Uijeongbu City to Expand "Slse-gwon" Barefoot and Forest Trails Within Five Minutes of Home... 36 Locations to Be Established This Year

Uijeongbu City, Gyeonggi Province, is significantly expanding its "Barefoot Paths" and "Forest Trails" utilizing idle urban spaces, allowing citizens to feel nature closely in their daily lives while walking.

According to Uijeongbu City on May 6, the city plans to increase the total number of walking trails within its jurisdiction to 36 by the end of this year, creating a so-called "Slse-gwon" (residential zones where residents can access local amenities in slippers) based, daily-life-oriented walking environment that connects the entire city through a dense pedestrian network.

Since 2023, Uijeongbu City has systematically established Barefoot Paths and Forest Trails by discovering underutilized spaces within the city, such as riversides, parks, and small green areas. In particular, even small-scale sections are closely connected to residential areas, helping citizens naturally enjoy walking exercise in their daily routines.

The city has also enhanced the professionalism of its policies, moving beyond merely creating simple walking trails. Uijeongbu City established the "Uijeongbu City Barefoot Walking Trail Creation and Management Manual," which sets a nationwide precedent among local governments, standardizing procedures from site selection to material application, design criteria, and maintenance plans. In addition, the city developed the "Uijeongbu City Barefoot Path BI Standard Design," establishing a clear visual identity.

Furthermore, the city is working to improve the urban environment and restore public spaces by transforming underutilized areas such as spaces under light rail lines and illegally cultivated riverside areas along the Jungnangcheon and Ja-ilcheon streams into Barefoot Paths, making them open walking spaces accessible to all citizens.

Recognizing that not all citizens share the same walking preferences, the city is pursuing a two-track strategy, creating both "Barefoot Paths" and "Forest Trails" in parallel.

The Barefoot Paths focus on health promotion and healing through barefoot walking, utilizing red clay and decomposed granite soil.

Forest Trails are walking paths designed for comfort even while wearing shoes, making the most of the natural terrain, and providing resting areas and convenience facilities to create an environment suitable for daily use.

This approach allows citizens to choose their walking environment according to their personal preferences and intended use.

Currently, Uijeongbu operates a total of 29 Barefoot Paths and Forest Trails throughout the city, with a combined length of approximately 6.35 kilometers. The city has been steadily expanding pedestrian infrastructure, connecting 11 riverside locations as well as parks and green spaces.

Moving beyond merely refurbishing naturally formed trails, the city has established a "planned walking trail" system in which it directly oversees site selection, creation, and management, developing walking spaces that systematically consider citizens' health and relaxation.

Additionally, by utilizing the Gyeonggi Province Barefoot Path Expansion Project and securing provincial financial support, the city is able to minimize its own financial burden while focusing the project on areas with high citizen demand.

This year, the city plans to add seven more walking trails, building a network of 36 walking paths in total.

The project aims to eliminate pedestrian blind spots, particularly in areas where walking trails have been lacking, and to establish "Slse-gwon Walking Paths" that can be accessed right in front of residents' homes.

The city will use idle land near apartment complexes to create three urban Barefoot Paths in Uijeongbu 1-dong, Nokyang-dong, and Heungseon-dong, focusing on providing barefoot walking spaces that citizens can use immediately without having to travel elsewhere.

Additionally, a new Barefoot Path will be created along the Buyongcheon in Singok 2-dong to enhance the riverside walking environment. Furthermore, three Forest Trails utilizing green spaces will be established in Songsan 3-dong, Jangam-dong, and Jagum-dong, offering a variety of walking spaces connected to residential areas.

Through the creation of these walking trails, Uijeongbu City is working to improve citizens' health and quality of life while cultivating a walking culture as a unique urban strength.

An official from Uijeongbu City stated, "We view Barefoot Paths and Forest Trails as essential living infrastructure. Moving forward, our focus will shift from creating individual walking trails to connecting the entire city into a single pedestrian network. We will continue to expand the walking environment so that all citizens can experience nature close to home and foster a unique walking culture in Uijeongbu."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.