Mud, masks and riverside magnificence: Gov't desginates 'global festivals' in pursuit of 30 million tourists
Published: 12 Mar. 2026, 14:51
Updated: 12 Mar. 2026, 18:39
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- KIM MIN-YOUNG
- [email protected]
![Foreigners wave at the camera at the Boryeong Mud Festival in Boryeong, South Chungcheong. [BAEK JONG-HYUN]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/12/8dc36caf-ef84-4f4f-b382-6400f7f6aa5e.jpg)
Foreigners wave at the camera at the Boryeong Mud Festival in Boryeong, South Chungcheong. [BAEK JONG-HYUN]
The government has named the Boryeong Mud Festival, the Andong International Maskdance Festival and the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival this year’s “global festivals,” as it steps up efforts to attract foreign tourists under a program aimed at helping Korea reach 30 million inbound visitors.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization selected the three festivals for the designation. The government plans to foster the three global festivals over the next three years as key tourism content in its campaign to bring 30 million visitors to the country annually.
The Daegu Chimac Festival, the Busan International Rock Festival, the Sunchang Fermented Food Festival and the Jeongnamjin Jangheung Water Festival were named "preliminary" global festivals.
Held each summer at Daecheon Beach, the Boryeong Mud Festival is built around hands-on mud activities and has become one of Korea’s best-known summer festivals. The Andong International Maskdance Festival, usually held from late September to early October, centers on the mask dance and other traditional performances. The Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival, held each October along the Namgang River, is known for its lantern displays and other nighttime programs.
The final selections were made through written and presentation evaluations by experts. Under the latest round of support, each global festival will receive 800 million won ($540,300) a year for up to three years, while each preliminary global festival will receive 250 million won a year.
![Participants have a go at making traditional Korean masks during the annual Andong Maskdance Festival in Andong, North Gyeongsang. [CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/12/8920b7a7-4913-424a-8761-28c4c2dfdb7f.jpg)
Participants have a go at making traditional Korean masks during the annual Andong Maskdance Festival in Andong, North Gyeongsang. [CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION]
Support measures include tourism strategies for inbound travelers, new hands-on content for foreign visitors, improvements to visitor convenience and the introduction of a web-based festival management system that can be used for services such as crowd monitoring, parking analysis and food-related payments.
The ministry also plans to develop tourism products linked to the selected festivals.
The government also plans to use the global and preliminary global festivals to encourage longer stays in regional areas. The ministry will work with local governments to develop tourism packages that keep visitors in the area after festival visits.
![The Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival in Jinju, South Gyeongsang [JINJU CITY GOVERNMENT]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/12/9a62ebac-45ac-4180-a56f-10b1d8801270.jpg)
The Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival in Jinju, South Gyeongsang [JINJU CITY GOVERNMENT]
As part of that effort, Jinju plans to develop tourism products that promote overnight stays with nearby local governments, including Sancheong, Sacheon and Goseong, by taking advantage of the festival’s nighttime format. Andong plans to offer benefits such as free admission to major tourist sites in the city and in nearby areas including Mungyeong, Yeongju and Goryeong.
“This year presents a real opportunity for Korean tourism to take another step forward,” said Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young. “We will work to develop more tourism products built around the global and preliminary global festivals and make it easier for foreign visitors to enjoy them, so their interest in K-culture leads to trips to festival sites.”
The Incheon Pentaport Music Festival, the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival and the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival, which were selected as global festivals in 2024, drew a combined 130,000 foreign visitors in 2025.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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