Disabled, Non-Disabled to Walk Across Nation
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
Disabled and non-disabled people will come together for a walk across the nation in a bid to improve mutual understanding.
The Woosung Foundation is hosting a nationwide walking program named ``Raon Korea ― From Halla to Baekdu'' from Tuesday to Sep. 6. Seoul City supports the event to improve understanding of the disabled. ``Raon'' means happy and lively in Korean.
The course starts from Mt. Halla on Jeju Island and finishes at Mt. Baekdu.
The participants will climb Mt. Halla from Aug. 18 to 20. After climbing, they will start crossing the nation at Ttangkkeut, the southernmost point of the Korean Peninsula and walks to Imjingak in Paju, a border village in Gyeonggi Province. Lastly, they will move to China and conquer Mt. Baekdu in early September.
Twenty-five disabled people from Woosungwon, a social welfare center run by the foundation, 10 instructors from the center and 10 disabled people from China will join the walk, with volunteers and non-disabled runners joining them for each section.
``This nation-crossing relay will show how they can overcome obstacles together and how they can understand each other better,'' said Hong Seung-hee of the foundation.
The Woosungwon contingent are mentally disabled and in their 20s-40s. They started exercising six years ago and have participated in various athletic events, such as marathons and triathlons.