Hanam:The Korea Trail Running Association (KTRA) president, Park Gil-soo, has expressed optimism about the potential impact of the upcoming Yonhap News Hanam International Trail Run Festival on the sport of trail running. The event, hosted by Yonhap News Agency, is anticipated to further boost the popularity and growth of trail running.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the festival is scheduled to take place over two days, on December 12 and 13, and will feature four courses a 5-kilometer road course, a 10km road course, a 15km trail run course, and a 28km trail run course. The road running courses will be set up along Misa Regatta Park, an ecological and waterfront landmark in Hanam, while the trail courses will encompass the scenic Mount Geomdan and Namhansanseong, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The event is co-hosted by Yonhap News Agency, Korea National Sport University, and the Hanam city government, with support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This marks the first government-backed trail run event, promising significant growth for the sport. Park emphasized the advantages of hosting the event in the Seoul metropolitan area and noted the distinction of receiving government support.

Park, who has a rich history in running, having transitioned from marathons to ultramarathons, founded the KTRA in 2015 to promote trail running in South Korea. He highlighted the festival's role in expanding the trail running base and encouraged participants to embrace the experience of running in nature, emphasizing the sense of accomplishment that comes with completing the race.

The KTRA aims to leverage the successful hosting of the Yonhap race to develop more professional trail runners and trail running experts, continuing to build on the sport's growing popularity.