The torch that will brighten up the Jeonbuk Asia-Pacific Masters, a festival for domestic and foreign athletes, was lit at the Mireuksa Temple Site in Iksan.
The torch is expected to heighten the festive mood by riding on the relay road that goes around each city and county.
Reporter Joong-ho Oh has been there.
[Report]
Iksan Mireuksaji, which was the royal capital of Baekje 1,400 years ago.
Under the leadership of Choheongwan, they bow to the sky and raise their cups.
It is to hold a celestial ceremony to pray for the success of the Asia-Pacific Masters tournament. [Soundbite] Lee Kang-안전놀이터
oh(Asia-Pacific Masters Organizing Committee Secretary-General) : “Please guide us so that the 2023 Jeonbuk Asia-Pacific Masters can be held successfully.” Finally, Fairy Zhou uses her sun’s heat to ignite the torch. As the first torch runner, the oldest participant in the Iksan region was on the relay. [Kim Young-soon/First Runner of the Torch/67 years old : “I’m excited and I’m so happy. I hope all the players can complete the race without any injuries, and I hope many people will run and participate.”] After touring each city and county, the torch will be enshrined in the plaza of Jeonbuk Provincial Office . . The final runner will ignite at the opening ceremony on weekend evening. Player registration for Masters participants from home and abroad has also begun. There are about 4,000 foreign participants from about 70 countries, close to 30% of the total.
Amidst the K-Korean wave craze, expectations are high for Jeonbuk’s representative tourist destinations and local food, the home of taste and style.