A ceremony to celebrate the inaugural National Gugak Day is set for Thursday at the outdoor plaza of Heungnyemun Gate in Seoul.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on Wednesday that at the event, awards will be presented to those who contributed to the enactment of the Gugak Promotion Act, which came into effect in July of last year.

Symbolic images produced by the ministry to represent Korean singing and dancing will also be unveiled at the event.

Gugak Day commemorates the lunar calendar date of June 5, when the court music composition “Yeominrak,” which means “enjoy with the people,” was first recorded in the Annals of King Sejong in 1447. 

The ministry has designated June 5-30 as the Weeks of Gugak, with various Korean traditional music performances, educational events and meetings hosted by Korean classical music centers and cultural foundations to be staged across the country.
 
Through Sunday, the Yeominrak Grand Festival will be held at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, featuring special performances and hands-on activities for the public.

Culture Minister Yu In-chon said the Gugak Day events aim to raise awareness and shed new light on the meaning and value of Korean traditional music.