Uijeongbu City in Gyeonggi Province will expand its "seulsegwon" (slipper-accessible living zone) walking trails to 36 sites within this year, allowing residents to use the paths directly from their homes. The city is accelerating efforts to build a pedestrian environment where people can experience nature within their neighborhoods without having to travel elsewhere.
Uijeongbu City announced Thursday that it plans to add seven new trails to the 29 currently in operation (with a total length of about 6.35 kilometers), connecting the entire city into a single pedestrian network.
The new trails will focus on areas that previously lacked pedestrian infrastructure. Three urban barefoot trails will be built in Uijeongbu 1-dong, Nogyang-dong, and Heungseon-dong, utilizing idle land near apartment complexes. Accessibility to residential areas was given top priority so that residents can easily use the trails before or after work or during lunch breaks.
A waterside barefoot trail will be created along Buyongcheon Stream in Singok 2-dong, improving the walking environment along the waterway. Three footpaths utilizing green areas will be built in Songsan 3-dong, Jangam-dong, and Jageum-dong, offering a variety of walking spaces.
Since 2023, the city has been systematically developing barefoot trails and footpaths by utilizing riverbanks, parks, and small green spaces. A distinctive feature is that the city has moved beyond simply maintaining naturally formed walking paths and has established a "planned trail" system, directly handling everything from site selection and construction to management.
The city has also expanded residents' options by developing both barefoot trails and footpaths. Barefoot trails made with loess soil and decomposed granite focus on health promotion and healing through barefoot walking. Footpaths are designed to allow comfortable use even with shoes on, maximizing natural terrain while providing rest areas and convenience facilities.
The city is also improving the urban environment in parallel. It is refurbishing underutilized spaces beneath the light rail line and illegal farmlands along Jungnangcheon and Jailcheon streams, converting them into open walking spaces accessible to all residents.
The city has established the "Uijeongbu Barefoot Walking Trail Development and Management Manual," standardizing everything from site selection and material application to design criteria and maintenance plans. It is also minimizing the financial burden by utilizing Gyeonggi Province's barefoot trail expansion project with provincial subsidies.
"We will focus on connecting the entire city into a single pedestrian network, going beyond simply building individual trails," a city official said. "We will establish a walking culture where any resident can experience nature close to their home."
