WARMER WINTER AFFECTS SEASONAL FESTIVALS

[Anchor Lead]

Gangwon-do Province, known for its winter festivals, is having a hard time this winter because of the unusually warm weather. Festivals that had already started were suddenly suspended, while those that were about to kick off have become submerged in water.

[Pkg]

This is what is supposed to be the PyeongChang Trout Festival. But instead of tourists, the venue is full of water. Fishing tents are being removed one by one. The festival was suspended just ten days after it kicked off. It's no longer safe to continue the event because the ice is getting thinner due to the unseasonably warm, rainy weather. The decision on whether or not to resume the event will be made in a couple of days.

[Soundbite] CHA SOO-YEON(VISITOR) : "It's not easy for us to come here. We were upset to hear the festival was cancelled because of the weather."

The venue of a salmon festival in Hwacheon became inundated, prompting authorities to deploy fire engines. The flooding was caused by muddy water that flowed through from a nearby ravine after two days of rain. A fishing site for foreign tourists that opened a few days ago has been closed down.

[Soundbite] (TOURIST FROM TAIWAN) : "I was excited to visit this place. It's too bad it was closed because of the rain and flooding. I'll have to go back without ice fishing."

The organizers of the festival have decided to go ahead with its opening this weekend, because the event had already been postponed once. Although they are trying to ensure safety by expanding the interval between the holes of the ice, concerns over safety remain high.

[Soundbite] CHANG HONG-CHAN(FESTIVAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE) : "Now it's also raining. We have been preparing for this festival for one year. All our staff members are trying to preserve the ice."

A winter festival in Hongcheon, which is to kick off on Friday, will feature only indoor and regular fishing instead of ice fishing. The winter rain is causing havoc for festivals across Gangwon-do Province.