Hongcheon Civilian-Government-Military Unity Festival to Open on the 8th... United by a Single Rope

[Financial News | Hongcheon = Reporter Kim Gi-seop] A civilian-government-military unity celebration featuring a tug-of-war competition among 26 teams from military units, townships, institutions and organizations will take place in Hongcheon.
According to Hongcheon County on the 6th, the 2026 Civilian-Government-Military Unity Festival, a traditional folk event, will be held for one day on the 8th at Tori Forest and around Kkotmoe Park. The Hongcheon Cultural Foundation is organizing the event, which will be joined by the county's 10 townships, institutions and organizations, and military units. Held to coincide with the 24th Hongcheon Ginseng & Hanwoo Myeongpum Festival, the event is expected to further enliven the festival atmosphere.
The county government plans to use the event to strengthen civilian-government-military solidarity, develop it into a participatory celebration where residents take center stage, and drive spending at traditional markets. To that end, meal vouchers distributed to participants will be valid first in the Hongcheon Market area. On the day of the event, vehicle traffic will be restricted on some roads near Kkotmoe Park, while members of the Model Drivers' Association and professional security personnel will be deployed to prevent accidents.
The most anticipated event is tug-of-war. Twelve military unit teams will compete in the traditional-format match, while 14 teams from townships, institutions and organizations will face off in strategic tug-of-war. Each team consists of 30 men and women, and the first team to secure at least three of the five ropes wins. Thus, the outcome will be determined by strategy as well as strength.
Military units and institutional teams will compete in foot volleyball at the Taehak-ri foot volleyball court. Preliminary matches will be played in a group league, followed by a tournament to determine the champion. In the afternoon, the events will move to Kkotmoe Park, where residents from the 10 townships will raise the excitement with folk contests such as fast makgeolli drinking and a survival relay.
The day's final event will be the Hongcheongang Song Festival, held at 6:30 p.m. on the Tori Forest stage. Two representatives from Hongcheon-eup and one from each of the nine myeon townships, 11 contestants in total, will compete in a singing contest, followed by performances from invited singers.
Hongcheon County Governor Shin Young-jae said, "From tug-of-war and foot volleyball to folk games and the song festival, a day when residents, military personnel, and institutions and organizations pull the same rope and mingle on the same stage will firmly bind the community together." He added, "Since participants will be able to use their meal vouchers first at Hongcheon Market, I hope the excitement of the festival will flow directly into the vitality of traditional markets and local businesses."

[email protected] Kim Gi-seop Reporter