Korean Day rites on Sept 30 and Oct 1

CEBU, Philippines - It’s all systems go for Cebu City’s first Korean Day celebration, a two-day celebration in that will provide the Korean community a venue to showcase their tradition and customs and foster closer ties with the Cebuanos.

The two-day activity, which will be on September 30 and October 1, is one way of recognizing the Korean settlers and tourists in the city.

“It cannot be argued that there are many Koreans now in Cebu,” said City Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young in yesterday’s press conference.

Young added that it is just fitting for the Cebu City Government to celebrate Korean Day since it is one way of showcasing their customs and traditions to enable the Cebuanos to understand them better.

“There are many reasons to have this Korean Day. As we all know, the Koreans are one of the biggest tourists in the city,” Young said.

Different associations including the Korean News Agency and Consul Augusto Go already finalized the two-day event.

 Go thanked the city government for the holding of the activity.The Korean fever is in the country with the wave of Korean products in the market, and even hairstyle and make-up. Korean pop songs and telenovelas have also become popular.

Charlie Shin, vice president of the Cebu Korean Association Inc., yesterday said the activity will include a street-dancing festival for the Koreans, some concerts and showing of films.

Also, the activity would include a Korean food festival and bazaar that would provide Cebuanos the opportunity to purchase various kinds of quality Korean goods.

According to Shin, over 25,000 Korean tourists visit Cebu monthly or a daily average of 1,000 to 1,500 tourists. There are daily flights from Korea to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport through the Korean Air, Air Busan and Asiana Air.  (FREEMAN)