A public festival featuring local artists, children and youth will be held Wednesday evening to mark the inauguration of Lee Jeong-hak as Donghae mayor under the ninth round of civilian-elected local government. The event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the outdoor performance venue of the Donghae Culture and Arts Center.
The transition committee for the incoming Donghae city administration said the festival was conceived to celebrate Lee's inauguration — he is the city's first progressive mayor — and to serve as a platform for civic unity and open communication.
The program opens with a performance by the naval band of the Navy's First Fleet, followed by sets from the Cheongchun Akdan ensemble (led by Kim Mi-gyeong), the Silver Choir (led by Park Geum-ok), a children's dance team of 30 elementary school students from KM Sports Center, and a taekwondo poomsae demonstration by 20 elementary school students from the national team taekwondo gym.
The evening continues with performances by the two-member acoustic guitar duo Chueok Yeohaeng, the 13-member Donghae City Acoustic Guitar Club, a video screening by artist Jo Seok-hwi, tenor Jo Du-seok and soprano Ko Sun-jeong — both active in the local arts scene — and the Donghae City Choir. The program closes with remarks from the new mayor, a joint finale performance and a flower-confetti display.
The festival was proposed by local artists who had participated in a roundtable with then-candidate Lee during the election campaign to discuss promoting regional culture and the arts. Planning was led entirely by the private sector, and several performers and the emcee are contributing their talents free of charge.
"Out of respect for the mayor-elect's wish to keep the inauguration ceremony modest, we decided to hold it simply in the city hall conference room," a transition committee official said. "We will announce the hopeful start of the ninth civilian administration through a festival of unity and communication that reflects what Donghae residents want for their city."
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