Even the Military Band and Honor Guard Festival... This Year's Jinhae Gunhangje: All Military Events Ultimately 'Cancelled'

Considering the nationwide wildfire damage, including in Sancheong, Gyeongnam, the 63rd Jinhae Gunhangje Festival has been significantly scaled down, with the cancellation of the military band and honor guard festival following the public event at the naval base.

Changwon City and the Jinhae Naval Base Command announced after much deliberation that all military unit events at this year's Jinhae Gunhangje Festival, scheduled from the 29th to the 6th of the following month, will be canceled.

The Jinhae Naval Port Festival's highlight, the Military Music and Ceremony Festival, is taking place. Provided by Changwon City Hall

The opening of the Naval Academy and Jinhae Naval Base Command's Pier 11, warship tours, K-Defense Industry promotional exhibitions, and the Air Force Black Eagles air show have all been canceled as well.

Additionally, one of the main events of the Jinhae Gunhangje Festival, the military band and honor guard festival, will not be held after discussions with the Ministry of National Defense.

However, the Cherry Blossom Hill at Ungdong Water Source, which will be open to the public for the first time in 57 years, and the Navy Education Command parking lot during the weekend will be open as planned.

A public event showcasing naval vessels is being held at the Jinhae Naval Base Command during the Jinhae Gunhangje Festival. Photo by Jinhae Naval Base Command

Changwon City previously canceled the Yi Chungmugong Victory Memorial Fireworks Show scheduled for April 2 at Jinhaeru and decided to express condolences for wildfire victims with a moment of silence before official events.

A Navy official said, "Many people must have been looking forward to the military unit events at this year's Jinhae Gunhangje Festival, so it is with a heavy heart that we made this decision. We will do our best to mourn the wildfire victims, strengthen our support readiness for this national disaster, and minimize damage to the public."

A city official stated, "We have been preparing for the Gunhangje Festival for several months, and considering practical issues such as revitalizing the local economy, we determined that a complete cancellation of the festival would be difficult. We will proceed with the festival in a solemn and reverent atmosphere, upholding the spirit of national defense embodied by Admiral Yi Sunshin, so that the event can help overcome the national crisis and unite the people."