Opening on Saturday, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival, which is organized by Foundation NARA, will run through Jan. 31 in the Gangwon provincial town, 118 kilometers northeast of Seoul, offering about 70 various programs and activities, including bare hand fishing and sleigh riding.

Despite the record high temperatures this winter, the thickness of the ice in the lake of Hwacheon is about 24 centimeters. The organizing committee said, citing weather forecasts that the temperature will remain 10 degrees below zero for a while.

During the wintertime celebration, the committee said it will release about 150 tons of local fish, roughly 600,000 fishes. The visitors can go to nearby restaurants to cook and eat the fish they caught.

Separate ice fishing areas are prepared for foreigners and infants.

This year, night fishing will be allowed until 9 p.m., according to the committee.

“It is important that more than a million people visit the festival every year, but this time, we have prepared diverse night events to attract more than 200,000 visitors, who will stay during the festival,” Hwacheon County Mayor Choi Moon-su said.

The Sancheoneo festival was named South Korea’s representative festival this year.

MORE INFORMATION

Board president of Foundation NARA, Kim Jong Wan, nara3005@gmail.com, +82-33-441-7575