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Festivals taking place in Jeju that cause disputes, like excessive pricing, will be promptly removed from the list of officially recognized Jeju festivals.

Jeju Province stated on the 4th that events which were not assessed by the Festival Promotion Committee because of social disputes—such as excessive pricing, misuse of funds, or other problems—will be excluded from being considered for Jeju’s official festivals. For a period of three years starting from the date of this decision, these events will also not be eligible for assessment by the Festival Promotion Committee. Throughout this time, they will be subject to penalties, including a maximum reduction of 50% in their festival budget subsidy rates.

The standards for evaluating festivals have been greatly enhanced. Penalties for three main areas—▲social disputes such as high pricing, ▲wasteful spending (e.g., hiring famous personalities), and ▲uncontrolled event management that weakens the festival’s character—have risen from a combined total of 3 points (1 point each) to 15 points (7, 4, and 4 points respectively).

In addition to improving public accountability in the selection and evaluation process for Jeju-designated festivals, new initiatives aimed at boosting global competitiveness have been implemented. A new “Global Readiness” bonus category has been established to encourage festivals that offer experiences appealing to an international audience.

Kim Yang-bo, the head of Tourism and Exchange for Jeju Province, said, “We will demonstrate that festivals involved in social disputes, such as those with excessive pricing, will have clear repercussions. We will make sure assessment outcomes result in real changes and oversee festivals in person to enhance the global competitiveness of Jeju’s events.”