Local, foreign runners begin 4-day, 700-km relay along Korea's east coast

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Local, foreign runners begin 4-day, 700-km relay along Korea's east coast

Published: 28 Nov. 2024, 19:12 Updated: 28 Nov. 2024, 19:13

Runners of ″Haeparang 700K″ pose for a photo. [KOREA TOURISM ORGANIZATION]

Four local runners and three foreign runners will participate in a four-day-long relay along the Korea Dulle Trail starting Thursday, celebrating the opening of all sections of the trail.

The Korea Dulle Trail, which stretches 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles) along the edge of the peninsula and connects the country’s eastern, western and southern coasts, officially opened on Sept. 23.

Organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), the event features seven runners with experience completing full marathons. Passing a GPS smartwatch as a baton, the seven participants will finish courses No. 1 to No. 45 of the 700-kilometer Haeparang Trail in a relay format by Dec. 1.

The KTO organized this relay ahead of the tentatively named “Korea Dulle Trail Race 4500,” scheduled for next year. Participants in Race 4500 will be walking the entire 4,500-kilometer trail, making it the first race of this length to be held worldwide.

“We plan to host various events to position the Korea Dulle Trail as a flagship destination for sports tourism, including running and vacations,” said Joo Sang-geon, head of the KTO’s Leisure Tourism Team.

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]