Nine-Week Program Until October 2
45 Residents Participate
On August 7, Seo-gu District in Gwangju held the opening ceremony for the 4th session of the "Barefoot Youth School" at Deulbul Hall in the Seo-gu Office, officially launching the new program cycle.
According to Seo-gu officials, the "Barefoot Youth School" is a resident-participation health promotion program designed to help residents manage their own health through barefoot walking. A total of 45 residents are participating, and the program will run every Thursday for nine weeks until October 2.
The main components of the program include: ▲theoretical education on barefoot walking and health management, ▲practical field training with mentors, and ▲a certification course for becoming a barefoot walking instructor.
Residents of Seo-gu, Gwangju, are learning barefoot walking techniques from a professional instructor at the 4th Barefoot Youth School, held on the 7th at Deulbul Hall in Seo-gu Office, under the theme "Healthy Lifespan to 100 Years, Walking to 100 Years." Provided by Seo-gu Office, Gwangju
To date, a total of 110 people have completed the course. Among them, 81 have obtained a Level 2 Barefoot Walking Instructor certificate, and 42 are currently active as local walking instructors. Notably, in this session, 4th-term resident instructors will directly lead the walking education, making the program a model example of resident-led and collaborative growth.
At the opening ceremony, resident instructor Kim Hoonam gave a lecture on "The Principles and Practice of Barefoot Walking," explaining proper walking posture, weight distribution, and acupressure effects. In the second session, professional instructor Kim Younghee led a highly received class on "Foot Massage and Strength Exercise" using an acupressure stick.
In addition, Seo-gu continues to provide proper walking education at barefoot walking trails in each neighborhood through the "Visiting Barefoot Healing School." The district also operates a customized walking and stretching program for senior citizens at senior centers, utilizing the "Walking Friends" group, which consists of 80 participants from the senior capacity utilization project.
Seo-gu Mayor Kim Ikang stated, "The Barefoot Youth School has already reached its fourth session, steadily growing with active resident participation. We will continue to support the program so that it can become a well-established health practice initiative suited for the era of 100-year lifespans."
Meanwhile, Seo-gu plans to host the 2nd Urban Barefoot Festival at Geumdangsan Barefoot Trail on October 25, with a variety of events including family-oriented healing programs and health consultations.
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