Hongcheon ice fishing festival ends with a splash

By 한준구 Posted : January 26, 2026, 16:11 Updated : January 26, 2026, 16:11
Visitors experience ice fishing at the 2026 Hongcheon Kkongkkong Festival in Hongcheon Gangwon Province Jan 25 2026 Yonhap
Visitors experience ice fishing at the "2026 Hongcheon Kkongkkong Festival" in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, Jan. 25, 2026. Yonhap

SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) -The arctic cold snap did not spoil the fun at the 2026 Hongcheon Kkongkkong Ice Fishing Festival, which drew about 270,000 visitors to the Hongcheon River area and injected fresh vitality into the local economy. Despite the severe weather, food stalls and sales of local agricultural products reached record highs.

The festival earned positive reviews for enhancing its quality as Hongcheon’s signature winter tourism attraction by combining a wide range of experiential programs centered on the locally renowned “Hongcheon Ginseng Trout.” Highlights included ice fishing, pontoon fishing, indoor fishing and bare-hand ginseng trout catching. 
 
A visitor experiences ice fishing at the 2026 Hongcheon Kkongkkong Festival in Hongcheon Gangwon Province Jan 25 2026 Yonhap
A visitor experiences ice fishing at the "2026 Hongcheon Kkongkkong Festival" in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, Jan. 25, 2026. Yonhap
 
Bare-hand ginseng trout catching experiences take place at the 2026 Hongcheon Kkongkkong Festival in Hongcheon Gangwon Province Jan 25 Yonhap
Bare-hand ginseng trout catching experiences take place at the "2026 Hongcheon Kkongkkong Festival" in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, Jan. 25. Yonhap
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