3,120 km Bicycle Path Planned
The government plans to build a nationwide network of bicycle paths totaling 3,120 kilometers by 2019.
According to the Ministry of Administration and Public Security, Monday, the length of the planned bicycle paths amount to 7.3 times that of the Seoul-Busan Expressway, which is 428 kilometer long.
The network will link the nation's coastal areas to the area near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the 5-kilometer-wide buffer separating South from North Korea.
It will also connect smaller networks in a hub-and-spoke pattern, enabling people to use bicycles to commute and do errands as well as travel.
Under the plan, the ministry, together with local governments, will spend 100 billion won to build the 178 kilometer-long path in 50 selected areas, including Seoul, Busan and Incheon.
For the bicycle path leading to the DMZ, a network will link frontline towns such as Hwacheon with neighboring cities and counties.
The ministry said that for urban areas, an emphasis will be placed on helping commuters get to work by bicycle and helping tourists sightsee.
At the same time, the ministry plans to revise regulations on biking and improve bike education.