Mayor Kyu-il Cho of Jinju Inspects Lantern Production Site... "Worker Safety Comes First"

Status Check on On-site Safety Management Including Main Production Processes and Heatwave Response
Listening to Workers' Concerns

Mayor Kyu-il Cho of Jinju City visited the lantern production site to check on the progress ahead of the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival and inspected the safety management of workers in response to the ongoing heatwave.

According to Jinju City, on the afternoon of the 11th, Mayor Cho visited the lantern production site operated by the Jinju Cultural Foundation, observed the lantern making process and working environment, and listened to the opinions of on-site workers.

[Photo Provided by Jinju City] Mayor Kyu-il Cho of Jinju City visited the Jinju Cultural Arts Foundation's lantern production site on the 11th, observing the lantern-making process and inspecting the working conditions and safety management status of on-site workers.

During the visit, principal production processes such as lantern sculpting, flame work, and mounting were underway. Mayor Cho reviewed the status of each production process and the overall production schedule. In particular, given that the work was taking place during consecutive days of extreme heat, he also checked whether safety measures were being properly implemented to prevent heat-related illnesses among workers.

The mayor urged on-site workers to take adequate breaks during work and to stay hydrated frequently, following heatwave safety guidelines. He also requested special attention from site managers to ensure that if anyone shows symptoms that may suggest heat-related illness—such as dizziness, headache, or fatigue—they are able to stop working and rest immediately.

It was emphasized that, since lantern production involves various materials and processes to complete the lantern structures, ensuring worker safety is just as important as adhering to the production schedule. Jinju City stated that it will flexibly adjust working and break times according to on-site conditions, and will strengthen safety management practices by frequently checking the health of workers if the heatwave continues.

Mayor Cho told on-site officials, "The most important aspect in preparing for the festival is the safety of workers at the site. During periods of ongoing heatwaves, adjust working and break times appropriately, and make sure that if any worker feels unwell, work can be stopped immediately so they can rest. Please ensure that on-site management is impeccable."

Officials from the Jinju Cultural Foundation and the Jinju City Culture & Tourism Bureau also attended the visit, where they checked the progress of lantern production, identified difficulties at the site, and discussed plans to improve the working environment and strengthen safety management.

[Photo by Jinju City] On the 11th, Mayor Kyu-il Cho of Jinju visited the lantern production site to check the progress and on-site difficulties with representatives from the Jinju Cultural Foundation and Jinju City. They discussed improvements to the working environment and safety management measures.

Going forward, Jinju City plans to work with relevant organizations and on-site personnel to inspect and strengthen the safety management system so that on-site activities such as facility installation and lantern production for the festival can proceed safely.

The 2026 Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival is scheduled to be held from October 3 to 18, spanning 16 days around Jinju Castle and the Namgang River. This year's festival, designated as a global festival of South Korea, will feature a variety of lantern exhibitions and programs.

The safety of on-site workers must take priority over the festival itself. Since lantern production continues under extreme heat, it is essential to comply with basic safety rules such as rest and hydration, along with continuous monitoring by on-site managers.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.