Hwacheon's Cherry Salmon Thrive Through Record Heat, Raising Hopes for Next Year's Festival

Cherry salmon — the star of Hwacheon-gun's signature winter festival in Gangwon Province — have survived this summer's record heat and are growing well, raising expectations for a successful festival next year.

Hwacheon-gun County Chief Kim Se-hun and staff recently visited seven cherry salmon farms in the Sanae-myeon and Gandong-myeon areas to inspect the fish's growth and overall condition, the county announced Monday.

The inspection found that cherry salmon measuring 15 to 20 centimeters in length were growing in good health, with no significant die-offs recorded at the farms.

The volume of fish to be supplied for next year's festival is expected to exceed 155 metric tons.

Particularly notable this year is the near-absence of fish deaths, which the county said would allow farms in the Hwacheon area alone to produce more than 70 metric tons between December, when deliveries begin, and January.

Hwacheon-gun plans to expand support for fish farmers to raise the local self-sufficiency rate for cherry salmon used at the festival.

The county is reviewing a plan to supply farms with beneficial microorganisms it produces itself, while also pushing to spread advanced aquaculture technology and increase contracted supply volumes.

It also plans to improve egg collection, fingerling production, and rearing and shipping processes at the county-run farms in Woncheon-ri and Nonmi-ri in Hanam-myeon to boost its own output.

The county-operated farms have an annual cherry salmon production capacity of around 20 metric tons.

Hwacheon-gun also plans to complete on-site inspections of cherry salmon farms across the country before the festival opens.

Fish deliveries will begin in December, with the cherry salmon first acclimatized for a set period at the Nonmi-ri holding facility — which maintains water temperatures similar to those at the festival venue — before being released into the festival site in stages.

"The cherry salmon being raised for the 2027 Hwacheon Cherry Salmon Festival are growing up healthy and strong," Kim said. "We will do our utmost to produce the finest cherry salmon so that visitors can enjoy both the taste and the thrill of the catch."