Seocho-gu runs stamp tour around legal district; Seongbuk-gu trains 30 walking instructors; Jung-gu moves to make Bukchang-dong a pedestrian tourism hub
As the walking season arrives, Seoul's autonomous districts are rolling out a series of projects that link residents' health with local tourism promotion.
The initiatives range from smartphone app-based walking challenges and instructor training programs to pedestrian-friendly urban redesign — all using walking as a vehicle to boost health, tourism and the local economy simultaneously.
Seocho-gu, led by District Mayor Jeon Seong-su, will run the "Asia-Pacific Justice Hub Mission Challenge Season 2" around the Seocho Station area from July 1 through July 31.
The "Asia-Pacific Justice Hub" is Seocho-gu's flagship project to develop the Seocho-dong legal complex — home to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, the Seoul High Court and the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office — into a center of judicial justice for the Asia-Pacific region.
The challenge uses "CashWalk," a GPS-based walking app, and combines a stamp tour with photo-verification missions. Participants can earn rewards by walking to key sites — including Seoripul Park, the Supreme Court and the Cheonnyeonhyang symbolic space — to collect stamps or photograph designated landmarks.
Organizers incorporated user feedback from the first season, streamlining the route for efficiency and opening participation to weekends. The entry threshold has also been lowered so that visiting just one designated location qualifies for a reward.
"We hope this gives residents and visitors an easy and enjoyable way to experience the Justice Hub in their daily lives," District Mayor Jeon said.
Seongbuk-gu, led by District Mayor Lee Seung-ro, recently completed its 2026 walking instructor training program, certifying 30 new instructors.
The district now has 212 certified walking instructors, who serve as community health leaders tasked with spreading proper walking posture and safe pedestrian habits among local residents.
The four-week program ran from June 4 to June 25 and was led by professional instructors from the Korea Walking Association. It combined classroom instruction with hands-on practice covering gait measurement, posture correction, walking drills along Jeongneungcheon stream, first aid, kinesio taping and Nordic walking.
Seongbuk-gu views walking as the most accessible form of everyday health management and plans to continue training instructors to spread a walking culture and build a healthier community.
Jung-gu, led by District Mayor Kim Gil-seong, has begun laying the groundwork to transform the Bukchang-dong area into a pedestrian tourism hub.
The district finalized and officially announced a revision to the Bukchang district unit plan covering a 93,187-square-meter area around 104 Bukchang-dong, formally launching efforts to stimulate private development and strengthen tourism competitiveness.
The revised plan includes relaxed floor-area ratios and height restrictions, expanded incentives for tourist accommodation facilities, and the creation of specialized commercial streets. Along major pedestrian corridors, the district will introduce design guidelines reflecting K-tourism trends to unify building facades and streetscapes and create a more walkable tourism environment.
Jung-gu aims to develop the Bukchang-dong area — which connects Myeong-dong, Namdaemun Market and Deoksugung — into a destination-style tourism hub, boosting the competitiveness of downtown Seoul as a visitor destination.
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
