National Maritime Sports Festival Returns to South Korea’s Turtle Island, Boosting Marine Leisure and Local Economy
The 17th National maritime Sports Festival, South Korea’s premier summer sporting event, is set to take place at sihwa Lake Turtle Island from August 30th to September 2nd, marking the second time the island has hosted the competition and solidifying its position as a key marine leisure destination.
The National Marine Sports Festival, hosted by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, aims to popularize marine leisure sports and expand participation nationwide. Since its inception in 2006, the festival has attracted approximately 2.7 million athletes and visitors, becoming the largest marine sports competition in the country.
this year’s festival promises a diverse range of activities, encompassing 14 maritime and land sports experiences, including four official sports and three exhibition sports. Events will be staged against the scenic backdrop of Turtle Island and Sihwa Lake.
“Siheung City is rapidly developing as a marine leisure sports base,” stated a senior official from Siheung City. “Along with the various marine leisure experience programs and the Siheung Market Cup International Surfing Competition, visitors will be able to fully enjoy the charm of Turtle Island and Sihwa Lake.”
The festival will feature competitions in yachting, canoeing, underwater sports, and pin swimming, with yachting taking place near the Sihwa embankment, canoeing on the coast of Turtle Island, and underwater and pin swimming events held in the picturesque waters of Sihwa Lake. Beyond the official competitions,attendees can enjoy dragon boat races,rubber boat rides,and flyboarding experiences. Cultural events, including sea postcard creation and “sea love” contests, will further enhance the festival atmosphere.
A wide array of marine leisure activities will also be available for non-competitors, including banana boat rides, flyfish adventures, peanut boat excursions, kayaking, jet skiing, and yacht tours. These experiences can be booked through the national marine sports festival website starting in early august or directly on-site.
Adding to the excitement, the ‘Siheung Mayor’s International surfing Contest’ will be held concurrently with the festival, showcasing surfing as a popular marine sport and a symbol of turtle Island.
The festival extends beyond athletic competition, offering a vibrant “culture festival” experience with a variety of side events. Visitors can participate in activities such as sea postcard drawing, fashion tattoos, face painting, and bracelet making. A land swimming pool and healing therapy classes will also be available in the turf plaza near the coastal deck.
The opening ceremony will feature a performance by the Siheung Municipal Boys and Girls Choir, followed by a media book performance by Criat Company and musical performances by Yoon ha, Lee Young-hyun, Greg, Kim Soo-chan, and NeudConnection. An EDM show will cap off the festival at the closing ceremony on September 1st.
Organizers anticipate approximately 50,000 visitors to turtle Island during the four-day event and have implemented complete transportation and safety measures. Car-free streets will be established around the coastal deck and surrounding roads, with 4,000 free parking spaces available near the six venues, including Aqua Petland. A two-story open-air bus will circulate key locations, offering free transportation from Wednesday to Sunday.
Safety will be prioritized through the deployment of personnel from the Siheung Police Station, Siheung Fire Station, Autonomous Security Federation, and Pyeongtaek Maritime Police Station.
Siheung Mayor Lim Byung-taek, who has championed the festival since taking office in 2018, emphasized the event’s meaning for the region. “If marine leisure is to have a home in Korea, Turtle Island is the place,” he stated. “This is a chance to inform the world.” He highlighted the accomplished hosting of the World Surprise Korea Open last month, attracting 6,000 competitors, as further evidence of Turtle Island’s growing prominence.
The festival is also expected to provide a boost to the local economy, with Siheung city planning a flea market and a “Turtle Island Shopping Centre Fair” to support local businesses. “We expect more than 50,000 people, including teams and visitors, to visit Turtle Island from all over the country,” Mayor Lim added.
