A festival highlighting a Korean traditional tug of war opened in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, on Thursday.
 
The Dangjin Gijisi Juldarigi Festival is being held for the first time since it was added to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list last December. It will feature a variety of events until April tenth.
 
On Friday morning, the UNESCO recognition will be celebrated at a ceremony.

Other festival events include a traditional percussion music contest and a demonstration of juldarigi preserved in Samcheok, Gangwon Province, as well as a swinging competition. Conferences on related subjects are also scheduled.
 
On Saturday, the eighth national tug-of-war competition will be held with some 50 teams participating. Visitors will also be able to try their hand at the traditional board game “yutnori."