Official partnership signed with Santa Claus Foundation

Finnish ambassador, Yeoju mayor among attendees

Tree lighting ceremony and fireworks mark the occasion

Finnish Ambassador to Korea Juri Järvihaho (first from left), Finland Chamber of Commerce in Korea Chairman Heikki Ranta (second from left), Ludensia CEO Park Ki-young (third from left) and Yeoju Mayor Lee Chung-woo (first from right) pose for a photo at Ludensia Plaza on Saturday during a ceremony marking the official partnership with Finland's Santa Claus Foundation. [Ludensia]
Finnish Ambassador to Korea Juri Järvihaho (first from left), Finland Chamber of Commerce in Korea Chairman Heikki Ranta (second from left), Ludensia CEO Park Ki-young (third from left) and Yeoju Mayor Lee Chung-woo (first from right) pose for a photo at Ludensia Plaza on Saturday during a ceremony marking the official partnership with Finland's Santa Claus Foundation. [Ludensia]

Ludensia, a European-style cultural theme park in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, has signed an official partnership with Finland's Santa Claus Foundation, positioning itself as a global Christmas tourism destination. The collaboration aims to blend Nordic Christmas culture with the park's European-themed facilities to boost winter tourism and contribute to the local economy.

Ludensia, located in Sanbuk-myeon, Yeoju, held a ceremony Saturday at Ludensia Plaza and the main building to mark the official partnership with the Santa Claus Foundation.

The event was attended by Finnish Ambassador to Korea Juri Järvihaho, Finland Chamber of Commerce in Korea Chairman Heikki Ranta, Yeoju Mayor Lee Chung-woo, Yeoju City Council Vice Speaker Jin Seon-hwa, and Yeoju lawmakers Jeong Hui-ra and Gyeong Gyu-myeong.

The partnership was pursued to integrate Finland's authentic Christmas cultural content with Ludensia's European-style architecture and tourism infrastructure. It has been described as a new model of cooperation that goes beyond a seasonal festival to link international cultural exchange with the tourism industry.

The ceremony opened with a welcome address by Ludensia CEO Park Ki-young, followed by congratulatory remarks from key guests, a presentation of the partnership's vision and an official signing.

"I hope this international exchange will serve as a catalyst that breathes warm life into the local economy, while nurturing Yeoju's own distinctive winter tourism offerings on the foundation of King Sejong's spirit of benevolence and the great value of hangul," Yeoju Mayor Lee said.

Finnish Ambassador Järvihaho said the message of love, sharing and peace embodied by Santa Claus "will become a beautiful bridge connecting the hearts of our two countries and deepening our friendship."

Finland Chamber of Commerce in Korea Chairman Ranta expressed confidence that Ludensia would play an important role in developing into Korea's premier Christmas village and grow into a globally recognized cultural tourism destination.

After the ceremony, a series of performances and events created a festive Christmas atmosphere. Highlights included a parade by the Queens Marching Band, a carol performance by musical actor Gu Si-hu, an artificial snowfall event called "Snow Time," a large Christmas tree lighting ceremony and a fireworks display.

Building on the partnership, Ludensia plans to develop immersive tourism experiences and specialized tourism products drawing on the symbolism of Finnish Santa culture. The park also intends to step up international promotional activities to attract overseas visitors.

Ludensia's origins go back more than a decade. CEO Park drew on experience gained through the educational toy brands Gymboree and Magformers to take on the challenge of creating a European-style sensory theme park in Korea. Built on a roughly 66,000-square-meter site near Yangja Mountain in Yeoju, Ludensia aims to be more than a simple amusement facility — it aspires to be a multi-cultural complex where visitors of all ages, from children to adults, can enjoy culture, art and hands-on experiences.

"The meeting of Finland's authentic Santa culture and Ludensia's distinctly European spaces has allowed us to offer differentiated winter tourism content," a Ludensia official said. "We will develop Ludensia into a hub for Christmas cultural tourism that represents not just Yeoju but all of Korea."

Meanwhile, Ludensia is a gallery-style multi-cultural theme park spanning about 70,000 square meters, featuring European-style architecture alongside a range of exhibition and hands-on experience facilities. With this partnership in place, the park plans to strengthen its winter tourism offerings and actively pursue both domestic and international visitors.


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