Flame of Seolmundae Halmang rises... National Sports Festival torch to travel 115 relay segments

【Financial News, Jeju = Reporter Jung Yong-bok】 A flame born of the myth of Seolmundae Halmang, who is said to have created Jeju, has risen as the torch for the National Sports Festival, which is being held in Jeju for the first time in 12 years. Joined with the official flame lit at Manisan on Ganghwa Island, it will pass through the hands of some 900 residents before lighting the venue for the festival’s opening ceremony on the 16th.
According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, the special torch-lighting ceremony for the 107th National Sports Festival was held at 2 p.m. on the 13th at Haneul Pond in Jeju Stone Park, Jocheon-eup, Jeju City.
The ceremony brought together the story of Seolmundae Halmang, Jeju’s creation myth, and the torch, a symbol of the National Sports Festival. It was organized to convey the significance of the event by reflecting the host region’s history and culture in the torch.
The ceremony began with a cultural performance reenacting the myth that Seolmundae Halmang shaped Jeju’s land. This was followed by the lighting of the special flame at the center of Haneul Pond.
Seolmundae Halmang is a giant goddess in Jeju’s creation myth, said to have created Jeju Island, Hallasan Mountain and the oreum volcanic cones. The story reflects Jeju people’s view of nature and their imagination about how the island was formed. At this ceremony, the island’s distinctive myth was used as a cultural symbol heralding the start of the National Sports Festival.

The special flame will join the official National Sports Festival flame to form a single torch.
The official flame was lit earlier, on the 3rd, at Manisan in Ganghwa County, Incheon. It was then carried on a special relay through Jeju’s outlying islands, including Chuja, Biyang, Gapado, Marado and Udo, and placed at the Jeju Provincial Government building on the 7th.
The special flame lit at Jeju Stone Park and the official flame will be brought together at 9:40 a.m. on the 14th in the plaza outside the Jeju Provincial Government building. The plan is to add a flame bearing Jeju’s creation myth to the official flame from Manisan, so that together they symbolize the host region’s history and culture.
The combined torch will travel through 115 relay segments across Jeju over three days, from the 14th to the 16th. Some 900 residents are expected to take part in the relay. Special torchbearers will include families of children born in 2026, representatives of the Jeju April 3 Victims’ Bereaved Families Association and the Retired Police Officers Association, as well as national team athletes and medalists.
Jeju Province plans to convey a message of reconciliation, coexistence and harmony between generations by incorporating future generations, the history of April 3 and the sporting spirit of athletes into the torch relay.

After touring Jeju, the torch will be lit for the final time at the opening ceremony of the 107th National Sports Festival, held at 6 p.m. on the 16th at Jeju World Cup Stadium in Seogwipo.
The National Sports Festival is being held in Jeju for the first time in 12 years, following the 95th edition in 2014. It is hosted by the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) and jointly organized by Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Office of Education and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Sports Council.
The event will be held across Jeju over seven days, from the 16th to the 22nd. Some 30,000 athletes, officials and others from around the country and overseas Korean sports organizations will compete in 50 sports.
Jeju Province is conducting final checks on venues, transportation, safety management and emergency response systems, as well as preparations for the torch relay and opening ceremony. With many teams and visitors expected to come to Jeju, it is placing particular emphasis on safety at competition venues and event sites.
Jeju Governor Wi Seong-gon said, “The special flame lit in Jeju, steeped in the myth of Seolmundae Halmang, is a flame of hope carrying Jeju’s history and culture and the aspirations of its residents. I hope it will spread throughout Jeju and bring the hearts of residents together.”


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