Mountaineers walk along a trail near Jungcheong Shelter on Mount Seorak in Yangyang in South Korea’s northeastern province of Gangwon on Sept. 28, 2018, as trees on the mountain turn autumn colors of red and yellow. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — A number of programs are being introduced to enjoy garbage-free hiking with South Koreans flocking to the mountains in large numbers to enjoy the gorgeous autumn weather.
National parks across the country have introduced a green points program that credits hikers who bring back garbage, with the points useable as cash. More than 420,000 people participated in the program in 2019, and 530,000 people in 2020.
As part of the program, individuals receive two points for each gram of garbage they retrieve, up to a maximum of 2,000 points daily.
Points can be ‘spent’ at shelters, campgrounds, and parking lots in national parks. They can also be exchanged for hiking poles and gloves.
The Korea National Park Service has been offering an eco-friendly lunchbox service since 2018 for the convenience of visitors, garbage reduction, and promotion of the local economy.
The lunch boxes are made by local restaurants or food companies using local specialties.
Visitors can collect lunch boxes from the visitor’s center and return used dishes to the return boxes located near park exits.
The use of eco-friendly lunch boxes and cafeterias is expected to bring the goal of zero-waste hiking closer to fruition.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
