Yeosu City's Three Major Festivals Canceled for Citizen Safety

The 55th Yeosu Geobukseon Festival, Dongdongbuk Festival, Yeosu Night Sea Fireworks Festival

[Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Sim Kyung-taek] Jeonnam Yeosu City and the Three Major Festivals Promotion Committee decided to cancel the festival at a joint meeting on the 26th of last month to ensure the safety of citizens and tourists.

This measure was taken in response to the nationwide 4th wave of COVID-19, with the Seoul metropolitan area raising 'social distancing' to the highest level, Level 4, and non-metropolitan areas also elevated to Level 3, amid a severe situation where four-digit confirmed cases have persisted for nearly a month.

In particular, the spread of the 'Delta' variant, which is more contagious than the existing virus, is leading the outbreak, and with increased travel during the summer vacation season, concerns about infection are growing.

The Promotion Committee stated, "We have prepared extensively to provide comfort and enjoyment to citizens and tourists who have suffered many hardships due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, but we ask for your understanding that this decision prioritizes the safety of citizens above all," adding, "We will do our best to make next year’s festival one where three generations participate together and citizens and tourists enjoy together, using this year’s disappointment as a stepping stone."

A Yeosu City official said, "We sympathize with the Promotion Committee’s decision made with the safety of citizens and tourists in mind," and added, "Although the festival has been canceled, we will work together to find ways to develop our city’s tourism culture and revitalize the local economy, which has been depressed due to COVID-19."

Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Sim Kyung-taek simkt7@asiae.co.kr

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