Gyeongju City Cancels 'New Year's Eve Bell Ringing' Event ... "COVID-19 and AI Overlap"

On January 1, 2020, the first day of the Year of the Rat, the bell-ringing event at Silla Daejong Park in Gyeongju City.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-ho] Gyeongju City, Gyeongbuk Province, reiterated on the 18th that it will not hold the 'New Year's Eve Bell Ringing Ceremony' due to the implementation of enhanced social distancing Level 2 measures in some areas.

This decision comes as COVID-19 cases have been increasing mainly in the local community recently, and avian influenza (AI) is also spreading nationwide.

Mayor Ju Nak-young said, "It has been an extremely difficult year, so it is even more regrettable that we cannot hold the bell ringing ceremony to pray for hopeful wishes for the new year," and urged, "Please refrain from gatherings at the end of this year to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and spend time with your family at home."

Gyeongju City created the Silla Great Bell over three years, modeled after the National Treasure No. 29, Seongdeokdaewang Sinjong, and built a bell pavilion in the old Labor Office Great Bell Park, where it has held the New Year's Eve Bell Ringing event every year at the end of the year.

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