A festival celebrating peace and the hope of reunification through walks along the pristine natural landscape of the Demilitarized Zone will be held Saturday at Hwajinpo Beach in Goseong-gun.
Gangwon Province said Monday the "Road & Peace DMZ Festa" was organized to offer domestic and international tourists a distinctive experience by drawing on the DMZ's unique peace-tourism resources, and to promote the appeal of peace tourism in Gangwon Province.
The centerpiece of the event is a walking competition covering roughly 6 kilometers along a section of Course 33 of the Peace Road trail around Hwajinpo. Participants will take in the area's scenic coastal landscape while experiencing firsthand the ecological value and peaceful atmosphere of the DMZ border region. A total of 800 participants will be accommodated through advance and on-site registration. Details and registration are available on the official website at dmz-festa.
Participants can look forward to a range of perks: those who register in advance will receive a commemorative gift, finishers will get a completion souvenir, and a limited number of early registrants will also receive a mascot plush toy.
Alongside the walk, the festival grounds will host a variety of attractions, including a "Peace Market" featuring regional specialties and food, as well as hands-on experience spaces themed around the DMZ and peace.
After the walk concludes, a peace concert featuring multiple singers will take place on the main stage.
The Gangwon Tourism Foundation plans to follow the Goseong event with another Peace Road walking event in Yanggu-gun on Oct. 10, keeping the momentum of peace tourism alive across Gangwon Province's DMZ border region.
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