Korea Forest Service Designates Daejeon Dulre Mountain Trail and Hallasan Dulre Trail as 'National Forest Trails'

Hikers are taking commemorative photos while looking at the cityscape from the Jilhyeonseong Observatory on Section 5 of the Daejeon Dulre Mountain Trail at Gyejoksanseong. Provided by the Korea Forest Service

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Daejeon Dulre Mountain Trail and Hallasan Dulre Trail have been newly designated as National Forest Trails.

The Korea Forest Service announced on the 8th that, after deliberation by the Forest Welfare Deliberation Committee, Daejeon Dulre Mountain Trail and Hallasan Dulre Trail have been designated and will be managed as National Forest Trails.

National Forest Trails are selected through deliberation when they have regional symbolism and representativeness and require systematic operation and management.

So far, including the two newly designated trails, a total of eight locations have been designated as National Forest Trails, including Jirisan Dulre Trail, Daegwallyeong Forest Trail, Baekdudaegan Trail, DMZ Punchbowl Dulre Trail, Naepo Cultural Forest Trail, and Uljin Geumgang Pine Forest Trail.

Among these, Daejeon Dulre Mountain Trail is a 138 km circular trail passing through the main mountain ranges of five districts in Daejeon. Along this section, there are 10 themed circular forest trails: Chilgapsan Pine Trail, Chunhachudong Forest Trail, Fragrance Healing Trail, Path of Contemplation, Flying Squirrel Trail, King's Forest Trail, Everyone's Trail, Daejeon Sanan (Inner) Trail, Daejeon Sunrise Trail, and Fortress Tour Trail. It is estimated that about 1.18 million people enjoy hiking on the Daejeon Dulre Mountain Trail annually.

Hallasan Dulre Trail is a forest trail connected like a cloud cap at the mid-height of Hallasan. This area includes Cheona Forest Trail, Doloreum Trail, Camellia Trail, Suak Trail, and Experimental Forest Trail. Around the Dulre Trail, there are natural recreation forests, healing forests, and ecological forests, offering the advantage of combining forest healing and recreation. The annual number of visitors to Hallasan Dulre Trail is estimated to be about 840,000.

National Forest Trails are operated and managed according to a standardized quality system to harmonize preservation and use for the protection of forest ecosystems. A public-private operation and management council is formed to oversee management.

The Korea Forest Service plans to gradually expand the National Forest Trails by additionally selecting high-quality forest trails that represent their regions and have well-established operation and management systems, beyond the currently designated trails.

Lee Yong-seok, Director of the Forest Welfare Bureau at the Korea Forest Service, said, “With the spread of COVID-19, public interest in forest trails is increasing. The Korea Forest Service will strive to expand the designation of National Forest Trails and systematically operate and manage the designated trails to provide high-quality forest trail services to the public.”

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