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2026-09-22 06:52 UTC → 2026-10-12 05:55 UTC ·
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2026 Punggi Ginseng Festival in Yeongju concludes amid success and rift
Preparations for the The 2026 Punggi Ginseng Festival in Yeongju, scheduled for Festival, held from October 3 to 11, have focused on both economic stimulation and cultural promotion. In late August, Yeongju City Council members proposed railway tourism initiatives to bolster the local economy. These proposals included the creation of a ‘Punggi Ginseng Train’ and the implementation of temporary KTX-Eum stops at Punggi Station to encourage stay-over tourism. Korail responded by increasing KTX-Eum services on the Jungang Line starting September 1 and agreed to review the possibility of temporary station stops. The festival itself is set to take place 11 in the Namwoncheon and Punggi Ginseng Park areas. Planned activities include areas, concluded with approximately 511,000 visitors, an increase of 14,000 from the previous year. The event marked a strategic shift from a sales-focused model to a stay-oriented festival emphasizing food, traditional ceremonies such as culture, and performances. Program highlights included the Gaesamteo ritual, ginseng-themed culinary experiences, a reenactment of the procession of Magistrate Ju Se-bung, and various hands-on contests. The event also aims to activities such as ginseng carving, rice cake pounding, and foot baths. Culinary offerings featured ginseng-based dishes and a food talk show. To promote regional cultural heritage by highlighting tourism, the festival highlighted nearby UNESCO World Heritage sites like Buseoksa Temple. Temple and Sosu Seowon, while Museom Village hosted a separate wooden bridge festival. Promotional success was bolstered by a viral parody music video featuring 60 city officials, which reached over 5 million views on social media. While the festival successfully integrated local markets and improved accessibility to boost economic vitality, it concluded amidst administrative tension. Disputes emerged between Yeongju City and the Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival Organizing Committee regarding proposed changes to the operating entity. The city intends to expand the festival space into the wider Punggi-eup area to support more local businesses, but the committee has opposed management shifts implemented without sufficient consultation.