Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival reconfirmed in Korea’s Culture Ministry’s “Local 100” list

Bird’s eye-view of Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival. The riverside and some other facilities are illuminated.

(Photo by Jinju City/courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea)

The Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival has been selected for a second consecutive term in the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s “Local 100” program, which highlights Korea’s most distinctive regional cultural assets.

Launched in 2023, the initiative identifies 100 cultural spaces, festivals, and content offerings that best represent local identity and appeal.

This year’s selection process expanded public participation, allowing citizens to nominate candidates directly. Out of 1,042 submissions nationwide, 200 advanced to evaluation, with the final 100 chosen through online voting and expert review.

The Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival was selected again in the regional culture content category, reaffirming its cultural value and national profile.

The festival has already received multiple forms of recognition, including a Regional Culture Award in 2023 and redesignation as an honorary culture and tourism festival for 2026–2027.

Last year’s event attracted around 1.72 million visitors, generated strong visitor spending, and delivered an estimated 2.4 trillion won in economic impact.

Fleet Chinhae