Controversy over ‘Jeju Wildfire Festival Oreum Fire’ rekindled :: Sympathetic Media Newsis ::

Jeju City, Establishment of Basic Plan for Light and Lighting Composition Instead of Fire

Aewol residents request ordinance to ‘preserve fire prevention’

Ko Tae-min, Chairman of the Culture, Tourism and Sports Committee of the Provincial Council, also said, “I support it.”

[제주=뉴시스] Reporter Lee Jeong-min = On the 29th, Jeju Provincial Council Culture, Tourism and Sports Committee Chairman Ko Tae-min held a press conference in the Provincial Council press room regarding the ‘Jeju Island First Full Moon Wildfire Festival Support Ordinance’ and expressed his support for maintaining the existing wildfire festival. 2024.08.29. [email protected]

[제주=뉴시스] Reporter Lee Jeong-min = The controversy over the ‘Oreum Fire’ at the Jeju Wildfire Festival is reigniting. Jeju City has established a plan that excludes the ‘Oreum Fire’, but a resident petition ordinance that maintains the ‘Oreum Fire’ has been proposed, and the relevant standing committee chairperson of the provincial council has also supported the ordinance.

Jeju Provincial Council Culture, Tourism, and Sports Committee Chairman Ko Tae-min (People Power Party, Aewol-eup Gap) held a press conference on the 29th in the press room of the provincial council to state his position on the ‘Jeju Island First Full Moon Wildfire Festival Support Ordinance.’ This ordinance was requested by 1,283 people, mainly Aewol-eup residents, and after review by the Resident Ordinance Proposal Review Committee, it was proposed on the 23rd under the name of Provincial Council Speaker Lee Sang-bong.

This ordinance includes the maintenance of the existing ‘Oreum Fire Festival’, such as burning the moon house, setting fire to pastures, and passing around fire cans, as part of the Wildfire Festival. The holding period was also set to be around the first full moon of the lunar year (the 15th day of the first lunar month), and a period that does not overlap with the nationwide wildfire warning.

In a press conference, Commissioner Ko Tae-min explained, “The governor asked the Jeju mayor to hold a roundtable discussion to reach a conclusion, and 50.6% of the participants in the roundtable discussion decided to hold the discussion as planned. However, Jeju City came up with a different alternative, making it ineffective, so the residents proposed this ordinance.” He also emphasized that this was the result of a lack of communication with residents and distrust during the policy decision-making process.

Chairman Koh stated, “Going forward, I will faithfully fulfill my role as the chairman of the relevant standing committee by thoroughly reviewing and rationally processing the relevant ordinance bill in accordance with principles and procedures with members of the Culture, Tourism, and Sports Committee.” To the question, “Isn’t it a reason for disqualification since the chairman is in favor?” he answered, “There is no such provision.” To the question, “Do you intend to pass it through the standing committee review?” he explained, “The relevant standing committee consists of three members from the People Power Party, three from the Democratic Party, and one from the Justice Party,” and “If it is decided through rational discussion, I will accept it.”

Commissioner Koh announced that he plans to table this ordinance at the special session of the provincial council to be held in October. Before the ordinance is reviewed, it must go through legal procedures such as ▲estimating the cost of holding the festival ▲relating to higher laws ▲gathering opinions from the executive branch (Jeju Island), so it is physically difficult to table it in September.

[제주=뉴시스]Reporter Woo Jang-ho = On the afternoon of the 13th, under the theme of ‘Wildfire, blooming with hope’, the highlight of the 23rd Jeju Wildfire Festival, the oreum bonfire, is taking place in the Saebyeol Oreum area of ​​Aewol-eup, Jeju-si. Jeju-si engraved ‘Wildfire COVID-19 OUT’ on the oreum with the hope that COVID-19 will end as soon as possible. 2021.03.13. [email protected]

Jeju City previously announced the ‘2025 Jeju Wildfire Festival Basic Plan’ in June, which transformed the ‘Oreum Burning’ into a media wall format using light and illumination. The plan is to redesign the festival site, excluding essential spaces such as the main stage, into a citizen participation space, while continuing the festival policy of burning the moon house on a small scale and allowing citizens to directly plan and enjoy the program.

Meanwhile, the Jeju Wildfire Festival is a reinterpretation of Jeju’s old livestock culture, where each village set fire to wild grassland to control pests, and has been held since 1997, before the special self-governing province was established (July 2006). At that time, the festival took place between Napeup-ri, Aewol-eup, and Deokcheon-ri, Gujwa-eup, Bukjeju-gun (currently Jeju City), but in 2000, Saebyeol Oreum was designated as the festival site.

March, the month when the festival is held, is dry, so wildfire warnings are issued nationwide and a special countermeasure period is in operation. In addition, wildfires occur frequently in other regions, and concerns have been raised in Jeju as well. This year, the festival was not held due to reorganization, and last year, wildfires occurred all over the country, including in Hapcheon, Gyeongnam, and the fire lighting during the wildfire festival was canceled. In 2022, the festival was canceled due to wildfires in Uljin and Samcheok, Gyeongbuk.

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