The 2026 Haenam Land’s End National Marathon will be held on Sunday, November 8, 2026, around the Daeheungsa Shelter in Haenam County, at the southern end of the Korean mainland. Runners gather at 7:00 AM and the race starts at 8:00 AM, with four distances: the full marathon, half marathon, 10K, and 5K. Registration is first come, first served, and the application page was still open when we checked on October 16, so if you want to run, move quickly.
🌾 Running Out to Land’s End
In Korea, the far southern tip of the mainland is known as Ttangkkeut, or Land’s End, and Haenam is the county that carries the name. The race logo even carries a slogan to match: “Land’s End Haenam, the beginning of the Korean Peninsula.” Instead of a big-city route, this is a rural marathon. According to the organizer’s course map, the routes run through farmland and villages in Haenam’s Samsan-myeon area, a quiet corner of the county.
The race is hosted by the Haenam County Athletics Federation with support from Haenam County, the county council, and the county sports council, and it works with the local police, public health center, volunteer center, and community groups. Cash prizes go as high as 400,000 KRW for the full marathon winners, so the field mixes competitive runners with people who simply want a 5K in the countryside.
For international runners, the practical hurdles are the Korean-language registration form, payment by bank transfer, and a race kit that is mailed to a postal address. We explain each of them below, along with what to ask the organizer before you pay.
📅 Event Overview
- Event name: 2026 Haenam Land’s End National Marathon (2026 해남땅끝 전국마라톤대회)
- Date: Sunday, November 8, 2026
- Schedule: Assembly at 7:00 AM, start at 8:00 AM
- Venue: Daeheungsa Shelter area (대흥사쉼터 일원), 206-1 Gurim-ri, Samsan-myeon, Haenam-gun
- Distances: Full marathon (42.195 km), half marathon, 10K, 5K
- Registration: first come, first served; the organizer does not publish an end date
- Host: Haenam County Athletics Federation. Organizer: Haenam County Athletics Federation and Daeil Planning
- Support: Haenam County, Haenam County Council, Haenam County Sports Council
- Office contact: 1600-3949, weekdays 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (closed 12:00 – 1:00 PM for lunch, and on weekends and holidays), or email [email protected]
Groups of 30 or more people are offered a booth at the venue.
🗺️ Course Details
All four distances start and finish at the Daeheungsa Shelter area. The organizer publishes the courses as map images rather than a written description, so we read the turnaround points from its overall course map:
- 5K: turns around just past Gwangcheon Bridge
- 10K: turns around at the Yongduri senior welfare center (용두리노인복지회관)
- Half marathon: turns around just past the Samsan Park Golf Course
- Full marathon: continues out onto a long loop to the west, where the full-course turnaround is marked
The map labels these points in Korean, so use the official course page and Naver or Kakao Map for exact routing. No elevation profile is published.
⏱️ Time Limits and Timing
| Distance | Time limit |
|---|---|
| Full marathon | 5 hours |
| Half marathon | 3 hours |
| 10K | 2 hours |
| 5K | 1 hour |
The full marathon limit is 5 hours. The website first listed 4 hours, and the organizer posted a correction on August 21, 2026. Timing is by chip and measured as net time from the moment you cross the start line. Timing mats are placed at the start, the finish, and the turnaround points. If you remove your chip or miss a mat, your time is not recorded and you are disqualified. Records are issued as a mobile record certificate on race day.
📊 Course Analysis and Difficulty
We cannot give a confirmed climb count because no elevation data is published. The map shows a rural route through fields and villages, which usually means open, exposed roads. The five-hour and three-hour limits are comfortable for most runners, while the one-hour limit on the 5K means the shortest distance is meant to be run or brisk-walked rather than strolled.
💰 Entry Fees and Payment
| Distance | Entry fee |
|---|---|
| Full marathon | 50,000 KRW |
| Half marathon | 50,000 KRW |
| 10K | 40,000 KRW |
| 5K | 30,000 KRW |
The official site lists payment by bank transfer to a Nonghyup account held in the name of the operating company; see the official page for the current account details. The organizer is strict about the name on the deposit. A notice from October 12 explained that deposits made under a name that does not match an application cannot be confirmed, that registration is not complete in that case, and that many runners share the same name. Pay in your own name (or your group’s name or representative’s name for group entries).
📝 Do you need help with registration?
Sports Event Korea can help overseas runners register for Korean races. Send a registration request
📝 Registration Information and Rules
- How to register: use the online application form on the official site. Individual and group applications are available.
- Check that it worked: after you submit, use the “Edit information and deposit check” page. The organizer warns that if the page is refreshed or stalls midway, the application is not completed.
- Real names only: you must register under your own real name. Borrowed names are not allowed, and so are transfers of an entry or running on someone else’s behalf. Anyone who does so is disqualified and their time is not recognized.
- Information collected: name, date of birth (used only for insurance), gender, contact details, email, postal address, distance, and souvenir size.
📝 Do you need help with registration?
Sports Event Korea can help overseas runners register for Korean races. Send a registration request
📦 Your Bib Is Mailed
Unusually, the organizer says bibs and souvenirs are sent by courier rather than handed out at the venue, and the application asks for a postal address where you can receive mail. If you are travelling from abroad, or registering after the refund deadline, ask the office whether your bib can still be shipped to an address in Korea (a hotel or a friend) or collected at the venue.
🏆 Prize Money
The top five men and top five women in each distance win cash prizes. The amounts are the same for men and women.
| Place | Full | Half | 10K | 5K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 400,000 KRW | 300,000 KRW | 200,000 KRW | 150,000 KRW |
| 2nd | 300,000 KRW | 250,000 KRW | 150,000 KRW | 100,000 KRW |
| 3rd | 250,000 KRW | 200,000 KRW | 100,000 KRW | 70,000 KRW |
| 4th | 200,000 KRW | 150,000 KRW | 70,000 KRW | 50,000 KRW |
| 5th | 150,000 KRW | 100,000 KRW | 50,000 KRW | 30,000 KRW |
The organizer says the award criteria and payment procedure will be announced on the notice board.
🎁 Race Package and Finisher Rewards
The souvenir page currently says the participant souvenirs are still being prepared, and the organizer will post them once they are confirmed. Here is what the organizer has confirmed so far:
- The bib and souvenirs are mailed to participants.
- A finisher medal is given to finishers only, after the bib is checked, together with snacks.
- The souvenir size is selected on the application form.
🚌 How to Get There
The venue is the Daeheungsa Shelter area, 206-1 Gurim-ri, Samsan-myeon, Haenam-gun. For navigation, search for “대흥사쉼터” in Naver Map or Kakao Map. The organizer’s page lists transport information as “to be announced” and says parking, shuttles, and detailed transport will be posted on its notice board, so check there closer to race day. On race day, no vehicles, bicycles, or motorcycles other than official race vehicles may follow the course.
- From Gwangju: a bus timetable site lists about 21 departures a day from Gwangju Integrated Bus Terminal (U-Square) to Haenam Bus Terminal. The trip takes roughly 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes and the fare is about 13,700 to 16,900 KRW. The first bus leaves at 5:50 AM. These timetables were last updated in July 2026, so confirm before you travel.
- From Haenam Bus Terminal to the venue: the distance and transport are not published. Check the route on a map app or plan on a taxi.
Even the first bus from Gwangju reaches Haenam at about 7:41 AM, after the 7:00 AM assembly, so staying overnight in Haenam the night before the race is the practical choice.
🎽 Preparation Tips
🧥 Dress for a Rural Morning
Expect an early start in open countryside in November. Bring a warm layer for the wait before the 8:00 AM start, and use the baggage storage at the venue.
🎒 Baggage Storage and Changing
The venue has men’s and women’s changing rooms and a baggage area. Valuables are excluded from storage, so leave them with a companion. The organizer does not take responsibility for theft or loss.
⏱️ Respect the Cut-Off
After a time limit passes, runners are asked to stop and board the sweep vehicle at the instruction of officials. Plan your pace around the limit for your distance.
🩺 Health and Safety
The organizer places ambulances at the assembly area, on the course, and at the finish, with a rest and first-aid tent at the finish and a medical room at the race headquarters. The organizer recommends a medical check-up beforehand and may ask for a health certificate. Avoid running after a night shift, heavy drinking, or lack of sleep, and see a doctor first if you have heart, blood pressure, or diabetes concerns.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is this race suitable for beginners?
The 5K and 10K are approachable, with time limits of 1 and 2 hours. The full marathon has a 5-hour limit.
How will I receive my bib?
The organizer mails bibs and souvenirs by courier to the postal address on your application. Ask the office if you are registering from overseas.
Can I still register?
The application page was open when we checked on October 16. Registration is first come, first served and the organizer publishes no end date, so confirm with the office.
Can I get a refund?
The refund request deadline was October 14 on most pages, although one page lists October 30. Assume it is no longer possible and confirm with the office.
Is my time officially recorded?
Yes, with a timing chip and net time. Do not remove the chip, and cross every timing mat, or you will be disqualified.
Can I transfer my entry to a friend?
No. Entry transfers and proxy running are not allowed and lead to disqualification.
What happens if it rains?
The organizer does not publish a rain policy. The event is stopped for natural disasters, and the entry fee is not refunded in that case. Check the notice board before race day.
What are the souvenirs?
They have not been announced yet. The souvenir page says they are being prepared.
🏁 More Races in the Jeolla Region
Planning a trip to southwestern Korea? These guides may also help:
- Yeongam Motorpia F1 Marathon
- NEON Race in Suncheon
- Suncheon Bay Ultra Marathon
- Damyang Metasequoia Marathon
👉 Visit the official 2026 Haenam Land’s End National Marathon website
