Will the Jeju Wild Fire Festival be restored to light the Oreum?Passing the Restoration Ordinance for Residents' Initiative

The Jeju Provincial Council passed a bill proposed by residents to restore the Jeju Wildfire Festival Oreum Fire Festival, which was abolished due to controversy over environmental destruction.

The Jeju Provincial Council has revised and approved the ordinance on the Wildfire Festival, which was requested by 1,283 residents of Aewol-eup, Jeju-si.

In May, residents of Aewol-eup issued an ordinance to the Jeju Provincial Council to continue lighting the fire at Saebyeol Oreum in Aewol-eup, Jeju-si, a wild fire festival venue.

The Wild Fire Festival began in 1997 with the aim of creating a festival that reinterprets the old pastoral culture of Jeju, where old grass was removed for livestock grazing and fires were set up in each village to relieve pests.

However, due to the outbreak of large-scale forest fires nationwide and the COVID-19 pandemic, cancellations and non-face-to-face holding were repeated, and it was pointed out that the setting of the Oreum fire caused environmental problems and there were high concerns about forest fires.

Eventually, Jeju City decided to replace it with light and lighting without putting the lights on after a deliberate roundtable meeting last year.

If Jeju Island promulgates this ordinance, it is expected to see the Wildfire Festival again in March next year.