Safety of Citizens and Visitors Comes First
Final Review of All Preparations Including Traffic and Price Management
A Variety of Programs Planned for a Vibrant Sunrise Festival
Performances, Hands-on Experiences, and Media Facades
Homigot is the place where the first morning breaks on the Korean Peninsula.
With the 28th Homigot Korean National Sunrise Festival approaching, Pohang City is accelerating its final safety management inspections to prepare for tens of thousands of visitors.
On the 24th, Pohang City held the final briefing session in the main conference room of City Hall for the successful hosting of the 28th Homigot Korean National Sunrise Festival.
Presided over by Mayor Lee Kangdeok, the briefing session was attended by more than 50 representatives from relevant Pohang City departments, the Southern and Northern Police Stations, the Southern and Northern Fire Stations, the Pohang Coast Guard, Korea Expressway Corporation, and other related organizations.
Pohang City held the final briefing session on the 24th for the successful hosting of the 28th Homigot Korean New Year Sunrise Festival. Photo by Pohang City
The session began with a final preparation report from the Pohang Cultural Foundation, followed by discussions on parking management and traffic measures, crackdowns on street vendors and prevention of price gouging, safety management at major sunrise spots, and safety measures for the newly opened Pohang Rest Area. Each department and agency shared their respective response plans, conducting a comprehensive final review of the entire event.
Marking its 28th year, the Homigot Korean National Sunrise Festival will feature a variety of programs for visitors coming to Homigot on New Year’s Eve, starting with the “Night of Prayer” pre-event performance. There will also be reenactments of local traditional folk games with citizens, such as the Homa Dance (Wolwolicheongcheong), the Homigot Film Festival, and a music meditation zone, among other pre-dawn and late-night programs.
With a media facade utilizing the iconic Homigot lighthouse and the “Hand of Harmony,” a countdown performance, and the announcement of the New Year’s four-character idiom following the sunrise of Byeongo Year 2026, the festival aims to foster hope for the new year and strengthen unity and solidarity among citizens.
In particular, for 2026, the festival will introduce a new signature program: the sunrise ritual performance “Eo~Heunghanminguk.” There will also be a rice cake soup sharing event, the “Homigot Mask Playground” where visitors can make tiger and horse masks, and a New Year’s fortune lottery, offering a variety of unique programs that distinguish the festival from other local sunrise events.
The festival will also feature the “Homigotgan Pop-up Store” in collaboration with Pohang’s local merchants, and the “Homigot Food Zone” to provide warm food for visitors braving the cold, aiming to enhance the festival atmosphere and boost the local economy.
Safety measures will be significantly strengthened. Pohang City plans to install TFS tents in the form of air domes to protect against strong winds and cold waves, set up safety fences in hazardous coastal areas, and deploy additional safety personnel to ensure thorough accident prevention.
Mayor Lee Kangdeok stated, “With the expected increase in sunrise visitors, ensuring complete safety at Homigot and other major sunrise spots is more important than ever. We will do our utmost to prepare a festival that everyone-citizens and tourists alike-can enjoy safely, while also enhancing the event with unique Homigot sunrise content to help revitalize the local economy.”
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