[경남=NSP통신] 김연화 인턴기자 = Jinju City, the gateway of Kyongnam and the city of a thousand years of artful cultural and beauty, is now illuminated with thousands colorful lanterns.

October 1st, the first of the 14 days that Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival 2012 is held.

We are here to see how everything is going.

The parade was held at sinandong at 6:30, one hour earlier than opening ceremony(개막식).

330 thousand people including Jinju Citizens, visitors from other cities in Korea and foreign visitors are all coming here to join the brilliant lantern party of Jinju Namgang Yudeung festival 2012.

The first lighting ceremony(초혼 점등식) was held on October 1st at 7:30 pm at the special stage Mang Kyoung Dong. After that, thousands of colorful and sparkling fireworks were light up in the sky to open the 14 days festival.

Hundreds of character lanterns are currently floating on Namgang River(남강) and inside the Jinju Castle(진주성), the splendid atmosphere is all around.

At the Jinju Namgang Yudeng festival, many wishing lanterns, Korean traditional lanterns and creative lanterns are displayed.

There is also a special road made for couples in mangkyungdong bamboo forest.

The silence of the lanterns and the activity of the events work in harmony with one another.

The Jinju Namgang Yudeung festival(진주남강유등축제) has gone beyound Jinju and has become the festival of Korean, the East and West can mix with the world’s culture and history to live together in perfect union.