Spring Flowers 'Red Warning Light'... Nationwide Flower Festivals on COVID Alert

Yeouido Cherry Blossom Road Closed Next Month
Only 3,500 Pre-Registered Visitors Allowed
Jinhae Gunhangje Festival Canceled Again This Year

Parking Ban and Social Distancing
Some High-Intensity Measures Implemented

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] As spring flowers begin to bloom, local governments nationwide have gone on high alert. Although festivals are being canceled or visitor numbers restricted due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19, they are struggling with the influx of spring outing visitors.

Yeongdeungpo-gu has decided to completely restrict access to the 1.7 km spring flower path along Yeouiseo-ro behind the National Assembly from April 1 to 12, during the cherry blossom blooming period. Only 3,500 visitors will be allowed within the restricted area over the week, based on prior applications. Changwon-si in Gyeongnam, where cherry blossoms have begun to fully bloom, also canceled the representative spring festival, the ‘Jinhae Gunhangje,’ for the second consecutive year. Although they considered holding the festival to revitalize the local economy, which has been depressed due to COVID-19, they decided not to hold the Gunhangje due to ongoing cluster infections at large workplaces and family gatherings.

The Jeju King Cherry Blossom Festival held around Jeju-si will also not be held this year, following last year, but visitors who comply with quarantine rules such as wearing masks and temperature checks at the entrance to the cherry blossom street will be allowed to view the blossoms. Gyeongju-si in Gyeongbuk Province canceled the ‘Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival’ scheduled from April 1 to 5 in the city area, and Ganghwa-gun in Incheon also canceled the ‘Goryeosan Azalea Festival.’

The ‘Donghaksa Cherry Blossom Festival’ in Gongju-si, which attracted 100,000 to 120,000 tourists annually, has also been postponed until next year. Instead, Yeongdeungpo is collaborating with an XR (Extended Reality) specialist company to hold a spring flower festival in an online virtual space, and Jeju Island’s Fire Festival will conduct events such as hill fire lighting and seedling distribution through non-face-to-face methods like drive-thru.

Some local governments are implementing high-intensity measures. Cheongju-si in Chungbuk Province plans to issue an administrative order enforcing a minimum 2-meter social distancing from March 27 to April 11, the cherry blossom blooming period. Although the area along Musimcheon, lined with about 2,200 king cherry trees, is a famous cherry blossom spot, the night-time decorative lights illuminating the flower path will be turned off. Parking and stopping will be prohibited, and street vendors and food consumption will also be banned.

Violators will be fined 100,000 KRW under the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act. A local government official said, "Although the cancellation of festivals will increase the difficulties faced by small business owners, blocking the spread of COVID-19 is the top priority in the current situation, so we plan to cancel festivals and focus administrative efforts on quarantine responses."

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