WINTER FESTIVALS CALLED OFF

[Anchor Lead]

Gangwondo Province is well known for its winter festivals, usually garnering visitors from all across the country. But this year, festivals are being called off one after another amid the pandemic. Take a look.

[Pkg]

Fish leaping on ice. Sculptures and sleighs all around the snow-covered field. These are trademark scenes of Gangwondo Province in the winter. But this year, things will be different. Some of the most famous events in the region including the Mt. Taebaek Snow Festival and Pyeongchang Trout Festival have been canceled early on. The Inje Icefish Festival is the latest addition to the list. So far 5 of the top 7 Gangwon-do festivals have been cancelled.

[Soundbite] KIM CHUN-IL(INJE CULTURAL FOUNDATION) : "Due to the pandemic, we reached the decision as citizen safety comes first."

That leaves the Cheorwon Hantan River Ice Trekking and the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival. Social distancing has been raised to level 1.5 in Cheorwon due to cluster COVID-19 infections at military units and nursing homes. If the level goes up to 2, gatherings of over 100 participants are banned, which makes the opening of any festival practically impossible. Hwacheon has bigger concerns. For the Sancheoneo Ice Festival, sancheoneo fish are purchased and raised in advance. Some 77 tons are currently growing at a fish farm. If the festival is cancelled, the county will face difficulties in disposing the fish, a process that will deal a blow to the local economy.

[Soundbite] OH GYEONG-TAEK(HWACHEON-GUN COUNTY CULTURE & TOURISM DEPT.) : "Conditions are very challenging as the virus continues to spread. It's difficult to say when the festival can open."

Due to the pandemic, Gangwondo Province may experience a winter without festivals for the first time in history.