"From the History and Culture of Coal Mines to New Hope"... Gangwon Mining Village Cultural Festival to Be Held

To Be Held on October 11 at Mining Culture Village and Machae Elementary School in Buk-myeon, Yeongwol County

The 15th Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Mining Village Cultural Festival, which commemorates the history and culture of the coal mines that led to the industrialization of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, will be held on October 11 under the supervision of the Mining Village Cultural Festival Promotion Committee. The event will take place at the Mining Culture Village in Buk-myeon, Yeongwol County (for the memorial service) and Machae Elementary School (for the commemorative ceremony and unity event).

Scenes from the 14th Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Mining Village Cultural Festival held last year. Provided by Yeongwol County

Machae-ri, Buk-myeon, Yeongwol County, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, is the province’s earliest mining village, formed around the Yeongwol Mining Office, which supplied coal to the Yeongwol Thermal Power Plant. The Yeongwol Mining Office opened in 1935, closed in 1972, reopened in 1975, and finally ceased operations in 1990, marking its exit from history.

The Mining Village Cultural Festival will begin with a memorial service at the Industrial Warriors Memorial Tower, featuring traditional rituals such as tearing of mourning cloth and salpuri dance to honor and pay tribute to workers who lost their lives. In addition, a woodcutting contest, a community tug-of-war, and a variety of prize events will be held, offering residents and visitors an extra layer of enjoyment and inspiration.

Chairman Um Kiman stated, "The mining village is the root of our region and was the driving force behind the nation’s economic development. I hope this festival serves as an opportunity to remember the history and culture of the mining era and to share new hope for the future."

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