The event will be held Sunday at Hwangnyong Waterfront Park in Gwangsan-gu, bringing together Korean and foreign residents in a celebration of health and global culture.
The South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City is organizing a community gathering where residents of various nationalities and cultural backgrounds can come together to share health activities and cultural experiences.
The South Jeolla-Gwangju Foreign Residents Support Center announced it will hold the "2026 South Jeolla-Gwangju Hanmaeum Walking Festival" on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hwangnyong Waterfront Park in Gwangsan-gu.
The festival is designed to help Korean and foreign residents walk together, explore diverse cultures, deepen mutual understanding and build a sense of community as members of the same region.
The venue will offer a wide range of programs for all ages, including traditional world performances, a group walking program, global food and cultural experiences, and health and safety activities.
A highlight will be the world food and culture zone, where the Cambodian Embassy in Korea and local foreign community groups will participate directly, allowing visitors to experience food and culture from multiple countries. A global community zone will also run programs for residents of different nationalities to interact and connect.
Several partner agencies will also take part, including the Gwangju Immigration and Foreign Affairs Office, the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency, the Gwangsan-gu Health Center, the Gwangsan-gu Facility Management Corporation and the Gwangju Workers' Health Center. They will offer health checkups, safety education, lifestyle information and other support programs for residents.
The festival's centerpiece, the "Hanmaeum Walk," will take place along a roughly 1.2-kilometer route within Hwangnyong Waterfront Park. Participants can complete missions along the course, collect stamps and receive commemorative gifts.
Shin Yeon-sik, head of the foreign resident support division at the South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City, said the festival is meaningful as the first exchange event for both Korean and foreign residents since the integration of South Jeolla Province and Gwangju. "We hope this becomes an opportunity for residents of diverse cultural backgrounds to understand one another beyond barriers of nationality and language, and to grow closer as members of our community," he said.
The festival is free and open to all Korean and foreign residents, with both advance registration and on-site sign-up available. A prize draw for participants will be held at the end of the event.
Further details are available on the South Jeolla-Gwangju Foreign Residents Support Center's website and via the QR code on event promotional materials.
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