Naju Selected as Host City for Namdo Food Culture Festival... Strengthening the Status of Namdo Cuisine

Selected as the Host City for Four Consecutive Years from 2026 to 2029

A recent scene of Naju City Public Health Center conducting an evaluation of the suitability of the venue for the Namdo Food Culture Festival. Provided by Naju City

Naju City has been selected as the host city for the Namdo Food Culture Festival, the representative food culture festival of Jeollanam-do, for four consecutive years from 2026 to 2029, laying the foundation for its leap forward as a leading city in Namdo food culture and gastronomic tourism.

Naju City announced on January 6 that it has been finally selected as the host city for the Namdo Food Culture Festival from 2026 to 2029.

The Namdo Food Culture Festival, with a tradition of over 30 years, is Jeollanam-do's signature annual food culture festival. It aims to preserve and develop the unique food culture of the Namdo region and to revitalize the local economy.

This year's host city selection was conducted through an open competition. Naju City applied for the bid in November 2025, passed the venue suitability evaluation on December 19, and was officially confirmed as the final host city following the board's resolution of the Namdo Food Culture Festival on December 31. Tentatively, the event will be held in the Yeongsangang Garden area.

The Namdo Food Culture Festival is scheduled to be held annually between September and October from 2026 to 2029, and on one occasion during this period, the festival will be expanded to an international scale.

During the festival, a variety of content will be offered to provide visitors with a rich gastronomic experience, including the operation of the Namdo Food Culture Exhibition Hall, culinary competition programs, sales markets, and hands-on programs.

Yoon Byungtae, Mayor of Naju, stated, "Being selected as the host city for the Namdo Food Culture Festival is a recognition of Naju's competitiveness in food culture and its festival management capabilities. We hope the festival will become a signature event that widely promotes the value of Namdo cuisine and invigorates the local economy through the activation of gastronomic tourism, linked with the 2026 Year of Visiting Naju."