Busan is good

Busan’s Galmaetgil Trail to Undergo Major Revamp on Its 16th Anniversary – Transforming into a Premium Walking Trail for All

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The Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will launch a comprehensive overhaul of the Galmaetgil Trail, aiming to make it easier, more convenient, and more enjoyable for both citizens and tourists.

○ Established in 2009, the Galmaetgil has become one of Korea’s leading leisure and tourism walking trails, enhancing public health and elevating the city’s brand value.

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▣ Total completions (2013–2024): 8,175 participants
▣ Ranked 9th among Busan’s Top 10 Hit Products in 2024 (Yolo Galmaetgil – Busan Research Institute, Policy Focus No. 434)
▣ 4th most-visited walking trail in Korea (2024 Korea Tourism Organization survey):
 1st: Haeparang Trail (28.2%), 2nd: Jeju Olle (13.6%), 3rd: Namparang Trail (10.6%), 4th: Galmaetgil (9.7%) – based on a 3,000-person survey

○ However, changes in walking culture driven by aging demographics, a growing focus on health, and evolving user needs have highlighted the necessity for a new trail environment. In response, the city plans to restructure the trail’s routes, signage systems, and content, prioritizing safety and attractiveness.

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Through the Master Plan and Wayfinding Design Improvement Project, the city will:
– Redesign existing routes
– Discover new courses
– Strengthen connections to public transportation
– Propose improvements to wayfinding systems and convenience facilities

○ The current nine-course structure will be streamlined and rebalanced to improve usability.
 The concepts of "course" and "section" will be redefined for more intuitive navigation.
 Section lengths will also be adjusted to accommodate seniors and diverse users.

○ In addition to connecting local historical, cultural, tourism, and natural assets, the city will address inconvenient sections with alternate routes and identify hidden walking gems across Busan.
 Sections overlapping with the Namparang Trail and Haeparang Trail, both part of the Korea Dulle-gil network, will be integrated to avoid user confusion.

○ Trailheads and endpoints will be better connected with bus and metro systems, providing transfer information to support seamless travel for all users.

○ The entire wayfinding and facility design will be overhauled with a unified system tailored to each course.
 Citizen surveys will guide the final designs to ensure accessibility and clarity.

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Mayor Park Heong-joon stated:

“We will mark 2025 as the ‘starting year of Galmaetgil’s restructuring’ and fully commit to making it a safe, convenient, and beloved walking trail.
Galmaetgil will grow beyond a simple trail to become a daily refuge and meeting place for Busan’s citizens—and a world-class walking destination.”

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Appendix: Overview of the Master Plan and Wayfinding Design Improvement Project

Item	Details
Geographic Scope	Entire city of Busan
Time Frame	Base year: 2025 / Target year: 2035
Duration	June 2025 – June 2026 (12 months)
Key Objectives	– Restructure Galmaetgil routes