The lawsuit filed by democratization organizations challenging the name change of the Masan Chrysanthemum Festival in Changwon, Gyeongnam?renamed last year to the Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival?has been dismissed.
According to Changwon City and other sources on June 20, the Changwon District Court's Administrative Division 1 dismissed on June 19 the lawsuit filed by representatives of three democratization organizations last July, which sought confirmation of the invalidity of the partial amendment to the ordinance on the promotion and support of festivals in Changwon City.
A dismissal ruling is issued when a lawsuit or claim does not meet the necessary requirements or is not subject to judicial review. Since the claim is not accepted, it results in the same outcome as a loss for the plaintiff.
The name of the Masan Chrysanthemum Festival was officially changed to the Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival on July 22 last year, when the alternative partial amendment to the ordinance on the promotion and support of festivals in Changwon City was passed at the second plenary session of the 136th extraordinary session of the Changwon City Council.
The original amendment to the ordinance was scheduled to be reviewed by the Culture, Environment, and Urban Affairs Committee, the relevant standing committee. However, due to intense opposition and support, insufficient gathering of opinions from the local community, and a lack of deliberation time within the city council, the committee chair did not reconvene the meeting, and the agenda was not submitted for review.
Ultimately, city council members from the People Power Party submitted an alternative amendment, and the chairperson exercised authority to bring it directly to the plenary session, where it was put to a vote and passed.
The opening ceremony of the 24th Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival held for the first time after the name change. Provided by Changwon Special City
The term "Gagopa" in the festival's name comes from a song composed by Kim Dongjin, based on a poem by the late poet Lee Eunsang from Masan, who wrote it while reminiscing about his hometown, Masan Bay.
The 3.15 Uprising Memorial Foundation, the Buma Democratic Uprising Memorial Foundation, and the Kim Juyeol Memorial Foundation strongly opposed the name change, arguing that Lee Eunsang had a history of supporting dictatorship and opposing democracy.
The Masan Chrysanthemum Festival began in 2000 under the name "Masan Chrysanthemum Festival." In 2005, an international naming contest resulted in the festival being called the "Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival" starting in 2018.
Later, in 2019, reflecting the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's recommendation to simplify festival names, it was changed back to "Masan Chrysanthemum Festival." However, following the passage of the ordinance, it has been called the "Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival" again since last fall.
Changwon City considers the name change legitimate, as it was decided by the city council, which represents the citizens, and plans to use the new name for the festival to be held this fall.
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