GKL backs Busan cycling festival linking city bridges
Cyclists clad in protective gear ride single file along a road in Nopo-dong, Busan. Korea Times file
Four thousand cyclists from Korea and abroad are expected to converge in Busan Sunday for a festival that will turn the city’s bridges and tunnels into a sprawling route for exploring its waterfront attractions.
Grand Korea Leisure (GKL), which operates the foreigner-only Seven Luck casinos, said Friday it is supporting the 2026 Seven Bridge Tour, a large-scale noncompetitive cycling event scheduled for Sunday.
The tour is the only event of its kind in Korea to connect major maritime bridges and tunnels across Busan by bicycle, according to GKL.
Organizers expect about 4,000 cycling enthusiasts from Korea and overseas to take part, showcasing Busan’s tourism resources through a route that crosses some of its major transportation landmarks.
The event will also include activities open to local residents, including the Seven Bridge Good Morning Bridge Walking event, which invites participants to walk across Gwangan Bridge.
Another program, Seven Bridge Festival, will offer wellness activities at Yeongho Starlight Park as part of the broader tourism event.
GKL said its support is intended to contribute to the local tourism ecosystem and create opportunities for employment involving people with disabilities and young workers connected to the cycling tour and community events.
A GKL official said the company hopes its support will help create jobs for people with disabilities and young people while contributing to the Seven Bridge Tour and its citizen participation programs.
The company has also supported community programs in Busanjin District, including assistance for households outside the formal welfare system and customized learning support for education-vulnerable teenagers.
Its other social programs include a recovery initiative for residents of slums near Seoul Station and an environmental leadership program under its environmental, social and governance initiatives.
GKL said it has been recognized as a community-contribution company for seven consecutive years since 2019 in recognition of its efforts across regional development, culture and tourism, environmental initiatives and social inclusion.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.