Korea Forest Service Expands National Forest Healing Psychological Support for COVID-19 Blues

Hammocks are installed among the trees for hammock meditation, a type of forest healing program. Provided by the Korea Forest Service

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The Korea Forest Service is expanding national forest healing psychological support to overcome COVID-19 blues.

On the 18th, the Korea Forest Service announced that it held a video conference with related organizations such as the National Institute of Forest Science, Korea Forest Welfare Promotion Institute, and Forest Education Center to activate forest healing psychological support to overcome COVID-19 depression amid the prolonged pandemic.

The meeting was organized to discuss ways to expand the support targets for forest healing programs conducted in the second half of last year at places such as the National Forest Healing Center and to provide customized programs for each target group.

Earlier, the Korea Forest Service conducted forest healing programs targeting COVID-19 response personnel and vulnerable groups during the early spread of COVID-19.

About 2,500 people participated in this program, and among them, 415 survey respondents reported that they found emotional stability through the forest healing program. The emotional stability score increased from 66.97 points before participation to 71.27 points after participation.

Accordingly, the Korea Forest Service expanded the support scope this year and, as of last month, conducted forest healing programs for 10,000 people, including COVID-19 hardship response personnel and students on school closures.

Furthermore, the Korea Forest Service plans to expand the support targets for forest healing programs nationwide in cooperation with forest welfare facilities and establish a national forest healing psychological support system.

Lee Hyun-joo, Director of Forest Education and Healing Division at the Korea Forest Service, said, “Currently, COVID-19 forest healing programs are being operated at 15 national forest healing facilities,” adding, “We hope that citizens exhausted from daily life due to COVID-19 can find comfort and vitality through forest healing.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.