Ambassadors and other senior members of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps, totaling 50 in number, had a very rare experience of angling mountain trouts from under the frozen surface of the river in the Hwacheon County of the Gangwon Province in the Republic of Korea.
On January 6, 2024, the Year of the Blue Dragon in Korea, the ambassadors and other senior diplomats visited the famed ‘County of Sancheoneo’ (name of the fish) at the invitation of Mayor Choi Moon-soon organized by The Korea Post media, publisher of 3 English and 2 Korean-langue news publications led by Publisher-Chairman Lee Kyung-sik since their inauguration in1985. Among the ambassadors attending the tour with their spouses and family members were Ambassadors Kirom Salohiddin of Tajikistan, Songkane Luangmuninthon of the Lao PDR, Paul Duclos of Peru, Juan Manuel Medina of Costa Rica, Andrew Chernetsky of Belarus, and Ambassador Mohammed Bensabri of Algeria.
There also were senior diplomats with their spouses from the Philippines, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ethiopia, and Iraq. (See list of participating ambassadors and other senior diplomats at the end of this report.)
Photo shows Ambassadors Paul Duclos of Peru (6th from left), Songkane Luangmuninthone of the Lao PDR (9th from left, rear row), Kirom Salohidden of Tajikistan (14th from left), Andrew Chernetsky of Belarus (15th from left), and Ambassador Mohammed Bensabri of Algeria (5th from right). Publisher-Chairman and Mrs. Lee Kyung-sik of The Korea Post media are seen 13th and 14th from right, front row respectively, with President Kim Hyung-dae (organizer of the tour) at left.
The ambassadors and other senior diplomats
The ambassadors and other senior diplomats, some with their family members, had their fill of excitement and pleasure angling the mountain trouts right from under the frozen surface of the river each with a small fishing rod.
Located some 55.4 miles north east of Seoul, the Hwacheon County has a population of some 40,000 persons, including the military personnel and their dependents stationed in the region which borders on North Korea.
As soon as they arrived in Hwacheon, the ambassadors and other visiting members of the Diplomatic Corps were treated an impressive luncheon hosted by Mayor Choi Moon-soon where the prominent item on the menu was a variety of cooked mountain trouts, which were extremely tasty. A senior diplomat couple emptied two large dishes of roasted mountain trouts.
After the luncheon, the visiting members of the Diplomatic Corps were led to move to the actual venue of ice-fishing. Each guest, including the children, appeared to have caught several mountain trouts which they put in a transparent vinyl bag provided by the County authorities for that purpose.
Mayor Choi Moon-soon of Hwacheon County (left) shows Ambassador Songkane Luangmuninthone of the Lao PDR how to catch a big Sancheoneo (mountain trout).
Some diplomats and their spouses, however, put the fish back into the ice hole after taking picture of their catch.
The catch was very good especially by the family members of the ambassadors and senior diplomats participating in the tour.
After the ice-fishing, the visiting ambassadors, senior diplomats and their family members were invited to tour the ‘Ice Palace’ in the form and shape of a large dome.
Ambassador and Mrs. Mohammed Bensabri of Algeri (left and right) have also caught quite a few!
And then, at the last leg of the tour, the visiting ambassadors, senior diplomats and their spouses were led to tour the exhibits at various old-time prints.
The Hwacheon county is famous for many picturesque, high mountains such as Daeseong San, Hwaak San, Baekam San, and Jeokgeun San. All of them have such beautiful valleys which are filled with the cleanest and coldest stream in the country. The valley water meanders into Paro-ho Lake and the Hwacheon Lake all year round.
spouse of The Koreapost president Yun seo kyung wears smil with catch big fish
In summer in the Hwacheon County, there are ‘Hwacheon Jjokbae Water Festival’ is held in once in every July when the summer romance in clear water and on green fields is wide-spread in visitors’ hearts. Then there is the ‘Hwacheon Hwaaksan Tomato Festival’ which is very famous for its best –themed family tour in the Republic of Korea.
Mrs. Jeanette Somorcrucio, spouse of the ambassador of Peru in Seoul sports her ‘big’ catch with a triumphant big smile.
Hwacheon boasts the cleanest environment in the Republic of Korea where the nature and towns people coexist in harmony.
The festival is held with the theme of “Unfreezing warm-heartedness, unmelting memories” in January, when everything is covered with ice and snow in Hwacheon, Gangwon province, famous for its clean water where Sancheoneo mountain trouts and otters live.
Festival Story: The festival is being held with the theme of “Never Freezing Warm-heartedness, Never Melting Memories” every January, when everything is covered with ice and snow in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province, famous for its clean sea where Sancheoneo trouts and otters live.
MS. Ekatserina Chernetskaya, daughter of the Ambassador of Belarus, wow, has caught not only one but five!
The Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is recognized as one of the world’s four major winter festivals and was selected as Korea's representative festival in 2014. In January, at the depths of winter, the cold valley wind and clean water meet, making the earliest and thickest ice in the nation, a winter festival is held in Hwacheon, where more than a million people have visited 6 years in a row.
The Hwacheon Mountain Trout Festival is a winter festival with a unique theme, with over 30 kinds of various experience programs and things to see, which features Sancheoneo experience programs, emblematic of the Hwacheon County of the Gangwon Province, possessing clean natural environment thanks to the first-grade water quality at the upper stream of Bukhangang River, including breaking the thick ice in Hwacheoncheon Stream, where the thickness is over 40cm, for the young and old alike to participate in “Sancheoneo ice fishing.”
Ambassador and Mrs. Paul Duclos of Peru are all smiles having caught one mountain trout
They catch the Sancheoneo mountain trouts swimming in the clean water where the river bed can clearly be seen, or trying “Catching Sancheoneo with Bare Hands” by jumping into the cold ice water and catching them bare handed. In addition, programs, such as ice and snow sledding, snow sculpture, and ice football are also offered.
The 2013 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival was held in Hwacheon for 23 days from January 5 to January 27. The festival offered a variety of activities, including Sancheoneo experience (ice fishing for sancheoneo, lure fishing, and catching sancheonoe with your bare hands), snow/ice activities, such as bobsleigh, ice sledding, ice football, Eolgomi Ice Bikes, a snowmobile zone, an Eolgomi Zone, a cable 2.0 zone, an adventure, sledding slope, winter trekking, an Eolgomi Castle, zipline riding, and cart rail car as well as cultural events, snacks and food.
Ambassador Sonkane Luangmuninthone of the Lao PDR wears a big smile anticipating a big catch.
The road to the Sancheoneo Ice Festival is resplendent with the austere beauty of winter. The entrance to the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is already bustling with people. Living up to its reputation as world-renowned festival, there are many attractions to see around. After parking, as the town is famous for having lots of snow, the entrance to the Sancheoneo festival is piled up with snow on the railroad tracks.
Finally, people start ice fishing, which is the signature activity of Sancheoneo Festival. While ice fishing, people often get so focused on the fishing so that they forget the cold. There are so many to catch that it won’t be long before you’ve got your fill. Sancheoneo, of the family Salmoniformes, is a cold-water freshwater fish that lives in cold mountain valleys, which can only live in 1st grade clean water. You definitely don’t want to miss out on tasting the sancheoneo. If you go to the roasting area, you can get a taste of roasted sancheoneo for KRW 20,000 each. Sancheoneo is grilled in a barrel, like sweet potato grill. It is difficult to express the taste of freshly prepared fish on the spot. The taste is out of this world.
Ambassador Juan Manuel Medina of Costa Rica have dipped their fishing gear in the same ice hole.
After having roasted sancheoneo, head over to Eolgomi Castle, where you can take wonderful pictures. It’s a popular photo spot, filled with families, children, and couples all capturing pleasant memories. Everyone is wearing big smiles on their faces. Must be making some joyful memories. The castle has a crystalline square made of ice, which shines in the light. No detail has been left out, as it is adorned with ice sleds and the Forbidden City inside.
Hwacheon's weather is below zero! However, even on the coldest days, many people try catching sancheoneo with their bare hands. Afterward, you can run warm water over your hands to thaw out. People delight in watching the bare-handed fishers who, in their enthusiasm, forget the cold for a time. This is the driving force to warm the Festival venue.
After enjoying the festival, it is already evening. In the evenings, the Sancheoneo Festival has a food square where you can buy roasted Sancheoneo, fried food, raw dishes, and spicy fish stew, made with Sancheoneo. People eat raw Sancheoneo and hot and spicy Sancheoneo stew.
Mr. Tanggapan, Deputy Director MIDA Seoul is patiently waiting with a big smile confident that he could catch a big one.
Time vanishes when people dig in to these dishes, consumed by the smells and tastes that overwhelm the senses.
It is a festival where you can bring back cold, but happy memories. Let's promise to meet again for the next Sancheoneo Ice Festival.
Greeting from Mayor Choi Mun-soon:
Excellencies, Madams, Senior Diplomats, I am Choi Moon-soon, mayor of Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do.
And, sure enough, First Sexcentenary Smian of Iraq catches a really good one.
I always welcome everyone who visits our county, especially such distinguisied guests as ambassadors, senior diplomats and their spouses.
Hwacheon county has many high mountains such as Daeseong-San mountain, Hwaak-San mountain, Baekam-San mountain, and Jeokgeun-San mountain. All of them have so beautiful valleys which is filled with the cleanest and coldest stream in our country. The valley water meanders into Paro Lake and Hwacheon Lake all year round.
In addition to that, we hold ‘Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival’ in winter that is held in every January when our county is surrounded in the beautiful snowy scenery. In summer,
Ambassador Andrew Chernetsky of Belarus is waiting patiently expecting a big catch.
‘Hwacheon Jjokbae water festival’ is held in every July when the summer romance in clear water and on green fields is wide-spread in visitors heart. And we open ‘Hwacheon Hwaaksan Tomato Festival’ which is very famous for its best –themed family tour in the nation.
Hwacheon boasts the cleanest environment in the nation where the nature and town people coexist in harmony.
Secretary of Malaysia is looking into the water under the under where the trouts are actually seen moving
I invite you to visit us and enjoy our beautiful natural scenery and the innocent and warm hospitality.
We, the residents of Hwacheon will treat all of you and you will be welcomed anytime like our family.
List of visitors from the Seoul Diplomatic Corps:
A symbol of the Hwacheon mountain trout on top of an observation tower.
President Kim Hyung-dae of The Korea Post media (left), who organized the tour that day is getting a cup of Makkeolli rice wine from an ambassador.
Ambassador Andrew Chernetsky of Belarus is trying to use Korean chopsticks to pick up some pieces of roasted mountain trouts.
Counselor of Uzbekistan (2nd from left) wears a big smile on the surface of ice with his family members.
Mr, Luise Pablo OSSIO Bustillos charged d Affaires of Bolivia holding her spouse moving to ice fishing lake.
Mayor Cho Moon-soon (seated at right) explains to President Kim Hyung-dae about the schedule of the day for the tour of the ambassadors and other diplomats.
Ambassadors Kirom Salohidden of Tajikistan (center) with Ambassador Songkane Luangmuninthone of Laos (right) and a lady member of the diplomatic corps.
Mrs Himdi Shatha spouse of DA of Iraq posed with her daughter.
Publisher-Chairman Lee Kyung-sik of The Korea Post media (left) poses with Air Commander Shamimul Islam of Bangladesh in front of a big bottle of Korean liquor.
Mrs. Lee Kyung-sik (nee Yoon Young-no), spouse of the publisher-chairman of The Korea Post media (left) poses with Chief Abbot Park Seung-eok of the Cheongnam-sa Buddhist Temple in Ulsan. At right, foreground, is First Secretary Sharif Simian Shariti of the Republic of Iraq.
Photo shows Mme. Yoon Young-no (spouse of the publisher-chairman of The Korea Post media), 4th from left, poses with Mrs. Kim Hyung-dae (2nd from left), spouse of the president of The Korea Post media, and Chief Abbot Park Seung-eok of the Cheonman-sa Buddhist Temple (left).
The spacious central part of the river in the Hwacheon County of the Gangwon Province is filled with ‘fishermen’ from all parts of the county
Ambassador Songkane Luamngmurninthyone of Laos (standing at left) speaks to the leaders of the host Hwangcheon County (led by Mayor Choi Moon-soon) of the host Hwacheon County. Publisher-Chairma Lee Kyung-sik of The Korea Post media is seen seated at far right.
A part of the visiting members of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps pose the camera on the rice of the Hwacheon River.
Publisher-Chairman and Mrs. Lee Kyung-sik of The Korea Post media pose for the camera in front of Santa Claus inside an ice room in Hwacheon Country.
Publisher-Chairman & Mrs. Lee of The Korea Post media (5th and 6th from left, respectively) pose with the visiting members of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps to the Hwacheon County. First Secretary, Sharif Simian Shariti, Iraq (far right), Chief Abbot Park Seong-eok, Cheonman-sa temple (3rd from left) and Executive Vice Chairman, Choe Nam-suk, Korea Post (far left).
Mrs. Yoon Young-no Lee (spouse of the publisher-chairman of The Korea Post media (right) speaks with Mrs. Kim Hyung-dae (spouse of the president of The Korea Post media).
Publisher-Chairman and Mrs. Lee Kyung-sik (left and 2nd from left) pose with Chief Abbot Park Seung-eok of the Cheonman-sa Buddhist Temple. At far right is Vice Chairman/Editor-in-Chief Choe Nam-suk of The Korea Post media.
Mrs. Hindi Shatha (spouse of the Defense Attache of Iraq) and her daughter pose with a big Santa Claus (left) at a decorated room in the Hwacheon County.
Ambassadors Songkane Laungmuninthone of Laos and Ambassador Mohammed Bensari of Algeria (right and center) pose with a big Santa Claus (left). Seated with them at left is the secretary at the Embassy of Algeria.
President Kim Hyung-dae (3rd from left), organizer of the tour for the ambassadors and other diplomats to the Mountain Trout Festival, poses with Air Commodor Shamimul Islam of Bangladesh (2nd from left) and his family members.
Lists of the visitors from the Seoul Diplomatic Corps are;
Ambassadors: H.E. Andrew Chernetsky of Belarus, H.E. Mohammed Beasari of Algeria, H.E. Songkane Luangmuninthon of the Lao PDR, H.E. Paul Duclos of Peru, H.E. Kirom Salohidden of Tajikistan, H.E. Luis Pablo Ossio Bustillos of Bolivia (Charge d’Affairs), H.E. Juan Manuel Medina (Charge d’Affairs of Costa Rica), Some ambassadors with their spouses and other family members
Other senior diplomats:
Mr. Alisher Abdusalomov (Counsellor of Uzbekistan), Mr. Norhadila Binti Ab Halim (Counsellor of Malaysia) Mr. Derrick Tanggapan, Deputy Director of MIDA Seoul, Air Commander Shamimul Islam (Defence Attache of Bangladesh), Mr. Sharif Alshrif, First Secretary of Iraq, Some senior diplomats with their family members.
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