The story tells, that the tradition of letting oil lanterns flow in the river Namgang originated in the years of Imjin War (1592-1598). In 1592, Japan assaulted Korea, and for 6 years Koreans bravely fought the Japanese army to defend the independence of the country. The Jinju-son fortress on the shores of the Namgang river, was the most important stronghold in the south of Korea.

Koreans used the lanterns as military signals, but after the war the tradition changed: these days it is more to remember the fallen in the war Korean warriers; these days these centeries long tradition has become the foundation of a big cultural festival.

Also included in the tour:

the biggest national park of Korea: Jirisan
Chunghyang theme park
ancient Bobjusa temple situated in the Soknisan National Park
Provincial pak Maisan ('Ears of a Hourse')

Route:

Seoul-Soknisan national park-Namwon city
Chunhyang theme park-<code>Festival</code>-Suncheon city hotel check-in
Jirisan national park, Suncheon garden and eco-park, night in Suncheon
Suncheon->Seoul

<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="border: 1px solid #cecece;"><a href="http://map.naver.com/?menu=route&mapMode=0&lat=36.3739496&lng=127.5485751&dlevel=3&slng=126.9706856&slat=37.5545373&eslng=126.9719294&eslat=37.5552009&sdid=11630456&elng=126.9706856&elat=37.5545373&eelng=126.9719294&eelat=37.5552009&edid=11630456&t1lng=127.8327317&t1lat=36.5412781&t2lng=127.4145086&t2lat=35.4080922&t3lng=128.1076544&t3lat=35.1803282&t4lng=127.7335057&t4lat=35.8927318&pathType=0&dtPathType=2&sText=7ISc7Jq47JetIOqyveu2gOyEoA%3D%3D&eText=7ISc7Jq47JetIOqyveu2gOyEoA%3D%3D&t1Text=67KV7KO87IKs6riI6rCV66y4&t2Text=7Iqk7JyE7Yq47Zi47YWUIOuCqOybkA%3D%3D&t3Text=6rK97IOB64Ko64%2BEIOynhOyjvOyLnA%3D%3D&t4Text=7Zi47YWUIO2LsOuhpA%3D%3D&enc=b64" target="_blank"><img style="vertical-align: top;" title="지도 크게 보기" src="http://prt.map.naver.com/mashupmap/print?key=p1407427926002_615791415" alt="지도 크게 보기" width="460" height="340" border="0" /></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" height="30">2014.8.8 | <a href="http://map.naver.com/?menu=route&mapMode=0&lat=36.3739496&lng=127.5485751&dlevel=3&slng=126.9706856&slat=37.5545373&eslng=126.9719294&eslat=37.5552009&sdid=11630456&elng=126.9706856&elat=37.5545373&eelng=126.9719294&eelat=37.5552009&edid=11630456&t1lng=127.8327317&t1lat=36.5412781&t2lng=127.4145086&t2lat=35.4080922&t3lng=128.1076544&t3lat=35.1803282&t4lng=127.7335057&t4lat=35.8927318&pathType=0&dtPathType=2&sText=7ISc7Jq47JetIOqyveu2gOyEoA%3D%3D&eText=7ISc7Jq47JetIOqyveu2gOyEoA%3D%3D&t1Text=67KV7KO87IKs6riI6rCV66y4&t2Text=7Iqk7JyE7Yq47Zi47YWUIOuCqOybkA%3D%3D&t3Text=6rK97IOB64Ko64%2BEIOynhOyjvOyLnA%3D%3D&t4Text=7Zi47YWUIO2LsOuhpA%3D%3D&enc=b64" target="_blank">지도 크게 보기</a></td> <td align="right" width="98"><span style="float: right;">© <a href="http://www.nhncorp.com" target="_blank">NAVER Corp.</a></span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

燈 Lantern festival in the city of Jinju on the Namgang River