Nowon District Mayor Oh Seung-rok Hosts '2024 Joint Ancestral Rite and Hometown Music Concert for North Korean Defectors' for Chuseok

On the 10th at 6 PM, Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon District, held the '2024 Joint Charye Ceremony and Hometown Music Concert for North Korean Defectors' in the large auditorium on the 2nd floor of the district office to celebrate Chuseok.

Nowon District has the largest number of North Korean defectors among Seoul's autonomous districts, totaling 966 people. To comfort their longing for hometown and family and to provide opportunities for leisure and cultural enjoyment, the district has been organizing joint Charye ceremonies and various performances every Chuseok.

The event was hosted by the district and the Nowon District North Korean Defector Support Regional Council, with cooperation from the Nowon District Council of the National Unification Advisory Council and the Seoul Northern Hana Center. About 120 North Korean defectors, including Mayor Oh Seung-rok, attended the event.

The program included pre-event activities such as ▲writing letters to hometown ▲caricature drawing ▲joint Charye ceremony for Hangawi ▲national ceremony ▲greetings ▲traditional Korean music and b-boy performance ▲North Korean defector singing contest and awards ceremony ▲letter reading ▲conductor solo ▲and a performance by the North-South Harmony Choir.

A special segment featured an event where North Korean defectors personally presented a caricature of Mayor Oh Seung-rok that they had drawn.

Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, "I hope this joint Charye ceremony and hometown music concert will bring a small comfort to North Korean defectors who miss their hometown and family," and added, "We will continue to strive to help North Korean defectors settle stably in the local community."