Seoul to offer free city tours for foreigners

Seoul city government will offer foreigners in Korea free autumn city tours from September to November to give them a chance to fully experience the city’s charms, city officials said Wednesday.

Each of the three different themed tours ― bicycle tour, walking in forest and parks, and exploration of the city’s ancient walls ― will host 40 to 50 foreigners on a first come, first served basis. A total of 150 people are set to participate in the tours.

Foreign residents who wish to participate in the tour can apply at Seoul city’s foreign language home page at english(chinese).seoul.go.kr or www.addicted2seoul.co.kr.

City officials said that the tours planned by the city government will feature the autumnal charms of the city: the bicycle ride runs from Haneul Park near a western soccer stadium through Yeouido to Banpo Bridge in southern Seoul; the walking tour includes courses such as Seoul Forest in eastern Seoul and a ferry taxi ride along Han River; and a program to explore the city walls covers historical places in northern Seoul such as Jongno and Samcheong-dong.

“I became more interested in Korean history after the city tour. I highly recommend it to people who want to explore Seoul’s charms,” said Anthony Gonzales, 53, from the United States who took the city tour last year.

Participants are advised to post photos taken during the tour on social networking sites or the city’s official Facebook page or Youtube to promote and share the city’s charms internationally, city officials said.

By Lee Woo-young  (wylee@heraldcorp.com)