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[경남=NSP통신] 도남선 기자 = Korea's top festival for the past 3 years has made its debut in LA Korean Festival on the 26th after it crossed over to take part in Canada's Winterlude Festival. The lantern festival achieved a big feat in promoting Korean culture in America. Today, we take a closer look at the 2013 Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival.

The floating yudeung of Namgang River have always been the hopes of Jinju. They were the hopes of denfending troops of the Jinju Fortress and villagers during the Imjin War. They were the hopes of people during the times of hunger and hardship. When culture & tourism industry was booming in the beginning of the new millenium, yudeung put Jinju on the map, and since 2013, it has become Jinju's hope in reaching out to the world.

Namgang Yudeung Festival was first introduced with a costume parade during the 6th annual festival in 1955. The festival was actually categorized as a contest, therefore, it began with a name, Yudeung Contest. The contest was held at 7pm in Jinju Middle School.

However from the 8th annual festival, fireworks were newly added to the repertoire. The days were filled with costume parades and the nights were filled with fireworks.

I'm here at the riverside of Namgang River amidst the 2013 Jinju festivity. Images of a dancing woman, a sword wielding warrior, and humorous portrayals of animals. Over 1,600 yudeung are more than enough to drop your jaw in awe.

Korea's top festival for the past 3 years has made its debut in LA Korean Festival on the 26th after it crossed over to take part in Canada's Winterlude Festival.

The Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival will be included in high school social studies and culture textbooks starting next year as a distinctive local festivity.

Along with other renowned festivities like Boryeong Mud Festival, the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival will be introduced in next year's publication of textbooks.

There are talks of expanding the festival to a"yudeung expo"in order to keep the event as the representative festival of Korea. This year's slogan is"Water, Fire, Light and Hope."I hope the people of Jinju and visitors from all walks of life make the best of what is a bright festival to be.

From NSP news, Donovan Yoon.

한국대표축제, 진주남강유등축제, 2013 Jinju Namgang Yudeug Festival, Korea Festival

도남선 NSP통신 기자, aegookja@nspna.com
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