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North Jeolla Provincial Governor Song Ha-jin heads a video conference with local mayors and district leaders concerning measures to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus on Jan. 30. (provided by North Jeolla Province)

Major regional festivals and events such as celebrations of the Daeboreum (first full moon) holiday and university graduations are being canceled one after another amid fears of spreading the novel coronavirus infection. The sense of alarm has been particularly strong in North Jeolla Province, where the first confirmed coronavirus case in South Korea was found, and Gyeonggi Province, where the number of confirmed infections has been mounting.

In an emergency meeting on Jan. 31, Cheongdo County in North Gyeongsang Province decided to cancel a Daeboreum event that was being planned for the Cheongdo Stream waterfront on Feb. 8. The county, which has traditionally constructed what is believed to be South Korea’s largest straw bonfire for burning (20m high, 15m wide), had undertaken long preparations for the event, but ultimately moved to cancel it after some debate. Other local governments have also opted not to hold Daeboreum events, including Andong, Yeoncheon, and Seongju in North Gyeongsang; Daegu’s Suseong, Buk (North), and Dalseo Districts; Chuncheon, Cheorwon, Yangyang, Samcheok, Donghae, Goseong, and Hoengseong in Gangwon Province; Daejeon’s Jung (Central) and Dong (East) Districts; and Gochang and Wanju in North Jeolla.

Universities across South Korea have also been moving one after the other to cancel graduation and matriculation ceremonies scheduled for this month. Kyung Hee University canceled a graduation ceremony scheduled for Feb. 25 and a matriculation ceremony scheduled for Feb. 28. Its starting date for classes for the first semester of 2020 has also been moved back one week from Mar. 2 to Mar. 9. Ewha Womans University has postponed a graduation ceremony on Feb. 24. Inje University has canceled a matriculation ceremony on Feb. 27 and a graduation ceremony on Mar. 14. Chonbuk National University has decided not to go ahead with its matriculation ceremony scheduled for Feb. 18-19, and to significantly reduce the scale of its graduation event on Feb. 21. Suseong University has canceled its graduation on Feb. 8 and is considering also canceling its matriculation ceremony.

“If the situation becomes more severe, we’re also considering have all our staff work from home for safety reasons,” said Kim Geon-woo, director of the Suseong University planning and coordination office.

Other festivals and events have also taken a direct hit. The Gossaum Nori Preservation Association in Gwangju has decided to indefinitely postpone a gossaum nori festival schedule for Feb. 7-9. A form of Lunar New Year folk game that was preserved for over 1,500 years between the Three Han era and the late Joseon era in the Otdol Village area of Chilseok in Gwangju’s Nam (South) District and other locations, gossaum nori has been carried on since its July 1970 designation as Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 33. The city of Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, and the Yu Gwan-sun Memorial Association have also canceled the Aunae Fire Lightning Ceremony scheduled for Feb. 29. The festival is South Korea’s largest commemorative event for the March 1 Independence Movement.

Seoul has decided in principle to cancel or delay all public events this month, including the changing of the guard ceremonies at the city’s palaces. The city’s 25 districts have also postponed civil defense drills scheduled for February. Gyeonggi Province has postponed the 2020 Korea Basic Income Fair, which was supposed to be held at the Suwon Convention Centre on Feb. 6-8.

The city of Daejeon has called off its playoff matches for middle and high school basketball teams around the country, which was supposed to be held on Feb. 3-7. Another canceled event is “Kid’s Story Concert,” based on a book called “We Chose the Wrong Class President Again!” which was to be performed at the large auditorium at the government complex in Sejong City on Feb. 6.

North Chungcheong Province has also suspended a series of events related to its sister relationship with China’s Hubei Province (of which Wuhan is the capital). The province had been planning to host a trade delegation in May and June, welcome teenager athletes in August, and hold a cosmetics expo and a festival for Chinese students in September and October.

North Jeolla Province is in emergency mode after a case of the novel coronavirus was confirmed there on Jan. 31, the first to occur outside the greater Seoul region. The Gunsan outlet of E-Mart, which the 8th coronavirus patient reportedly visited, shut its doors on 6 pm on Jan. 31 for fumigation. The province decided to close a creative experience center for children in Gwangju’s Deokjin District on Feb. 1.

Gochang County, in the same province, canceled its entire 39th Dangsanje ritual, in Ogeo-ri Village. All events related to the 28th Great Folk Feast, which was to be held on Feb. 8 (the first full moon in the lunar calendar, a holiday known as Jeongwol Daeboreum) has also been suspended indefinitely. Wonju County, also in North Jeolla Province, has completely cancelled the daljib (“full moon house”) burning ceremonies scheduled for five townships on Feb. 7-8, also connected with Jeongwol Daeboreum.

In Gyeonggi Province, where confirmed cases have been found in Goyang, Pyeongtaek, Suwon, and Bucheon, authorities are making a concerted effort to check the spread of the disease. The province was where the most people were infected during the 2015 outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) that killed 38 people.

“The 15th person has now tested positive for the virus, which is the first confirmed case in Suwon. I’ve ordered all daycares in the jurisdiction to take some time off to protect the safety of infants and young children, given their weak immune systems,” Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young said on Feb. 2. Suwon’s 1061 public and private daycares will be closed on Feb. 3-9.

By Kim Il-woo, Daegu correspondent, Oh Yoon-joo, Cheongju correspondent, Park Im-keun, North Jeolla correspondent, Hong Yong-duk, South Gyeonggi correspondent, Kim Yong-hee, Gwangju correspondent, and Chai Yoon-tae, staff reporter

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