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By Kim Ji-soo
The few months before monsoon season are a great time to hit the road outside of Seoul, to discover Korean localities. I am not talking about the well-known, popular ones such as Jeju Island or Dokdo islets but more approachable cities and counties reachable by express bus or train. For non-mountain climbing, day-trip-seeking travelers, local cities and counties offer a respite unlike more well-trodden ones. As one webtoon artist said of his solo bike rides out to small cities on the popular program "I Live Alone," "Here are places where one can smell the change of seasons."
First Buan ― not Busan ― in the southwestern region was an odd mix of familiarity and advanced technology. The county, which will host the 25th World Scout Jamboree, Aug. 1-12. On closer inspection, it boasts of beaches and lush parks but also a reclaimed seawall, one of the world's longest, at 33.9 kilometers, and therefore connects Buan, Gimje and Gunsan. Here, an estimated 43,000 scouts from some 170 nations around the globe will gather. Because the Saemangeum reclaimed site was designed to host forward industries such as green and new technologies, visitors can catch sight of a large wind turbine alongside the glimmering rice paddies and houses ― some abandoned long ago probably after their owners opted for city life.
The residents seemed to be of the older generation, who readily helped an outside visitor such as myself navigate the bus schedule. "Follow me," was the reply when asking an elderly woman for directions. The bus schedules were plastered on the bus stands and at bus terminals. To a seasoned native Korean eye, it was nostalgic and reminiscent of traveling back through time to the old days. The hope is that the throng of scouts, soon to arrive and the elderly population will create an interesting mix of energy as the traditional and forward facing coalesce in the host site.
Another locality, a destination preferred by many was the "Mungyeong Saejae" in North Gyeongsang Province. The pass can be entered through three gates: "Juheulgwan," "Jogokgwan" and "Joryeonggwan" or as the first, second and third gates. This has one of the lushest forest walking trails, which takes about four hours to go and come back.
There is also an outdoor open set, where numerous well-known traditional Korean dramas such as "The King's Affections," "Kingdom" and "Under the Queen's Umbrella" were filmed. Hosting such attractions, you would think Mungyeong had nothing to worry about regarding sustainability. Yet in the middle of dinner with a group of journalists, Mayor Shin Hyun-kook emphatically noted with concern that the city's population continues to decline and they are constantly strategizing how to stay sustainable for residents and visitors.
The county of Taean is home to some of South Korea's well-known west coast beaches. On a chilly April day, local elderly folks were chitchatting and joking on the small inter-city bus there. The beach had yet to welcome the summer, but the constant sound of the waves provided a calming relief. Somewhat early, in the season, there was also a surf shop and cafe operating. The general population there was also mostly elderly.
As a benefactor of these daylong excursions, you wonder how long these towns will stand with South Korea having the world's lowest birthrate at 0.78 percent. Then the recent printed words by Vandana Shiba, Indian eco-activist made at recent 2023 forum at a local vernacular stand out boldly; that it is not GDP but forest, rivers, soil, biodiversity, children and communities that should grow. As I relish the low-rise buildings and reasonably-priced products in these regional areas, it is not without concern that one wonders how long they will stay as they are or what changes residents and visitors will have to accommodate in the future.
The writer is a member of the Editorial Board of The Korea Times.
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