A Promise Forged at the Foot of Mt. Geumseong... Daegu-Uiseong Hometown Association Hiking Club Holds Annual Mountain Ritual

300 Gather at Chunsan Middle School
Praying for Safe Hiking and Hometown Prosperity

People originally from Uiseong, North Gyeongsang Province, gathered together for a meaningful event to pray for the safety of the new year's hiking season and the development of their hometown.

The Daegu-Uiseong Hometown Association Hiking Club held its annual mountain ritual to mark the start of the 2026 byeongo year’s regular hiking activities at Chunsan Middle School in Chunsan-myeon, Uiseong-gun at 11 a.m. on March 8, 2026. Around 300 club members attended the event, praying for accident-free hiking throughout the year, the health of their members, and the prosperity of the local community.

A group commemorative photo is being taken at the mountain worship ceremony of the Daegu-Uiseong Hometown Association Hiking Club, reinforced on the foothills of Geumseongsan. Photo by Byunggeon Kwon

This year’s mountain ritual, held at Chunsan Middle School located at the foot of Mt. Geumseong, provided an opportunity for members to reflect on the meaning of their hometown and to strengthen the bonds within their community. Members from Daegu and nearby regions who originally hail from Uiseong gathered in one place, pledging to ensure hiking safety and unity, reaffirming the status of this representative hometown hiking club.

The Daegu-Uiseong Hometown Association Hiking Club consists mostly of people originally from Uiseong, and continues to strengthen ties among members and contribute to the local community through regular hikes and various volunteer activities. In particular, the club leads the spread of a healthy hiking culture by organizing regular hikes to famous mountains across the country on the second Sunday of every month.

Park Sunhee, president of the hiking club, said, “Our club has steadily grown based on harmony and trust among members. Going forward, we will develop the club into one trusted by the local community, one that contributes to the region’s economy and society, and into a premier hometown hiking club that seeks out the country’s most renowned mountains.”

Senior Vice President Lee Hakui also said, “Through passionate climbing activities, we will further elevate the status of the Daegu-Uiseong Hometown Association Hiking Club. Together with President Park Sunhee, General Secretary Son Sangho, Women’s Secretary Lee Mikyung, Treasurer Park Kyunghee, Rescue Team Leader Choi Myungseop, and Women’s Rescue Team Leader Kim Kyungsook, we will both expand our membership and enhance the club’s substance, growing into a club that represents the entire country.”

Kim Joungho, president of the Daegu-Uiseong Hometown Association, said, “It is very meaningful to see members unite through hiking and to promote the name of Uiseong nationwide. I hope both the Hometown Association and the hiking club will continue to play a central role in developing the local community and strengthening the unity of our hometown network.”

The hometown hiking club is more than just a simple hiking group; it serves as a vital link that upholds the solidarity and identity of the hometown community. This year’s mountain ritual held at the foothills of Mt. Geumseong was not only a traditional ceremony for safe hiking, but also a symbolic occasion for members living away from home to reaffirm their connection to their roots. Even while living elsewhere, the bond with their hometown continues through the community, as this event clearly demonstrated.

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