The Korea Forest Service (KFS), Ministry of Education (MOE), and Korail have joined to create a joint field-experiencing program; this program, titled 'Happiness Train to Forests' is expected to create a positive outcomes in reducing youth problems such as school bullying.

The Minister of KFS (SHIN Won Sop), together with the Minister of MOE (HWANG Woo Yea) and the president of Korail (CHOI Yeon Hye), have mentioned that the program was initiated to help both the victims and inflicters of the school bullying, as well as those experiencing difficulties in school due to their family troubles.

*Opening Ceremony for the 'Happiness Train to Forests' was held on Aug. 26 (Tue.), 08:30 Dongdaegu Station

As mentioned before, this is a field-experiencing program which visits recreational forests via railway, and provides forest experiences, consultation, and cultural exploration. This program especially targets and supports the students with difficulties in their school life to raise their self-regard and to restore their emotional/psychological stability.

To operate this program, KFS  chose the recreational forests with good train-approachability and good forest education facilities. Until next February, each month Korail will select 1 car of the train for the program, and operate one or two times per month (total 10 times for the program).

Participating students will hang out in the forests with their peers (in same-age groups) along with the mentors consisting college students. They will play (tree hug, forest walk, yoga meditation, candlelight ceremony, etc.), eat (cooking with natural ingredients) and sleep (loghouse within recreational forest); through experiences in forests, they will be able to enchance their communication skills, and also will have an opportunity to change their attitude towards their lives.

Minister SHIN Won Sop of KFS said that "this program will be a good chance for today's youth, who have much less opportunities to experience the nature, to establish self-regard and psychological stability, as well as to dissolve stress and refresh their senses." He also mentioned that "KFS will continue to develop various forest education programs for youth-character education."

Meanwhile, KFS, MOE and Korail have signed the MOU on the 'Happiness Train to Forests' to help the students in regaining their self-regard and controling anger. They will analize the outcomes achieved from this program to further expand the operation scope and program contents for other possible future programs.