can enjoy nature within the city over the past year, we will continue to welcome citizens with an even more developed appearance through ongoing management and program improvements.”