Despite Cancellation of Official Homigot Korean New Year Sunrise Festival, Over 22,000 Visitors Gather
Memorial Wall Installation and Mourning Atmosphere Mark a Calm Sunrise Event
This Year’s Pohang City Four-Character Idiom ‘Chonghwa Jeonjin’ Symbolizes Unity and Progress Together
In the year of Eulsa 2025, as the first sunrise of the new year rose over Homigot, the easternmost point of the Korean Peninsula, citizens and tourists each made their wishes for the new year.
To witness the first sunrise at Homigot, over 22,000 visitors gathered, sharing hopes to overcome difficult times together amid a nationwide atmosphere of mourning, welcoming the new year of Eulsa.
The first sunrise at Homigot in the new year was clearly visible thanks to the clear and bright weather.
To revitalize the local economy, Pohang City planned large-scale sunset and sunrise events for the first time in five years since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, due to the declaration of a national mourning period following the passenger plane accident at Muan Airport on the 29th of last month, the official events of the 27th Homigot Korean Nation Sunrise Festival were canceled.
Although the official events were canceled, the city focused on providing conveniences such as cold wave shelters and preventing safety accidents. Additionally, a memorial wall was installed at Homigot Plaza, the event site, to honor the victims, allowing the new year of Eulsa to be welcomed in a solemn and calm atmosphere.
Mayor Lee Kang-deok of Pohang is visiting the Memorial Wall to pay tribute to the victims of the accident. Photo by Pohang City
For citizens and tourists visiting the site, large heated tents were set up and winter supplies were provided to offer cold wave shelters, along with small-scale experiential programs.
Moreover, Pohang tourism souvenirs and the 12 scenic spots of Pohang were displayed inside the heated facilities, and 3,200 servings of New Year’s rice cake soup (meal kits) were distributed to add meaning of gratitude and harmony for the new year.
Furthermore, 585 personnel including public officials, police, firefighters, and volunteer groups were deployed on site, ensuring that despite the cancellation of official events, the large crowds could safely welcome the first sunrise of the new year without any accidents.
Mayor Lee Kang-deok of Pohang, who visited the Homigot sunrise site that day, paid respects at the memorial wall for the victims of the Muan Airport passenger plane accident and encouraged the on-site workers by visiting the situation room and other locations.
Mayor Lee said, “Although the entire nation is in deep sorrow during this difficult national period, our people have the resilience to overcome crises and hardships,” adding, “I hope that the new year 2025 will be a year when everyone embraces hope, gathers strength, and moves forward.”
Pohang City chose this year’s four-character idiom as ‘Chonghwa Jeonjin (總和前進),’ meaning ‘united advancement,’ to symbolize everyone moving forward as one.
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