Hwacheoncheon Bustles with Tourists from Across the Country on January 15
16 Years of Ongoing Sharing Continues
Hwacheon County Invites Welfare Facility Youth Annually
Over 4,500 Welfare Facility Youths Invited
"Unfrozen Kindness" in Action with Snow Sledding and More
The 2026 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is reaching the peak of winter festivities by embodying the value of warm sharing under the slogan "Unfrozen Kindness, Unmelting Memories."
According to Hwacheon County on January 15, the Hwacheoncheon stream, where the 2026 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is being held, was filled with countless tourists enjoying sancheoneo fishing and a variety of festival programs, fully savoring the romance of winter. Despite being a weekday, the silver ice was crowded with families, couples, and groups of friends out for a day trip.
In particular, the significance of the day was heightened by the "Angel's Day" event, which Hwacheon County holds every year during the festival period. Now in its 16th year, "Angel's Day" is Hwacheon County's unique social contribution program, inviting young people from welfare facilities across the country and providing them with opportunities to experience the festival.
This year, 4,567 children from welfare facilities, people with disabilities, and children from multicultural families from 193 locations nationwide are participating in the event. This is more than double the scale compared to last year's 2,041 participants from 78 locations. The invited youths enjoyed all the main festival programs free of charge, including sancheoneo ice fishing, barehanded catching, snow sledding, ice sledding, and ice bobsleigh, creating special memories.
Since 2010, Hwacheon County has continued this event to bring joy to those who find it difficult to engage in outdoor activities during winter. Excluding the years when the festival was canceled due to foot-and-mouth disease and COVID-19, approximately 40,000 "angels" have visited Hwacheon as of this year.
Additionally, Hwacheon County and the Nara Foundation are creating an inclusive festival environment by providing extensive preferential benefits not only to children from welfare facilities but also to seniors aged 65 and older, national merit recipients, military personnel, people with disabilities, and families with multiple children.
Hwacheon County held the "Angel's Day" event on the 14th during the festival period, inviting children from welfare facilities and people with disabilities nationwide. Provided by Hwacheon County
On the 14th, during the festival period, Hwacheon County hosted the "Angel's Day" event, inviting children and people with disabilities from welfare facilities nationwide. Provided by Hwacheon County
Choi Moonsoon, Governor of Hwacheon County, said, "We have kept the promise of 'unfrozen kindness' since the Sancheoneo Festival began in 2003," adding, "I hope that the angelic children from all over the country will take the warmth of Hwacheon's spirit and the beautiful memories of winter deeply to heart."
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