Hanam to Host New International Trail Running Festival in December
A new two-day trail running festival near Seoul will offer four race distances, including routes toward the UNESCO-listed Namhansanseong fortress, as organizers seek to attract both experienced runners and families.
A new international trail running festival will open in Hanam, east of Seoul, this December, offering courses designed for experienced athletes, beginners and families.
The inaugural Yonhap Hanam International Trail Running Festival is scheduled for Dec. 12 and 13 in and around the city, which lies about 20 kilometers east of the capital. Its organizing committee began formal preparations after a launch ceremony at Korea National Sport University in Seoul on Tuesday.
Organizers said the event will feature two principal trail courses of 15 kilometers and 28 kilometers. South Korean Olympic marathon champion Hwang Young-jo directed their design. Runners will begin at Misa Boat Race Park, follow riverside paths and then climb Mount Geomdan, one of Hanam’s best-known peaks, in the direction of the Namhan Mountain Fortress.
The setting gives the race a cultural dimension as well as an athletic one. Namhansanseong, as the fortress is also known, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. This year marks the 400th anniversary of its construction, giving organizers an opportunity to connect the new competition with the area’s history and landscape.
Two shorter courses, covering 5 kilometers and 10 kilometers, will be laid out on flat ground around Misa Boat Race Park. They are intended for newcomers to trail running and people who want to participate with family members. The mix of routes is designed to make the two-day program accessible while retaining more demanding options for regular trail runners.
The organizing committee plans to open an official website and begin accepting applications soon. Yonhap News Agency, Korea National Sport University and the Hanam city government are jointly hosting the event, with support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
About 200 people attended the committee’s launch ceremony, including representatives from the host organizations, local government and the sports community. Yonhap President and CEO Hwang Dae-il, a co-chair of the organizing committee, said cooperation among the three hosts would be central to building a high-quality event capable of drawing praise from runners in Korea and abroad.
The festival adds a new mass-participation sports event to the Seoul metropolitan area’s calendar. Its combination of waterfront paths, mountain terrain and a nearby heritage landmark is expected to be a defining feature as organizers prepare for the first edition.