The “Turtle Marathon Health Walking Event,” hosted by The Korea Times USA and now a representative New Year’s tradition in the Korean-American community, will take place in 2026 with an even more meaningful focus: coming together to promote health and unity while practicing “neighborly support.”

The 11th Turtle Marathon Health Walking Event—co-hosted by The Korea Times and leading Korean food company Nongshim America, with special sponsorship from Bank of Hope and Seoul Medical Group (SMG)—will be held on the last Saturday of January, January 31, starting at 8:00 AM at Griffith Park, a beloved treasure in the heart of Los Angeles familiar to many Koreans.

This New Year’s festival, which celebrates health and community harmony for Korean-Americans, will be elevated this year into a particularly meaningful event by gathering the community’s heartfelt support at the start of the new year to care for neighbors in need. A donation box for neighborly support will be set up at the event site, allowing participants to voluntarily contribute a small amount equivalent to “the price of a cup of coffee” if they wish. The collected funds, combined with additional sponsorship from The Korea Times, will be donated on-site to organizations that care for vulnerable and marginalized members of the community.

Reflecting requests from past participants who expressed a desire to contribute to neighborly support while attending the event, this year’s Turtle Marathon incorporates such giving in a way that anyone—from children to seniors—can participate without burden.

The donations gathered through small acts of kindness from the Korean-American community will be presented on-site to Accompany Worldwide, a women’s recovery community that leads efforts to support single mothers and victims of domestic violence.

All participants in this event—who will gather at the Old Zoo Picnic Area in Griffith Park (4730 Crystal Springs Dr., LA) and walk a 3.5-mile trail course—will receive various free gifts provided by sponsors including Nongshim. In addition, a raffle offering generous prizes such as round-trip tickets to Korea will add excitement and the rewarding feeling of helping neighbors.

As we welcome 2026—a year of new changes and leaps forward—we hope many Korean individuals and organizations will show interest and participate in the Turtle Marathon Health Walking Event, where we can come together to strengthen health and harmony, pledge a strong start to the new year, and support our neighbors in need.