Muan Hwangto Mudflat Festival Held In-Person After 4 Years

Published 30 May.2023 15:30(KST)

Flag March "Thank You, Mudflat, Please Take Care of the Earth" on the 9th of Next Month

Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Kim San) and the Muan-gun Festival Promotion Committee (Chairman Park Mun-jae) announced on the 30th that the 9th Muan Hwangto Mudflat Festival will be held at Muan Hwangto Mudflat Land from the 9th to the 11th of next month.

This festival, held face-to-face for the first time in four years since the COVID-19 pandemic, is themed "The Value of 1㎥ of Hwangto Mudflat." It offers an educational venue to learn about and enjoy the environmental value of Muan Mudflat, Korea's first designated mudflat wetland protection area. Various events stimulating the five senses, healthy food, and experiences of the spectacular black silk mudflat will be held.

In 2019, visitors were experiencing shellfish harvesting at the Muan Hwangto Mudflat Festival. [Photo by Muan-gun]

Especially this year, centered on learning the value of Muan Mudflat, which excels in climate change response and carbon reduction, and participating in actions to protect the ecosystem (challenge), the festival will feature △ a flag parade with the slogan "Thank You, Mudflat, Please Take Care of the Earth" △ a "Hwangto Mudflat Blue Carbon Talk Show" with Professor Kim Jong-sung from Seoul National University △ "Healing Hwangto Mudflat Barefoot Walking" by Dr. Park Dong-chang of the Barefoot Walking Citizens Movement Headquarters to promote Walker City Muan △ and a drone light show in the night sky over Muan Mudflat, providing visitors with thrilling sights and emotional experiences.

During the event, daily activities include △ mudflat experience zones where participants can catch octopus and eel and try catching mud crabs with their hands △ onion harvesting and sweet potato vine planting experiences in the Hwangto field △ exciting dance and water fight games with a DJ in the octopus plaza air bounce water play area △ Lucerium science experiences such as telescope stargazing and robot dancing △ cooking experiences using agricultural and marine products produced in the clean Hwangto and mudflat △ and eco-friendly electric train rides to enjoy the mudflat scenery.

Additionally, Muan Hwangto Mudflat Land, recognized as the best ecological tourist destination in the southwestern region, offers attractions such as the Ecological Mudflat Science Center where visitors can learn about various characteristics of mudflat organisms, a mudflat experience learning center, a marine safety experience center, a bonsai theme exhibition hall, and accommodation facilities including Hwangto igloos, providing more enjoyment for tourists.

Park Mun-jae, Chairman of the Muan Festival Promotion Committee, said, "We have completed thorough preparations as this is the first face-to-face festival in four years," and added, "We hope families come to the Muan Hwangto Mudflat Festival to take care of their health and receive healing."

Meanwhile, Muan Mudflat is an ecological treasure trove visited by 250 species of benthic organisms, 56 species of halophytes including Salicornia and seashore grass, and 52 species of migratory birds such as the Baikal teal. It is designated as Korea’s first mudflat wetland protection area No. 1, a Ramsar wetland, and a mudflat provincial park, boasting pristine natural scenery. The festival has been held since 2003 to widely promote the ecological value and importance of Muan Mudflat.