Lighting of the Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival Torch... Enthusiasm for Successful Hosting

Gapyeong-gun, Torch Relay Begins in Cheongpyeong-myeon
Touring Six Towns Until the 21st
Carrying Messages of Challenge, Recovery, and Harmony

The torch lighting ceremony, marking the opening of the Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival held in April and May this year, was grandly held on the 10th at Homyeong Lake in Cheongpyeong-myeon, Gapyeong-gun (Governor Seo Tae-won).

The event began with a traditional ritual praying for the successful hosting of the '15th Gyeonggi-do Disabled Sports Festival' and the '71st Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival,' followed by a Chilseonnyeo sacred dance performance, the torch lighting, and the handover of the torch to the heads of sports associations from six eup and myeon. About 100 people attended the event, including Governor Seo Tae-won, Kim Kyung-soo, chairman of the Gapyeong-gun Council, council members, Lim Kwang-hyun, a member of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly, Ji Young-gi, chairman of the Gapyeong-gun Sports Association and Disabled Sports Association, local organization leaders, torch relay runners, and residents. Attendees celebrated the historic moment marking the opening of the first large-scale sports event held in Gapyeong-gun and pledged to ensure its successful hosting.

Homyeong Lake, where the torch was lit, is a famous spot known as the "Cheonji of Gapyeong" and serves as the upper reservoir of the Cheongpyeong Pumped Storage Power Plant, symbolizing the cycle of storing and releasing energy. This torch lighting ceremony was conducted with the hope that the energy of challenge, recovery, and harmony through sports would ignite, reflecting this meaning.

The torch lit on this day will be relayed through six eup and myeon?starting from Cheongpyeong-myeon on the 10th, then Buk-myeon, Jojong-myeon, Sang-myeon, Seorak-myeon, and Gapyeong-eup?until the 21st. Each region receiving the torch will hold installation ceremonies sharing the meaning of the flame along with festivals. In particular, this relay is planned as a "symbolic journey connecting people and energy, tradition and future," expected to raise local community interest and anticipation ahead of the sports festival.

Governor Seo Tae-won stated, "Homyeong Lake, where the torch was lit, is a place that carries the message of carbon neutrality and recovery and conveys a message of challenge to our residents. We will do our best until the end to make the Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival, held for the first time in Gapyeong, a festival for both Gyeonggi residents and Gapyeong citizens."

Gapyeong-gun is putting all efforts into final preparations ahead of the opening ceremony of the Gyeonggi-do Disabled Sports Festival held on the 24th at Jaraseom Jungdo and the opening of the Gyeonggi-do Sports Festival on May 15.

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