County chief: 'First step in elevating 33-year-old Paleolithic festival to international stage'
Yeoncheon-gun held a launch ceremony Thursday at the Jeongok-ri Site Visitor Center to mark the official establishment of the Paleolithic Expo Promotion Team, the dedicated task force for the 2029 Yeoncheon World Paleolithic Expo.
The team was created through a reorganization of Yeoncheon-gun's administrative structure on Oct. 26 to build a dedicated management framework for the expo. It comprises two units — a planning and public relations team and a festival operations team — and will work on forming an expo organizing committee in consultation with Gyeonggi Province and other relevant agencies, refining the master plan, developing content and expanding public participation.
The ceremony was attended by Yeoncheon-gun County Chief Kim Deok-hyeon, senior civil servants and task force members. It proceeded in order: team director Hong Yeong-hwa introduced the new department and read a resolution, followed by a launch declaration, a congratulatory address by the county chief, a cake cutting and a commemorative photo.
In the resolution, Hong pledged to promote the historical and cultural significance of the Jeongok-ri site and its place in world history, ensure flawless event operations with visitor safety as the top priority, create a platform for community participation and harmony, and boost the local economy and cultural tourism in partnership with area businesses.
In his congratulatory address, Kim said the task force's launch marks "the first step in elevating the Paleolithic festival, which has continued for 33 years, into an international event for people around the world to share." He urged the team to "prepare thoroughly so that the global value of Paleolithic culture and the spirit and wisdom of our Paleolithic ancestors — who never stopped pushing forward — can be passed on to future civilizations."
Yeoncheon-gun plans to work closely with Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization to establish the 2029 Yeoncheon World Paleolithic Expo Organizing Committee and carry out annual action plans without delay to ensure a successful expo.
pjh@heraldcorp.com
