Hwaseong to Build Loess Barefoot Walkway Along Osancheon... Signs MOU With Relevant Agencies

300-Meter Barefoot Path to Be Created Within Osancheon Water Supply Site by Second Half of the Year

Hwaseong Special City in Gyeonggi Province is accelerating its efforts to create a "barefoot walking-friendly city" by promoting the installation of a barefoot walkway along the Osancheon Stream to improve citizens' health and enhance leisure environments.

A panoramic view of the planned Osancheon Barefoot Walking Trail section. Provided by Hwaseong City

The city announced that on April 21, it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Korea Water Resources Corporation and Korea Land & Housing Corporation to promote the "Osancheon Barefoot Walkway Development Project."

This agreement was prepared to respond to the nationwide increase in demand for barefoot walking and to create a healthy leisure environment by utilizing waterfront spaces. Since 2023, the city has been in ongoing discussions with Korea Water Resources Corporation, which manages the Osancheon water supply site, and Korea Land & Housing Corporation, which implements the waterfront development project. With the active cooperation of the relevant agencies, the agreement was reached, laying the groundwork for the project's advancement.

The project site is the water supply land within the Osancheon waterfront development section, where a barefoot walkway paved with loess is planned, measuring 2 meters in width and 300 meters in length.

Under the agreement, the three organizations will cooperate on the following: protection and safety management of wide-area water supply facilities; creation and transfer of management for the barefoot walkway; and administrative support for construction within the water supply land.

The walkway is scheduled for completion in the second half of this year. Once completed, it is expected to serve as a healing space where citizens can enjoy the natural scenery of Osancheon while walking barefoot.

Changmo Kim, Director of Parks and Green Spaces, stated, "Thanks to the active cooperation of relevant agencies, we are pleased to present the Osancheon Barefoot Walkway that citizens have long desired," adding, "We will continue to expand barefoot walkways utilizing parks and green spaces within the city, proactively establishing an environment where citizens can enjoy healthy leisure in their daily lives."

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