Chungnam Governor Park Soo-hyun attended the opening ceremony of the 23rd Seosan Haemi Eupseong Festival, held at the Haemi Eupseong area in Seosan City on the 9th, to celebrate its opening and extend a warm welcome to visitors.

Hosted and organized by Seosan City and the Seosan Cultural Foundation, this year's festival runs for three days from the 9th to the 11th under the theme, “HAEMI UNIVERSE: 1421, The Gate of Time Opens.”

The festival aims to present a unique blend of tradition and modernity rooted in the historical and cultural identity of Haemi Eupseong, while laying the foundation for a cultural tourism festival that coexists and thrives with the local community.

A variety of programs reimagining the history of Haemi Eupseong with a modern twist will be featured during the festival.

Visitors will be greeted by a range of attractions, including the musical “Become the Moon” set against the period of the fortress's construction, the convergence martial arts performance “Tiger of Haemi,” the Royal Inspection Procession of King Taejong, and “Haemi the Classic,” featuring a 40-piece orchestra performing alongside a local elementary school choir.

In addition, diverse spectacles such as a drone lighting show utilizing a 1,000-drone swarm flight to portray the 600-year history of Haemi Eupseong will be presented.

Speaking at the event, Governor Park emphasized, “The spirits of King Taejong and Admiral Yi Sun-sin embedded in Haemi Eupseong form the foundation of Chungcheong's spirit.” He added, “Every single stone of the Haemi Eupseong fortress embodies both the loyalty that protected the country and the courage that rose for the people.”

Governor Park continued, “The dream of a strong nation and a prosperous military envisioned by King Taejong, the footsteps of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and the cries of the Donghak Peasant Revolution for a better world are all parts of the ‘Spirit of Haemi’ that we must remember and carry forward,” expressing his hope that the festival would become an occasion to cherish the 600-year history of Haemi Eupseong in our hearts.

Furthermore, Governor Park drew attention to Haemi's religious and historical significance.

Noting that Haemi is “a land of martyrs” and “a world-class sanctuary of healing and peace,” Governor Park explained the lives of the martyrs and Haemi's historical value, which gained global recognition following Pope Francis's visit to Haemi in 2014.

He also introduced the fact that he met with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican last August, where he shared his vision for creating an “Asian Santiago Pilgrimage Route” centered around Haemi and requested a visit to Chungnam during the 2027 World Youth Day, adding, “We will make sure that the footsteps of people from all over the world lead to Seosan Haemi.”

Moving forward, the provincial government plans to link the historical and cultural resources of Haemi Eupseong with religious and tourism contents, developing Haemi into a historical and cultural tourist destination where domestic and international visitors can visit and stay, and fostering it as a world-class cultural tourism asset.

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