Ginseng Festival to open in Geumsan Friday

SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- A festival celebrating ginseng and healthy living
will open in Geumsan, or the "city of ginseng," Friday featuring various events
designed to help promote visitors' health, organizers said Monday
.

The 10-day Geumsan Ginseng Festival will be held at Ginseng Hall Plaza and
Ginseng and Herb Streets in Geumsan, South Chungcheong Province, offering a wide
variety of ginseng dishes, as well as opportunities to learn planting and
processing ginseng. Raw ginseng and processed red ginseng products will also be
sold at discounted prices during the festival until Sept. 27.
Under the theme of "A day's stay in Geumsan guarantees a healthy life," events
will include a ginseng cooking contest, a baloon art competition, a singing
contest, harvesting ginseng and preparing herbal medicine, and performances of
traditional music and dances.
The process of growing ginseng, particular types of ginseng, and ginseng pots
will be on display at the Geumsan Ginseng Hall. The International Geumsan Ginseng
Fair will sell ginseng flat rice cakes, ginseng cosmetics, and the steamed and
dried ginseng products of numerous manufacturers. At the exhibition, export
consultation will be conducted with international ginseng buyers, and ordinary
visitors can buy ginseng products at below market prices.
A number of exhibitions will showcase the ginseng cultivation process,
ginseng???s many unique shapes, and ginseng flowerpots at the Geumsan Ginseng
Pavilion. Processed ginseng product manufacturers will exhibit a wide variety of
ginseng products, including ginseng chips, ginseng cosmetics, and red ginseng
products at the International Ginseng Trade Center.
Ginseng, whose main ingredient is saponine, is known to help cleanse blood
vessels, balance body temperature and boost stamina. Korean ginseng, commonly
known as "Goryo ginseng," is famous for its high levels of saponine and is a
popular choice in summer for Koreans exhausted by the hot weather.
Geumsan has been home to Goryo ginseng for 15 centuries, and became known as the
"city of ginseng" after hosting the Geumsan Ginseng Expo in 2006.
The Geumsan area lies some 250 meters above sea level and is surrounded by hills,
creating temperature extremes between day and night that cause the ginseng roots
to grow more solid and develop a deeper fragrance.
Locals say the area's mountains, with their low and round peaks, embrace the
county rather than dominate it. The Jeokbyeok river runs through the town, amid a
cluster of maple trees where the popular television drama "Daejanggeum" was
filmed. Centuries-old Boseok and Taego temples are other tourist attractions.
A traditional ginseng market is held six times a month on days ending in 2 and 7.
Additional information is available by calling 041-750-2391 or from the Web site
http://www.geumsan.go.kr/festival.
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