[One Day Walk] Walking through Maehyang-ri, Embracing Painful Modern History... Hwaseong Course 47

18.2km from Hwaseong Ihwari Bus Stop to Gungpyeong Port

The Hwaseong 47 Course of the Gyeonggi Dullegil Trail starts at Hwaseong Ihwari Bus Stop and extends to Gungpyeong Port, covering a distance of 18.2 km. You can walk while overlooking the sea, and although it is an easy course, it requires mental preparation as it takes about 5 hours and 30 minutes.

From the starting point, if you go around the outskirts of Kia Motors Hwaseong Plant, you will reach Maehyang-ri. This village holds a painful modern history. Nongsom Island, located in front of Maehyang-ri, was used as a marine bombing site by the U.S. military from 1951 during the Korean War. In 1955, the Maehyang-ri firing range (Kuni Firing Range) was established. The suffering experienced by the residents and this land continued for 50 years. Many people died or were injured. It was only in 2005 that the Maehyang-ri firing range was closed.

Now that the aerial bombing has disappeared, walking this path allows you to see the hope sprouting here. The Maehyang-ri Peace Ecological Park was created, and peace symbol art installations made from collected bombs and shell casings were installed. Peace replaces the scars of war. The rusted shells and casings create a unique atmosphere. There is also a youth baseball field called Hwaseong Dream Park. It hosts not only domestic youth baseball tournaments but also international recreational baseball competitions.

The trail continues along the Maehyang-ri beach and follows the sentry patrol road. The Hwaseong Seawall is a path about 9 km long in a straight line, where you walk with the wind. The Hwaseongho embankment overlooks the coast. You can take photos with the West Sea as the backdrop. In the distance, the inland area of Chungcheong Province also extends. At the end of this path, where wind, sea, and land harmonize, the Hwaseong Seawall Completion Memorial Tower stands out. It was built to commemorate the completion of the Hwaseong Seawall. Around the tower, detailed information such as construction overview and costs is displayed. A park has also been developed around it, attracting many visitors for relaxation.

The final destination, Gungpyeong Port, is a replacement fishing port for three locations that disappeared due to the reclamation project of Namyang Bay and Hwaong District, which began in 1991. At the seafood direct sales market, you can eat fresh seafood on the spot. You can also enjoy sea fishing and mudflat experiences.

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