Gurye-gun Actively Promotes Jirisan Namak Festival and Residents' Day Events

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yuk Mi-seok] Gurye-gun recently reorganized the promotion committee and announced on the 23rd that it decided to flexibly proceed with the 77th Jirisan Namakje Festival and the 40th Residents' Day event.

The newly appointed promotion committee members will reflect the opinions of the residents and work for the efficient hosting of the events over the next two years. Lee Jong-seok, the head of Gurye-gun Senior College, was elected as the new promotion committee chairman.

The Jirisan Namakje Festival is a traditional festival that has continued for 1,000 years from the Silla, Goryeo, and Joseon dynasties, praying for national peace and prosperity, and was directly officiated by the state as a central ritual (中祀) with appointed officials.

This year, various cultural events including the Namakje ritual praying for national peace and the end of COVID-19, along with the Residents' Day event, were being prepared. However, due to COVID-19, the 'Jirisan Namakje Festival and Residents' Day event,' which was held annually on Gogu Day (April 20), will be conducted flexibly by holding only the Namakje ritual in a non-face-to-face manner and postponing the Residents' Day event to the second half of the year.

Promotion Committee Chairman Lee Jong-seok said, "As we have worked hard to restore the Namakje ritual procession and to have it designated as a national intangible cultural asset, it is very regrettable, but it was an unavoidable decision to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the local community through social distancing according to government policy."

Gurye County Governor Kim Soon-ho said, "With all festivals and cultural events canceled due to COVID-19, the local economy is facing great difficulties, but I hope that COVID-19 will end soon and that the Jirisan Namakje Festival and Residents' Day event will be reborn as events that bring harmony and hope to the residents."

Meanwhile, Gurye-gun has concentrated all administrative efforts to maintain a COVID-19 clean area by canceling the Gurye Sansuyu Flower Festival and focusing on quarantine and traffic control.

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