Seoul trades city paths for park trails this autumn

Runners set off from Bongeunsa-ro in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, during the 20th International Peace Marathon, Oct. 9, 2023. Yonhap

By Lee Kyung-min

• Published Sep 2, 2026 1:52 PM KST

Seoul is taking its popular morning exercise program into the city’s green spaces this fall, inviting residents to trade busy roads and river paths for tree-lined trails and botanical gardens.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday that “Swieom Swieom Morning” will hold park-based events at World Cup Park on Sunday and Seoul Botanic Park on Sept. 13.

The first event will run from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Sunday, starting at Star Plaza in World Cup Park and following a roughly 4-kilometer route along Metasequoia Road before returning to the starting point.

Participants can also take part in Seoul Physical Fitness, which will offer fitness checks and other recreational sports activities at Star Plaza.

The second event, on Sept. 13, will take place along walking paths and green spaces at Seoul Botanic Park, with a basic round-trip route of about 2 kilometers.

Participants will be able to extend their route from 1 to 5 kilometers depending on their fitness level and exercise goals.

A GPS exercise verification event will also allow participants to record their routes and distances using smartphone running or fitness apps and verify their activity at the event site.

Those who verify their participation at Seoul Botanic Park will be eligible for group-rate admission to its Theme Garden and greenhouse on the day of the event.

The program will continue to use voluntary participation rather than advance registration or competition based on finishing times, allowing people to walk or run at their own pace.

Families with strollers can participate, while bicycles and kick scooters will be restricted under park rules to maintain a safe and comfortable walking environment.

More than 3,000 people previously joined a new Swieom Swieom Morning route at Gwangjin Bridge, with 86.3 percent reporting satisfaction with the new course and 94 percent saying they intended to participate again.

Cho Sung-ho, head of Seoul’s Tourism and Sports Bureau, said the park events would give residents a new way to enjoy nature while exercising at their own pace with family and friends.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.