[Launch of Hamanhacheon Movement Headquarters] Park Dongchang "Barefoot walking, an exercise that improves quality of life... Everyone should be able to walk"

Park Dong-chang, chairman of the Barefoot Walking National Movement Headquarters, known as the "Barefoot Walking Evangelist," emphasized the importance of barefoot walking exercises in harmony with nature on the 15th.

Park Dong-chang, Chairman of the Barefoot Walking National Movement Headquarters, is delivering an encouragement speech at the launch ceremony of the Hamanhacheon National Movement Headquarters held on the 15th at Namsan Hanok Village, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

At the inauguration ceremony of the Harumanbo Harucheonja (Hamanhacheon) Movement Headquarters held at Namsangol Hanok Village in Jung-gu, Seoul, Park said in his congratulatory speech, "Simply walking alone does not completely solve health problems."

He pointed out that despite the World Health Organization (WHO) having promoted walking exercises in the past, health-related indicators did not improve. Park explained, "Although WHO has conducted walking campaigns worldwide for the past 20 years, the rate of increase in diseases has not decreased at all," adding, "The number of cancer patients and cardiovascular disease patients worldwide is still on the rise."

Park said that increasing contact with nature through barefoot walking could be a solution. He noted, "Wild animals and trees, the surrounding living beings, all live healthily," and added, "We wear shoes and live our lives on paved roads, so there is no space to connect with nature." He continued, "22 years ago, with the conviction that barefoot walking could resolve and heal diseases such as cancer, chronic illnesses, and Alzheimer's, I started creating barefoot walking paths, which have since spread nationwide."

He also pledged to devote efforts to the creation of barefoot walking paths. Park emphasized, "To secure the rights of our people to barefoot walking, we have proposed related legislative amendments in the National Assembly," and added, "Through these efforts, we will create an environment where anyone can walk barefoot."

Park concluded his speech by saying, "If barefoot walking is added to the Hamanhacheon movement, it will create synergy," and urged, "We must join forces to make the people healthier."

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