On December 23 (Wednesday), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Yu In Chon,  MCST) announced its selection of “Top 60 Free Bicycle Tour Routes” under the aim to promote a bicycle travel culture that can be enjoyed by anyone and to reactivate regional tourism and economies by connecting the diverse regional tourism content of Korea.

Developing Various Tour Routes Linking Regional Content through Interministerial Collaboration

MCST has actively collaborated with other ministries and institutions to foster a cycling culture accessible to all by connecting their course development efforts with existing bicycle-related infrastructure, including the National Cross-Country Cycling Paths operated by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.

In particular, Minister Yu personally inspected the potential cycling routes on bike, traveling through Chuncheon of Gangwon State  and Gapyeong of Gyeonggi-do on June 15;  Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi-do on August 3; Jeju on August 8, as well as the historical Korean War memorial sites in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi-do and Cheorwon on October 26. In addition, MCST is currently working on a brand to promote bicycle travel while drafting the Bicycle Travel Guide Standards to ensure safe participation for bike travelers. The ministry has secured a budget of KRW 2.815 billion for 2025 in its support for bike travels, with plans to establish course-specific guidance systems, develop thematic travel products via public-private partnerships, and carry out promotional activities.

Selection of 60 Travel Routes Enabling Free Access to All Corners of the Nation

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, bike travel has gained popularity in line with the promotional efforts to spread a nationwide leisure culture and has gained much attention as an emerging growth engine that can help address local population decline while boosting regional tourism and economies. The Top 60 Free Bicycle Tour Routes were selected through recommendations from cycling clubs and local governments starting May 2024, followed by expert validation and review of the routes’ scenery and safety.

By region, the selected routes include 17 courses in Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon, 9 in Daejeon, Sejong, Chungnam, and Chungbuk, 10 in Gwangju, Jeonbuk, and Jeonnam, 6 in Daegu and Gyeongbuk, 16 in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam, and 2 in Jeju. In particular, the Top 60 routes connect existing bike routes to not only tributaries of major rivers and streams but also villages not accessible by cars, offering free access to all corners of Korea. The selection also includes various thematic routes that connect to meaningful but lesser-known sites, such as Korean War historical landmarks.

Launching Collaboration Framework between Local Governments and the Private Sector to Improve Bike Travel Guidance Systems and Regional Readiness

MCST plans to improve the readiness of bike travel by forming a collaboration framework with local governments and the private sector while focusing on its promotion via the Top 60 Routes. Considering the fact that cycling routes are typically located on the outskirts of urban areas, more guides are to be provided about nearby private commercial facilities including restaurants and cafes, while linking to programs such as stamp tours to further revitalize regional economies.

“The Ministry will revamp the bike route guidance system to make it easier and safer to discover the hidden gems of Korea on bike, while actively promoting bike travel to become a key feature of local tourism,” said Minister Yu.