GANGWON-DO < invest Korea

According to Yonhap News,

(HONGCHEON=Yonhap News) An annual winter festival opened in a festive mood in this eastern county of Hongcheon on Friday, organizers said, offering a rare chance to catch barehanded trout grown with the use of precious ginseng.

More than 10,000 people visited the "Hongcheon River Kkong Kkong Festival" on the opening day, the festival's organizing committee said.

The third edition of the festival is set to last till Jan. 18 in Hongcheon, a rural county located in the mountainous Gangwon Province known for having one of the coldest, snowiest winters in Korea.

Five tons of trout grown with mixed feed that includes 6-year-old ginseng are ready for the event, which distinguishes the festival from other similar winter festivals in the country, they said.

"Including the ginseng-fed trout, we made full efforts to let visitors have fun during the festival," said Jeon Myeong-joon, the festival chief. "The festival would also be of help to Hongcheon residents and other tourists coming to visit the town."

The highlight of the festival is fishing trout on the frozen river using only lines and fish hooks. Heralding the success of the festival, tickets for the ice fishing were all sold out.

The festival also allows visitors to enjoy other unique winter activities such as ice sledding, snow rafting, kite-flying, ice football and skating as well as bare-handed trout catching.

For more information, visit the festival's website at www.hongwinter.kr.

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