Pohang International Fireworks Festival ... Mayor Lee Kang-deok Orders Full Safety Measures from Viewing to Return

Festival Held After 4 Years Prioritizes 'Safety' in Event Preparation

Managing Visitor Flow, Inspecting Related Facilities, Preventing Accidents

Mayor Lee Kang-deok of Pohang has urged thorough preparation for the Pohang International Fireworks Festival, which is being held normally for the first time in four years, emphasizing that the safety of spectators must be the top priority.

With the recent lifting of social distancing measures and the indoor and outdoor mask mandates, a large crowd is expected to gather from all over the country. Accordingly, Pohang City is focusing its administrative efforts on safety management by maintaining a cooperative system among related agencies such as the fire department, police, and coast guard.

Despite being on medical leave for follow-up treatment after cancer surgery, Mayor Lee has been regularly receiving reports on safety issues related to the festival and personally overseeing them. He instructed the relevant departments to ensure thorough preparation without any negligence to maintain safety without any gaps.

He also emphasized reviewing the management of spectator flow, installation of safety lines, and deployment of safety personnel to take full responsibility for safety not only during the event but also on the way home when crowds are expected. He urged detailed inspections of the event stage and festival-related facilities to enable swift response in case of emergencies and to make every effort to prevent accidents.

To ensure safety management during the festival, the city plans to operate ▲ safety CCTV and on-site management via drones ▲ deployment of maritime rescue teams, ambulances, and water spraying vehicles ▲ a joint comprehensive situation room with related agencies ▲ and DJ Police (crowd control vehicles) throughout the festival venue.

Mayor Lee Kang-deok said, “Please maintain vigilance until the very end and double-check safety so that visitors can enjoy the festival safely and return home without incident. Through the safe hosting of the Pohang International Fireworks Festival, a representative festival of Korea, we will showcase the capabilities of Pohang as a ‘tourism city’ where people can enjoy safely.”

2019 Pohang Firelight Festival. [Image source: Pohang City]

The Pohang International Fireworks Festival, held from the 26th to the 28th at the Hyeongsan River Sports Park area, is being held normally for the first time in four years after cancellations in 2020 due to COVID-19, a scaled-down event in 2021 due to COVID-19, and cancellation in 2021 due to Typhoon Hinnamnor damage. During the festival period, which attracts tourists from across the country, the city plans to promote large-scale sales events such as the Korea Together Festival to revitalize the local economy.