'Gyeonggi Dullegil' 860km Entire Route Opens on the 15th... 15 Cities and Counties Form 4 Zones

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] The "Gyeonggi Dullegil," a walking trail connecting 860 km around the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province where one can experience beautiful natural scenery as well as ecological, cultural, and historical sites on foot, was fully opened on the 15th.

The Gyeonggi Dullegil is a walking travel route that circles Gyeonggi Province by connecting previously interrupted forest paths, village roads, riverside paths, and embankment roads across 15 cities and counties within the province. The entire trail was completed after about three years since the basic plan was established in November 2018.

The province prioritized pedestrian safety and finalized the route in 2019 (total 860 km, 60 courses) by reflecting opinions from a private advisory group based on three main principles: ▲paths easily accessible by walking or public transportation ▲paths with diverse sights and changing landscapes ▲paths allowing continuous walking without interruption.

Last year, the province developed a brand for Gyeonggi Dullegil meaning "walking together as one," along with a character symbolizing a line connecting the outskirts of the province. The design was applied to comprehensive and directional signboards, ribbons, and forest-type guideposts during the trail’s construction.

Starting this year, the province began full-scale maintenance work, including surface repairs and simple guidance systems, and by the end of September created a pilot section of about 340 km (from Daemyeong Port in Gimpo City to Seorak Terminal in Gapyeong County).

Subsequently, the province completed the development of the Gyeonggi Dullegil website to provide comprehensive information such as the entire route, detailed course information, and nearby tourist resources. From the 21st of last month, ahead of the full opening, nationwide pre-promotion events on social media (SNS) were held. Starting from the 17th, additional promotional events including the eco-friendly walking event "Ploking Campaign," which involves picking up trash while walking, will be held on major courses in each region (Gimpo, Pocheon, Yeoju, Ansan).

Even after the official opening of Gyeonggi Dullegil, the province will continue to promote connections with beautiful natural scenery and historic cultural tourism resources, as well as develop experiential programs near the walking paths.

In particular, research projects are underway to connect the outer circular Dullegil with the inner Gyeonggi Old Road and regional themed trails (such as the Silhak Scholar’s Trail and Namhansanseong Trail) so that the Gyeonggi Dullegil can be enjoyed from anywhere within the province.

Choi Yong-hoon, Director of the Tourism Division of the province, said, "In the non-face-to-face era, walking travel has become a common travel trend pursuing healing and quality of life. We expect that the four regions within Gyeonggi Dullegil will allow people to experience diverse and new aspects of Gyeonggi Province." He added, "We will strive not only to connect the 15 cities and counties but also to create a representative walking trail linking the entire province and foster it as an integrated brand of Gyeonggi Province."

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Dullegil consists of four regions: ▲Pyeonghwanuri Trail (Gimpo to Yeoncheon, 186 km) ▲Forest Trail (Yeoncheon to Yangpyeong, 245 km) ▲Water Trail (Yeoju to Anseong, 167 km) ▲Coastal Trail (Pyeongtaek to Bucheon, 262 km).

The province explains distance, required time, and difficulty for a total of 60 courses, including Gimpo Course 1 (13.6 km, 4 hours 5 minutes, very easy), on the Gyeonggi Dullegil website. Except for nine sections of national forest roads, travelers can choose any course suitable for themselves without prior reservation. Along these paths, travelers can enjoy walking trails frequently visited by residents such as Yeoju Yeogang Trail, Pocheon Columnar Joint Trail, Anseong Park Doo-jin Literary Trail, as well as tourist attractions like Sanjeong Lake, Yongchu Valley, Pyeongtaek Hyanggyo Confucian School, Gungpyeong Port, and Gokang Prehistoric Site Park.

The province advised travelers using Gyeonggi Dullegil to carry light luggage and wear comfortable shoes since all courses are long-distance, taking more than two hours. The direction of the trail can be confirmed by ribbons, arrows, and signboards placed intermittently along the route.

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