Captain Um Hong-gil's Goseong Georyusan Mountain Climbing Festival Concludes Successfully

The 11th Georyusan Mountain Climbing Festival with Captain Eom Hong-gil was held on the 28th at the Eom Hong-gil Exhibition Hall and Georyusan Mountain in Songsan-ri, Georyu-myeon, Goseong-gun, Gyeongnam Province.

Hosted and organized by the Georyu-myeon Development Committee, the climbing festival was attended by about 800 people including Captain Eom Hong-gil, County Governor Lee Sang-geun, National Assembly members Jeong Jeom-sik, Jo Kyung-tae, Hwang Bo-seung-hee, Provincial Assembly member Baek Su-myeong, County Council Chairman Choi Eul-seok, Deputy Governor of Gyeongnam Province Choi Man-rim, as well as hometown associations and climbers from all over the country, achieving great success without any safety accidents.

The event began at 9:30 a.m. with a fan signing session by Captain Eom Hong-gil, followed by pre-performance shows by the Georyu Pungmul Group and aerobics, a commemorative ceremony, warm-up exercises before the hike, and photo sessions, then proceeded with climbing Georyusan Mountain.

A scene of hiking at the Georyusan Mountain Climbing Festival with Captain Eom Hong-gil.

The Georyusan climbing course is divided into three sections: ▲Section 1 (7.7 km, 4 hours) ▲Section 2 (km, 2 hours) → Section 3 (9 km, 5 hours), allowing participants to choose their preferred route among the three. Captain Eom chose Section 2 for his climb.

Alongside the main event, there were food stalls offering dishes such as rice cake soup and pajeon (green onion pancake), a tasting and sales area for scallops, which are in season in October, and a local specialty promotion and sales area introducing various specialties from Goseong-gun such as spinach (including Dinosaur Country Shopping Mall, Dinosaur Natural Farm, and Goseong Dongbu Nonghyup), providing participants with a variety of food and attractions for enjoyment.

Additionally, a sponsorship recruitment area was set up for the ‘Eom Hong-gil Human Foundation,’ which contributes to various domestic and international projects including education and medical support in developing countries like Nepal, youth education, support for marginalized groups, and environmental protection. There was also a promotional space for the Hometown Love Donation Program, where individuals can donate to any local government other than their registered residence or hometown, with the local government using the funds for residents’ welfare, and donors receiving tax deductions and gifts from their hometowns.

In particular, Captain Eom, as the promotional ambassador of Goseong-gun, plays a significant role in promoting the attractions, food, and entertainment of his hometown Goseong nationwide, making the various promotional spaces held alongside the Georyusan climbing festival especially meaningful.

Unlike last year, this year’s event included a raffle for participants remaining at the venue during the climb and a communal festival where participants could enjoy themselves together, keeping the climbing festival lively even as participants returned from the hike.

Chairman Son Sang-jae said, “I am pleased to hold this event with Captain Eom Hong-gil, who is from our county, and mountain enthusiasts. This event was satisfying as it offered a wider variety of attractions and food, and we will continue to strive to attract more people to Goseong and Georyusan.”

Governor Lee said, “I thank everyone who participated in the Georyusan Mountain Climbing Festival with Captain Eom Hong-gil. I hope many people receive the good energy of Captain Eom and the spirit of Georyusan.”

Captain Eom said, “I hope everyone who loves Goseong receives the good energy of Georyusan, a famous mountain of Goseong, and wishes you health, happiness, and success.”