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Jung-gu, Seoul (Mayor Kim Gil-seong) will hold the 31st "Namsan Beacon Lighting Ceremony for Peace" to commemorate the 'UN International Day of Peace,' wishing for peaceful reunification and national harmony.

Co-hosted by Jung-gu and the Seoul Jung-gu Council of the National Unification Advisory Council, this beacon lighting ceremony will take place on the 21st at 7 PM in front of the Namsan Octagonal Pavilion. Under the theme of "Peace, Harmony, and Ownership," it is expected to be a festival of peace with about 1,000 residents, tourists, and guests participating.

Notably, this ceremony will reenact the traditional beacon lighting ritual based on historical verification. The chairman of the Jung-gu Council of the National Unification Advisory Council will act as the king, while the advisory council members and community autonomy committee chairs will take the roles of the Six Ministries (Ijo, Hojo, Yejo, Byeongjo, Hyeongjo, Gongjo).

The event will proceed in the order of an opening performance, inspection of the beacon soldiers, reading of the peace and reunification prayer, bell ringing, beacon lighting, and a peace chorus.

Starting at 6:30 PM, Rock Dream will perform a crossover stage and popera concert to elevate the atmosphere before the main event.

The ceremony begins at 7 PM with the entrance of the beacon soldiers dressed in traditional costumes, followed by an inspection parade and the reading of the peace and reunification prayer. Mayor Kim Gil-seong and Lee Gang-woon, chairman of the Jung-gu Council of the National Unification Advisory Council, will ring the bell 31 times, expressing their wishes for peaceful reunification and national harmony.

After the bell ringing, the highlight of the event, the beacon lighting ceremony, will follow. Mayor Kim Gil-seong, Lee Gang-woon, and other guests will receive the torch lighting count from the Six Ministries and ignite the torch, then proceed with the beacon soldiers to the beacon platform. In front of the beacon platform, they will read a message of peace and reunification and light the beacon fire symbolizing peace and great harmony.

Following the beacon lighting, the Jung-gu Municipal Choir will perform the "Song of Peace," concluding the event with a closing performance.

Alongside the commemorative event, various participation booths and a beacon soldier costume experience will be available in front of the Octagonal Pavilion. Visitors can wear the beacon soldier costumes and take photos at the photo zone to create lasting memories.

The peace beacon lighting ceremony first began at Namsan, the heart of Seoul, in 1992, marking its 31st year this year.

The Mokmyeoksan (Namsan) beacon platform was used as the central beacon platform where beacons from all eight provinces of the Joseon Dynasty converged, serving for about 500 years. Normally, one fire was lit; two fires if enemies appeared; three if enemies approached the border; four if enemies crossed the border; and five if battles were fought at the border. There were reportedly five beacon platforms on Namsan, but only one restored platform remains today.

Mayor Kim Gil-seong of Jung-gu said, "I hope this will be a meaningful time to unite everyone's hearts wishing for peace and harmony."