17th North Gyeongsang archery competition to be held Saturday in Yecheon

Yecheon-gun in North Gyeongsang Province will host the "17th North Gyeongsang Archery Competition Commemorating the Yecheon Bow Festival" on Saturday at Muhakjeong Archery Range in Yecheon, the county announced Thursday.

Organized by the Yecheon-gun Archery Association, the competition will draw about 400 archers from cities and counties across North Gyeongsang Province.

Competition will begin at 8 a.m. with individual events divided into senior, middle-aged and women's categories, followed by team events.

The opening ceremony, set for 11 a.m., will feature the traditional "hyosi balssi" ritual — the ceremonial firing of a whistling arrow to signal the start of an archery contest — underscoring the significance of holding the competition in Yecheon, long regarded as the home of Korean archery.

The competition also serves as a preview of the Yecheon Bow Festival and Agricultural Products Festival, which open Oct. 31, offering a chance to spotlight the region's diverse attractions in the week leading up to those events.

"I hope all competitors go beyond winning or losing, respect one another, compete with integrity, and come away with something truly worthwhile," Yecheon County Chief An Byeong-yun said. "I also hope this competition becomes an occasion that deepens the pride of archers who have carried on the tradition of Korean archery."