‘A Step for Everyone!’ … Busan City Hosts the 10th Damjaengi Walking Competition

Published 14 Apr.2023 09:27(KST)

Updated 07 Aug.2025 15:41(KST)

Busan City will hold the “10th Damjaengi Walking Festival,” hosted by Busan City and the Association of Welfare Centers for the Disabled (President Lee Jae-young) and organized by 17 welfare centers for the disabled in the Busan area, at 10 a.m. on the 15th at APEC Naru Park in Haeundae-gu to commemorate Disabled Persons Day (April 20).

Poster for the 10th Damjaengi Walking Festival.

Under the slogan “A STEP FOR ALL,” the Damjaengi Walking Festival serves as a platform for communication between people with and without disabilities. It has been continuously held since 2014 to promote understanding of disabilities and create an environment for social integration.

The event’s name is derived from the characteristics of the damjaengi (ivy), whose tendrils on branches lead thousands of leaves to climb over walls together, symbolizing the message that people with and without disabilities should move forward together in our society.

This year’s walking festival will take place along a 2.5 km course starting from APEC Naru Park, passing through Suyeong Bridge, Jwasuyeong Bridge, and the eastern side of the Suyeong River on the Galmaetgil trail. The route is a barrier-free path (part of Galmaetgil) designed for walking-vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, the elderly, infants, and pregnant women.

The event program includes ▲a performance by the Dong-Eui University cheerleading squad “Turtles,” a brass band, and a dance performance by members of the Nam-gu Welfare Center for the Disabled ▲a commemorative ceremony ▲the Damjaengi Walking Festival along with cheers for the 2023 Busan World Disabled Persons’ Games and a performance wishing for the hosting of the 2030 Busan World Expo ▲warm-up exercises by the Korea Wellness Association ▲and the walking festival itself.

Additionally, there will be ▲a Taekwondo performance by K-Tigers ▲experience booths for Busan citizens (body stickers, fan decorating, pinwheel making, etc.) ▲a disability awareness quiz ▲raffles and souvenir giveaways, providing a variety of enjoyable activities.

Along the course, activities to improve disability awareness will be held, including providing information on disability understanding, exhibitions of works by people with disabilities, and photo zones.

Any Busan citizen can participate in this walking festival, and for those who have not pre-registered, on-site registration will be available from 9 a.m. on the day of the event.

For more details, please contact the Busan City Disability Welfare Division or the Suyeong-gu Welfare Center for the Disabled.

The walking course of the 10th Damjaengi Walking Festival.

Ahn Kyung-eun, Director of the Social Welfare Bureau, said, “Through the 10th Damjaengi Walking Festival, held as part of the disability awareness improvement campaign, I hope Busan citizens will take time to understand disabilities and reflect on the meaning of ‘together.’” She added, “Furthermore, we will do our best to create a disability-friendly city so that disabilities no longer become obstacles.”