The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced that they will host Korea's longest-distance running project, the 'Korea Dulre Trail (KDT) 4500 Race,' from November 7 to 23, 2025.
The Korea Dulre Trail is a long-distance travel route that seamlessly connects the edges of the Korean Peninsula, including the east, west, and south coasts as well as the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). It consists of the Haeparang Trail along the east coast (Goseong to Busan), the Nampalang Trail along the south coast (Busan to Haenam), the Sehaerang Trail along the west coast (Haenam to Ganghwa), and the DMZ Peace Trail (Ganghwa to Goseong), with a total length of approximately 4,500 kilometers.
In this KDT 4500 Race, 18 participants are divided into three teams of six. Excluding the DMZ Peace Trail, they will run 1,200 kilometers across the remaining three sections of the Korea Dulre Trail. The race begins at the starting point of Haeparang Trail Course 1 and Nampalang Trail Course 1, 'Oryukdo Sunrise Park' in Busan, and concludes at Sehaerang Trail Course 83.
The first runner of the Korea Dulre Trail (KDT) 4500 race started the race on the 7th, receiving encouragement from fellow participants. Photo by Korea Tourism Organization
The 'Oenjjokgil' team started the race on the Haeparang Trail on November 7 and will cover 300 kilometers by November 9. Next, the 'Dandan' team is scheduled to run 400 kilometers along the Nampalang Trail over a non-stop three-day period from November 14 to 16. Finally, Team Heogwakcheongsin will complete 500 kilometers of the Sehaerang Trail from November 20 to 23.
All 18 race participants are experienced full-course marathoners with extensive track records in long-distance running events, including desert marathons and domestic and international trail competitions. Since July, the Korea Tourism Organization has recruited participants for the KDT 4500 Race, and from September to October, prepared for the event by providing course training, medical checks, and fitness tests along the Korea Dulre Trail.
A video documenting the challenge of these 18 runners will be released on the Korea Tourism N YouTube channel.
Lee Sangmin, Acting Director of the National Tourism Headquarters at the Korea Tourism Organization, stated, "We expect that the KDT 4500 Race will serve as a stepping stone for the Korea Dulre Trail to expand from a walking travel destination to an outdoor experience space that also accommodates running. The Korea Tourism Organization will continue to discover and showcase a variety of tourism content centered around the Korea Dulre Trail."
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