▲ Visitors enjoy the 2026 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival on Feb. 1, 2026, the last day of the wintertime festival held in the mountain town of Hwacheon in Gangwon Province. (Yonhap)

ice fishing fest-visitors

Hwacheon ice fishing festival wraps up with 1.6 mln visitors

HWACHEON, South Korea, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- A popular annual ice fishing festival in Hwacheon, a mountain town in Gangwon Province, ended Sunday, attracting some 1.59 million visitors through its 23-day run, organizers said Sunday.

Among those who attended the 2026 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival that kicked off on Jan. 10 were some 114,000 foreign tourists, according to the office of Hwacheon County and Foundation Corporation NARA.

While the total number of visitors is lower than last year's 1.86 million, the figure was seen as a relatively solid result given a cold snap that hit the country for more than 10 days and safety measures that were in place amid the frigid weather.

"Sancheoneo" is a species of trout known to live only in very clean fresh water.

Since its debut in 2003, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival has consistently attracted more than 1 million visitors almost every year, earning global recognition.

The 2026 ice fishing festival comprised various cultural programs beyond the main program of sancheoneo fishing, permitting visitors to enjoy the fest in a more diverse manner.

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