Chaseokho, Jinju City Deputy Mayor, Visits China Zhigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival

Seeking Ways to Strengthen and Globalize the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival

Cha Seok-ho, Deputy Mayor of Jinju City, Gyeongnam Province, visited the "31st International Dinosaur Lantern Festival" held in Zigong City, Sichuan Province, China, on February 8th, which started on January 17th.

During this visit, Deputy Mayor Cha met with Zigong City officials including Zhou Yun, Vice Mayor of the Zigong Municipal People's Government, Xian Hongwei, Chairman of the Lantern Industry Association, Wang Wei, Chairman of Clover Lantern Cultural and Artistic Heritage Corporation, and representatives of lantern manufacturing companies. They held a meeting to discuss mutual cooperation and development plans between the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival and the Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival, and toured the festival site.

Cha Seok-ho, Deputy Mayor of Jinju City, Visits China Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival.

The Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival is so famous among Chinese people that it is said, "In the north, there is the Harbin Ice Festival; in the south, there is the Zigong Lantern Festival." This year, seven major themed zones have been created, showcasing 12 super-large lantern sets, 7 large lantern sets, and over 200 lantern sets.

Representative works include "Qingsheng Shuangxi (Twin Beauties of Blue Energy)," "Haishi Xinlu (Mirage of the Sea)," and "Peacock Merger," which align with the theme of the Year of the Snake in 2025.

Deputy Mayor Cha said, "I was deeply impressed by the scale of the Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Festival and the intricate lantern production methods," adding, "I hope that through continuous communication and mutual cooperation with Zigong City, the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival will enhance its competitiveness and leap forward as a global festival."

Meanwhile, Jinju City was designated as a Cultural City of South Korea in December last year, and based on the secured project funds, plans to independently train specialized lantern production personnel and create creative and diverse lanterns to strengthen the competitiveness of the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival.