Certification

A guide to Korea’s national bike certification system.

South Korea wants to play a game. What game? How about a country-wide treasure hunt?

Korea’s Bicycle Certification System allows cyclists to document their journey across the country’s extensive bicycle paths.

How?

First, buy a Bike Passport from management centers on Korea’s bike paths.

Second, ride a certification bike path and find red phone booths, known as Certification Centers.

A unique stamp sits inside each Certification Center. Use it to mark your Bike Passport.

Drop by a path-side management center after you collect all the stamps on one or more bike paths. A helpful worker will review and certify your Bike Passport.

In a few days, they’ll send you a spiffy certificate of completion. And if you finish one of three longer routes, you can buy an Olympic-style medal.

Interested? You bet!

Below, find all the tools you need to fill up your Bike Passport and earn those certifications, including a comprehensive guide, a complete list of Certification Centers, maps, and more.

Let’s get stamping!

Certification Guide

An in-depth look at the Bicycle Certification System.

Certification Centers

A complete list of Certification Centers for your Bike Passport.

Maps!

Maps detailing national bicycle paths, Certification Centers, and highlights.

Passport App

A guide to downloading and using your Bike Passport app on your smartphone.

The Grand Slam Tour

A transportation guide to collecting all of Korea’s certification stamps.

Certification Guide

A guide to completing Korea’s Bike Certification System.

Want to collect all the stamps in Korea’s Bike Certification System? We’ll walk you through buying a Bike Passport, spotting Certification Centers (red stamp booths), and getting certified.

Let’s go stamp hunting!

Bike Certification System?

South Korea completed the Four Rivers Restoration Project (4대강 정비 사업) in 2012. It constructed a series of weirs, or dam-like watergates, that collect water in droughts and release it during floods along the nation’s four major rivers.

The project also created recreational parks and an extensive network of cycling routes by building and connecting local bike paths. This allowed bikers to ride clear across Korea.

To enhance the cycling experience, MOIS and K-Water created a Bike Certification System. Also known as a “stamp tour,” the system placed a series of Certification Centers, or red booths with unique stamps inside, along the new nationwide biking routes.

Bike adventurers can buy a Bike Passport — a notebook sized booklet with spaces to place stamps — then document their cycling journeys by collecting stamps and earning rewards.

Certification Bicycle Paths

Twelve bike paths make up the Bicycle Certification System. Every city and town in Korea has local cycling paths that follow streams and pass through parks. But these certification bike paths are longer. They cross the country, track the east coast, and flow down major rivers.

They include:

Ara Bicycle Path (아라 자전거길)
Hangang Bicycle Path (한강 자전거길)
- Hangang Bicycle Path (Seoul) (한강 자전거길 (서울구간))
- Namhangang Bicycle Path (남한강 자전거길)
Bukhangang Bicycle Path (북한강 자전거길)
Saejae Bicycle Path (새재 자전거길)
Nakdonggang Bicycle Path (낙동강 자전거길)
Geumgang Bicycle Path (금강 자전거길)
Yeongsangang Bicycle Path (영산강 자전거길)
Seomjingang Bicycle Path (섬진강 자전거길)
Ocheon Bicycle Path (오천 자전거길)
East Coast (Gangwon) Bicycle Path (동해안자전거길 (강원))
East Coast (Gyeongbuk) Bicycle Path (동해안자전거길 (경북))
Jeju Fantasy Bicycle Path (제주환상 자전거길)

Special Certification Routes

Conquer specific groups of bike paths and you can receive special Certificates of Completion and the right to buy Olympic-style medals (인증메달).

These routes include:

Cross-Country (국토종주) — Ara, Hangang, Saejae, Nakdonggang Bike Paths
4 Rivers (4대강종주) — Hangang, Nakdonggang, Geumgang, Yeongsangang Bike Paths
Grand Slam (그랜드슬램) — collect every certification stamp in the South Korea

Han River Bicycle Paths

Glance at the list above and notice three bicycle paths along the Han River.

Hangang Bicycle Path (Seoul) (한강 자전거길 (서울구간))
Namhangang Bicycle Path (남한강 자전거길)
Bukhangang Bicycle Path (북한강 자전거길)

On Korea by Bike, I combine the Hangang Bicycle Path (Seoul) and the Namhangang Bicycle Path to form the Hangang Bicycle Path.

The Hangang Bicycle Path runs from the Ara Hangang Lock Certification Center (map) on the western edge of Seoul to the Chungju Dam Certification Center (map) outside of Chungju City. It leads to the Saejae Bicycle Path and is a part of the Cross-Country Bicycle Path.

The Bukhangang Bicycle Path splits from the Hangang Bicycle Path east of Seoul (map). It snakes 70 kilometers north to Chuncheon City (map). It doesn’t connect to another certification bike path, nor does it count towards the Cross-Country or 4 Rivers Certifications.

Namhangang vs. Bukhangang

To understand the Namhangang and the Bukhangang, let’s translate some words.

“Gang” (강) means “river”
“Nam” (남) means “south”
“Buk” (북) means “north”

Now take the names apart. You can see that Buk-Han-Gang (북-한-강) translates to North Han River. And Nam-Han-Gang (남-한-강) equals South Han River.

The North and South Han Rivers combine to form the Han River just outside of Seoul. The Han River continues westward and spills into the Yellow Sea near the DMZ.

How Does It Work?

Simple.

Step 1: Buy a Bike Passport

To start your certification journey, you’ll need a Bike Passport (인증수첩). They cost ₩4,000 a pop. Handy maps will set you back ₩500.

Where do I get one of those?

Two options.

Visit a Staffed Certification Center (유인인증센터) with a Bike Passport store along the certification bike paths.
Buy a Bike Passport online.

Visit a Staffed Certification Center

What’s a “Staffed Certification Center?” The Four Rivers Restoration Project paired weirs with nearby cultural/management buildings.

Outside each rests a Certification Center. Inside sit exhibition halls, convenience stores, and workers that sell and certify Bike Passports. Hence, “Staffed Certification Centers.”

(Almost every Bike Passport store also certifies Bike Passports.)

Below, find a partial list of Bike Passport stores. Find a complete list on the Certification Centers page.

Staffed Certification Centers

Ara West Sea Lock (아라서해갑문 인증센터; Ara Bike Path; map)
Gangcheon-bo (강천보 인증센터; Hangang Bike Path; map)
Nakdonggang Estuary Bank (낙동강하구둑 인증센터; Nakdonggang Bike Path; map)
Daecheong Dam (대청댐 인증센터; Geumgang Bike Path; map)
Baealdo Waterfront Park (배알도 수변공원 인증센터; Seomjingang Bike Path; map)
Seungchon-bo (승촌보 인증센터; Yeongsangang Bike Path; map)
- Bike Trip (map) is a bike rental store on the Jeju Fantasy Bike Path near the Yong Du Am Certification Center. They sell Bike Passports, but do not certify them.
- There are no Bike Passport stores on the East Coast Route, nor the Saejae and Ocheon Bike Paths.

Buy a Bike Passport Online

What about buying a Bike Passport online?

You’ll need to create an account with the Four Rivers website.

Sounds easy enough.

Not so fast. To register an account, you’ll need to verify your identity with a Korean phone number. And getting a number requires citizenship or an Alien Registration Card (ARC).

If can sign up, you must pay a separate delivery fee of ₩2,600, sent directly to the shipping company via domestic bank transfer.

Inside the Bike Passport

You bought one! Slip your crisp Bike Passport from its protective sleeve and open it.

Inside the front cover, spot a serial number above a bar code (i.e. BK1234567). Use this unique number to register your Bike Passport with the Four Rivers website and the Bike Certification smartphone app.

Bike Certification Smartphone App

The Bike Passport app for your smartphone comes with a ton of cool features, including:

A virtual or Cyber Bike Passport which looks just like the physical copy. In it you can collect virtual stamps by scanning a QR code in, or riding within 40 meters of, any Certification Center.
An online map listing every Certification Center, bathrooms, bike pumps, and more.
An online billboard with tips to stay safe and bike path updates.

The catch? Like registering for a Four Rivers website account, you’ll need a Korean phone number and citizenship or an ARC.

The First Few Pages

A screenshot of the Bike Passport app in Korea showing certifications progress. — Inside your Bike Passport you’ll find a space to place certification stickers.

The first six pages of the Bike Passport hold a space to write your contact info, a table of contents, and instructions on how to use the Bike Passport.

Flip to pages 7~12. They list every Certification Center (인증 센터) grouped by bicycle path.

Next to the name of each Certification Center, find two columns reading:

수첩판매 (Notebook Store)
종주인증 (Ownership Certification)

If you see a dot in the 수첩판매 column, venders sell Bike Passports at that Certification Center. A dot in the 종주인증 column means you can get your stamps officially certified at that location.

Finally, page 14 offers the “Cycling Road Map” (자전거길 전체지도), a map of every certification bike path and stamp in the nation.

Stamp Pages

Now flip to the meat of the Bike Passport. Pages 15~42 display zoomed-in map sections with bike paths connecting shaded circles.

Each shaded circle is a Certification Center. Above hangs the stamp booth’s name. Inside sits a bike icon and the word “stamp.”

You guessed it! Slap the matching Certification Center stamp here!

The map section pages also list:

The current bike path’s name in Korean and English (i.e. 아라 자전거길 / Ara Bicycle Path.)
코스 (course): the starting and ending Certification Centers.
거리: estimated time to complete the bike path.
시간: the bike path’s total distance.
A brief description of the bicycle path in Korean.

Certification Sticker Pages

The last section of the Bike Passport (p. 44~62) contains spots for Certification of Completion Stickers (인증 스티커) for each bike path (i.e. Hangang, Seomjingang, Ocheon) and the Cross-Country, Four Rivers, and Grand Slam Certifications.

Once you collect all the stamps for a bike path or route, workers at a Staffed Certification Center will double check your work and certify your Bike Passport. They’ll then place certification stickers on these pages.

(The Ara Bike Path is short and doesn’t have a Cycling Path Certification nor a sticker page. But you’ll need the path’s stamps to complete the Cross-Country and Grand Slam Certifications.)

Virtual vs. Hard Copy Bike Passport

What’s the difference between the virtual smartphone Bike Passport and the physical copy?

Nothing. They are the same, linked by the serial number on the inside front cover of the physical Bike Passport.

Step 2: Find a Certification Center

Hop on your bike and hit the bike paths. Let’s hunt for Certification Centers (인증 센터).

What do they look like?

Red phone booths, big enough for one intrepid biker at a time.

Where can I find one?

Locations

Except for the bottom section of the East Coast’s Gyeongbuk Bike Path, Certification Centers mark the start and finish lines of every certification bike path.

Certification centers along the bike paths sit near major landmarks in easy-to-spot locations within meters of the cycling paths.

For example, many of the Cross-Country Route’s stamp booths perch near weirs. And loads of the East Coast Route’s lounge near beaches, seaside pavilions, and resorts.

Because highlights and landmarks pack South Korea, expect to stumble upon a new Certification Center every 15 to 30 kilometers.

(At 70.5 kilometers, the gap between the Sangju Sangpung Bridge and Andong Dam Certification Centers is by far the longest.)

I Saw the Sign

Worried about missing a stamp? As you ride, watch for green signs dotting the paths. Reading “자전거길 인증센터” (Bike Path Certification Center), they’ll let you know when a stamp is near.

Written on each sign, you’ll find the Certification Center’s name (양산물문화관; Yangsan Water Culture Hall) and the distance to the stamp booth (3.0km 전방).

More Resources

Still worried? Bookmark the Certification Center and Quick List pages. They list every stamp in Korea.

Better yet, open the South Korean Bike Certification Map on either Google or Kakao Maps.

Give Me a Break!

Planners set Certification Centers every 15 to 30 kilometers for a reason. It gives touring cyclists the perfect opportunity for a pit stop.

So next time, after you grab a stamp, take a few minutes to rest and haunt the local highlight(s).You might discover nearby restaurants and convenience stores to refuel and restock.

Step 3: Stamp Your Bike Passport

I located a Certification Center in the wild. What do I do now?

Approach with caution! You don’t want to startle it.

While some Certification Centers have minor cosmetic differences, inside all find:

An ink pad and a stamp emblazoned with the Certification Center’s name and unique image reflecting the nearby point of interest.
A map showing every Certification Center and certification bike path in Korea.
And a QR code. Scan it with the Bike Passport app to receive a virtual certification stamp.

Take out your Bike Passport and step inside. Flip to your current bike path’s page and find the shaded circle with the name of your present Certification Center.

Dab the stamp on the provided ink pad, line it up and press down firmly and evenly.

Lift and let dry.

Get the Perfect Stamp

Glance around the inside of any Certification Center. Notice that stamps cover every papery surface: notepads. Business cards. The certification map.

Why?

They’re test stamps. One smeared, faded, or misaligned stamp will ruin your month.

Step 4: Get Certified

I’ve got all the stamps on a bike path. No, wait… For the entire Cross-Country Bike Path!

Wow! We’re impressed.

What now?

Grab your Bike Passport, visit a Staffed Certification Center (유인인증센터), and head to the front desk.

Consent Form

Before you approach a Bike Passport certifier, flip to the last page in your Bike Passport and find a tear-out form.

Titled “개인 정보 수집 및 활용 동의서” or “Consent to collect and use personal information,” the form allows the Korean government to create an account in your name. It’ll track which Certification Stamps you’ve gotten.

Below, find a breakdown of the form fields you need to fill out.

Consent Form

개인 정보 처리에 관하여 고지, 받았으며, 이를 충분히 이해하고 동의합니다. (I understand that the Korean government will store some of my personal info and I agree with the terms.)
- □ 동의 (Check the box to agree.)
- □ 미동의 (Check the box to disagree.)
14 세 미만 아동 (신청인) 의 경우 반드시 법정 대리인의 동의가 필요합니다. (Applicants under 14-years-old must have the consent of their legal guardian.)
- □ 14 세 미만 (Check the box if under the age of 14.)
- □ 14 세 이상 (Check the box if 14-years or older.)
신청자 정보 (Applicant Information)
- 성명 (Name)
- 주소 (Address)
- 연락처 (Contact info; email or phone number)
법정 대리인 정보 (Legal guardian info for applicants under 14-years-old)
- 성명 (Name)
- 연락처 (Contact info; email or phone number)
Date: (year) / (month) / (day)
신청인 (Name)
법정대리인 (Legal guardian name for applicants under 14-years-old)

Certify Your Bike Passport

Tear the consent form from your Bike Passport and hand it to the certifier at the front desk. They’ll create your account, then flip through your Bike Passport’s pages and check which stamps you’ve collected.

For each completed certification bike path or special route, they’ll place a Certification of Completion Sticker (인증 스티커) on the sticker pages in the back of your Bike Passport.

They’ll also shove stamp-sized certification stickers for each completed bike path in your Bike Passport jacket. Stick them on your helmet for a bit of humble-bragging.

What about Certificates of Completion and Olympic-style Medals?

Read on!

Certifications

You can receive four types of awards when completing the official certification bike paths. Let’s explore!

Complete a Certification Bicycle Path
Complete the Cross-Country Cycling Road
Complete the Four Rivers Cycling Bike Paths
Complete the Grand Slam

Bicycle Path Certifications

You can gain a certification by collecting all the stamps on any of the Certification Bicycle Paths below.

Hangang Bicycle Path (Seoul) (한강 자전거길 (서울구간))
Namhangang Bicycle Path (남한강 자전거길)
Bukhangang Bicycle Path (북한강 자전거길)
Saejae Bicycle Path (새재 자전거길)
Nakdonggang Bicycle Path (낙동강 자전거길)
Geumgang Bicycle Path (금강 자전거길)
Yeongsangang Bicycle Path (영산강 자전거길)
Seomjingang Bicycle Path (섬진강 자전거길)
Ocheon Bicycle Path (오천 자전거길)
East Coast (Gangwon) Bicycle Path (동해안자전거길 (강원))
East Coast (Gyeongbuk) Bicycle Path (동해안자전거길 (경북))
Jeju Fantasy Bicycle Path (제주환상 자전거길)

Certification Centers

Hangang Bicycle Path (Seoul)

Namhangang Bicycle Path

Bukhangang Bicycle Path

Saejae Bicycle Path

Nakdonggang Bicycle Path

Geumgang Bicycle Path

Yeongsangang Bicycle Path

Seomjingang Bicycle Path

Ocheon Bicycle Path

East Coast (Gangwon) Bicycle Path

East Coast (Gyeongbuk) Bicycle Path

Jeju Fantasy Bicycle Path

At 21 kilometers, the planners deemed the Ara Bicycle Path too short for its own Bicycle Path Certification. But you need its stamps to complete the Cross-Country and Grand Slam Certifications.

Awards

Collect the stamps for any of these bike paths and certifiers at a Staffed Certification Center will drop a certification sticker (스티커) in your Bike Passport.

The bicycle gods will look upon you approvingly.

Cross-Country Cycling Road

Complete the Cross-Country Cycling Road Certification (국토종주) by collecting all the stamps on the following bike paths below.

Ara Bicycle Path (아라 자전거길)
Hangang Bicycle Path (Seoul) (한강 자전거길 (서울구간))
Namhangang Bicycle Path (남한강 자전거길)
Saejae Bicycle Path (새재 자전거길)
Nakdonggang Bicycle Path (낙동강 자전거길)

Certification Centers

Ara Bicycle Path

Hangang Bicycle Path

Saejae Bicycle Path

Nakdonggang Bike Path

Start at the Ara Bicycle Path’s first Certification Center, the Ara West Sea Lock (map) in the nation’s northwest. Then travel the Hangang, Saejae, then Nakdonggang Bike Paths until you reach the Nakdonggang Estuary Bank Certification Center (map) in Korea’s southwestern tip.

Exceptions

You don’t need the following stamps.

Chungju Dam Certification Center (충주댐 인증센터; map)
Andong Dam Certification Center (안동댐 인증센터; map)

These Certification Centers lie far off the Cross-Country Route, down 20 and 70-kilometer detours.

However, you’ll need both stamps to get the Hangang, Nakdonggang, Four Rivers, and Grand Slam certifications.

The Hangang Bicycle Path‘s Ttukseom Observatory Complex and Gwangnaru Bicycle Park Certification Centers sit on opposite sides of the Han River in Seoul. Grab one and the other counts automatically. No need to hop a bridge.

The Bukhangang Bicycle Path‘s first Certification Center, Balgeun Gwangjang, crosses the Hangang Bike Path east of Seoul. Don’t mind it. It isn’t a part of the Cross-Country Bicycle Path.

Awards

Got all the Cross-Country stamps? Great! You’ll receive three awards.

After you turn in your Consent Form, workers at the Certifying Headquarters will mail you an official Certificate of Completion inscribed with your name. Free of charge!

It doesn’t stop there. After setting up an account on the Four Rivers website, you can purchase an Olympic-style medal for ₩7,500 and a display case for ₩4,000.

The bicycle gods are beaming.

Cross-Country Bicycle Path Passport Sticker

Namhangang Bicycle Path Passport Sticker

Nakdonggang Bicycle Path Passport Sticker

Four Rivers Bicycle Path Certification

Complete the Four Rivers Bicycle Path Certification (4대강종주) by riding along Korea’s four major rivers:

Collect all the stamps on the following bicycle paths.

Hangang Bicycle Path (Seoul) (한강 자전거길 (서울구간))
Namhangang Bicycle Path (남한강 자전거길)
Nakdonggang Bicycle Path (낙동강 자전거길)
Geumgang Bicycle Path (금강 자전거길)
Yeongsangang Bicycle Path (영산강 자전거길)

Certification Centers

Hangang Bicycle Path

Nakdonggang Bike Path

Geumgang Bicycle Path

Yeongsangang Bicycle Path

Unlike the Cross-Country Cycling Road, you will need stamps from the Chungju Dam (map) and Andong Dam (map) Certification Centers.

Exceptions

Though they follow rivers, the Seomjingang and Bukhangang Bike Paths aren’t included in the Four Rivers Certification.

Again, Seoul’s Ttukseom Observatory Complex and Gwangnaru Bicycle Park Certification Centers are interchangeable. Snag one and the other counts automatically.

Awards

You sailed down Korea’s rivers and collected all their stamps? Fantastic! Here are your awards.

The bicycle gods will hold a banquet in your honor.

Four Rivers Bicycle Path Passport Sticker

Yeongsangang Bicycle Path Passport Sticker

Grand Slam

Visit every Certification Center in Korea to receive the Grand Slam Certification (그랜드슬램).

Yes, all of them. Every red stamp booth from Jeju Island to the DMZ. No exceptions.

Here’s the complete list of Certification Centers.

This is the most prestigious award bestowed upon Korea’s bicycle adventurers.

Awards

You caught them all? No way! Dress to impress and visit a Staffed Certification Center. Three awards await.

Drape all three medals around your neck. The bicycle gods will forge a statue of you and your bike and raise it in your honor.