The Korea Forest Service announced plans to strengthen wildfire prevention measures ahead of regional festivals marking Jeongwol Daeboreum (the first full moon of the Lunar New Year) on March 3.
The traditional holiday poses elevated fire risks due to folk customs involving fire, including daljip burning (moonhouse burning) and jwibul (mouse fire) games. In 2009, a grass-burning event at Hwawangsan Mountain turned deadly when strong winds rapidly spread flames, killing seven people and injuring 81.
The agency will assign designated officials to each festival site to identify and manage fire hazards. Enhanced surveillance will target sky lantern releases and shamanistic rituals conducted near forests, with strict enforcement against illegal activities.
For events scheduled at night, the agency will adjust work hours for fire monitoring and suppression personnel. High-performance, multi-purpose firefighting vehicles and other resources will be repositioned to areas hosting large-scale events.
Fire retardant will be applied preventively around major event venues near forests. Crews will respond immediately to any fires in forest-adjacent areas to prevent spread into woodlands.
"Activities involving fire near forests can cause wildfires," said Keum Si-hoon, director of the Forest Fire Prevention Division at the Korea Forest Service. "We urge communities to refrain from village-level events that are not officially sanctioned by local governments."