Choi Hwi-young, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, walked with members of a large French hiking organization to showcase the appeal of South Korea's mountain tourism.
The ministry announced that on August 30, Minister Choi welcomed 11 members of the French 'Randonnée Association' at the Suyu branch of Bukhansan National Park in Seoul and introduced them to the attractions of mountain tourism.
Also present at the event was mountaineer Um Hong-gil, who walked with the association members, exchanging cultural insights about hiking between the two countries.
Founded in 1947, the Randonnée Association is a prominent hiking federation in France with 240,000 members. Approximately 40 members visited Korea through a marketing initiative by the Korea Tourism Organization, divided into three groups, each on an 11-day itinerary.
They will experience major hiking and walking tourist sites across the country, starting with Bukhansan, followed by Andong's Hahoe Village, Gyeongju's Namsan, Busan's Geumjeongsan, Suncheon Bay, Jirisan, and a temple stay at Hwaeomsa.
This visit serves as an opportunity to directly assess the outcomes of the 'K-Trekking Challenge' campaign, jointly promoted by the Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea National Park Service. The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding in July, aiming to attract 3 million visitors to national parks by 2028.
Foreign tourists visiting four national parks, including Bukhansan, Seoraksan, Odaesan, and Gyeongju, until November will receive free rentals of nine types of safety equipment, such as hiking boots, poles, and backpacks, through the global online travel agency CreateTrip, along with a commemorative gift (keychain).
The ministry plans to develop mountain tourism as a high-value tourism content that encourages extended stays, linking it with local natural and cultural resources to boost regional consumer spending.
“Korea has distinct four seasons, with beautiful and diverse mountains, along with rich historical and cultural resources, making it an attractive destination for walking tours,” said Kang Jeong-won, head of the ministry's tourism policy division. “We hope the visit of the Randonnée Association members will help promote Korea's walking tourism to the world.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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