Participants pose for a group photo at the family camp held Saturday at Byeoljari Camping Land in Gyeongju. [Gyeongju City]
Participants pose for a group photo at the family camp held Saturday at Byeoljari Camping Land in Gyeongju. [Gyeongju City]

Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province hosted the 2026 Cultural Communication and Happiness Plus Family Camp on Saturday and Sunday at Byeoljari Camping Land. The two-day event was co-organized by the city and the Overseas Koreans Agency and run by the Gyeongju Foreign Residents Support Center.

About 50 people from 15 families — Koryo saram (ethnic Koreans from Central Asia and the former Soviet Union) and Korean families — took part in cooperative programs and traditional cultural activities designed to foster mutual understanding.

Participants took part in obstacle races and tug-of-war, then gathered for a barbecue and fireworks. On the second day, they visited Gyeongju Eupseong Fortress, where they tried on traditional constable uniforms, crafted name tablets and practiced archery.

The camp also included a plogging activity and a ceremony in which participants received honorary heritage-guardian certificates, underscoring the importance of preserving local cultural heritage and protecting the environment.

A Gyeongju city official said the city would expand tailored education and cultural experience opportunities to help Koryo saram families settle into the local community.


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