Yeosu Registers 'Befro' Trademark as Korea's First Barrier-Free City

Inspired by the Similarity Between the Korean Word 'Baepureo' and Its Pronunciation

Yeosu City in Jeollanam-do recently announced on the 17th that it has registered the trademark for the barrier-free city logo 'Baepro' with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, making it the first city in the nation to do so.

This marks the first case in Korea where a local government has registered a barrier-free tourism brand as a trademark, following a research proposal by the Yeosu City Council's Barrier-Free City Research Group.

Bepro logo. Provided by Yeosu City

Baepro is an abbreviation of the English term 'Barrier Free Road' and also plays on the Korean word 'Baepureo,' which means 'to give or share,' and is phonetically similar to 'Best Friend.' The name is intended to convey both concepts.

The initiative aims to create a barrier-free urban environment, allowing not only people with disabilities but all citizens to 'enjoy and receive' the benefits of accessibility.

A city official stated, "Based on our belief that a city that is good to live in is also the best city to visit, we will strive to ensure that 'Baepro' becomes a unique competitive edge and deeply rooted urban philosophy for Yeosu."

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