Muju-gun, 24th Muju Firefly Festival 'Cancelled'

Considering Local and Resident Safety Amid Regional Infection Spread

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Geon-ju] Muju-gun, Jeonbuk, announced that it will completely cancel the Muju Firefly Festival, which was scheduled to be held in September, to prevent COVID-19.

On the 16th, the county made this announcement at a meeting attended by Park Chan-joo, chairman of the Muju County Council, and about 20 officials from related departments.

Hwang In-hong, the county governor, said, "The local spread of COVID-19 is severe, with an average of 48 confirmed cases per day in July alone," and added, "With an autumn major outbreak also predicted, we gathered the consensus of the council and residents and made the unavoidable special decision to cancel the festival."

He continued, "The Muju Firefly Festival attracts about 150,000 tourists annually on average, and considering that the entire country is within a one-day living zone due to transportation development, the nine-day festival could be a significant risk factor. Although it is regrettable considering the tourism and local economy, which are in decline due to COVID-19, it is more important now to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the safety of the residents and the region."

Park Chan-joo, chairman of the Muju County Council, said, "Although there is great regret over the cancellation of the festival, considering the sacrifices and costs that could be incurred by forcing the festival to proceed, I believe it is the right decision," and added, "I hope this will be an opportunity to strengthen the next festival and create a Muju Firefly Festival loved by residents and tourists."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.