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| Citizens await the sunrise at Namsan, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, around 6 am on the first day of the new year. © News 1 Reporter Kim Geun-wook |
At 5:30 am on the 1st, before the twilight was over, Kim Chang-su-gun (pseudonym, 12), a fifth grader at Huam Elementary School in Seoul, left his home in Yongsan-gu, Seoul and climbed Namsan Mountain. The strong cold, around -10 degrees Celsius, made the body shudder, but Kim, who climbed for about an hour while sweating with three friends, looked at the faintly bright east.
I knew that it was not possible to go up to Namsan Seoul Tower in the first place because of the spread of Corona 19 (a novel coronavirus infection) and guidelines for distancing. The conquest of the summit was blocked right in front of the nose. Still, Kim is not disappointed. It is because there was a wish for the new year that I would like to wish for even a minute while looking at the dawning side.
Kim said, “Because of Corona 19, I can’t see a lot with my friends at school, and it’s regrettable that I can’t play with them again,” he said. “I want to see all of my friends at school in good health.”
In the aftermath of Corona 19, many places of sunrise were under intense control, and citizens occasionally stood out from here and there where the sun could be seen rising from a distance this morning.
Blocking of entry to various places was widely promoted, and as the global cold wave of 2020 Gyeongja year continued to this day, most of them chose’Zipkok’ (New Year at home), but like Kim Gun, they made wishes such as’Corona 19 end’. There were also those who rained.
In the case of Namsan Tower, the shuttle bus was stopped. To climb, you have to climb 270m above sea level on foot. Even if you arrive at the parking lot and bus stop, the police and Yongsan-gu staff cannot go under the control of the tower or the observation deck, where the sun is usually met. Even if you are climbing, you can only stop for a minute or two.
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| A citizen waits for the sunrise in front of a controlled access observatory in Namsan, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, around 6 am on the first day of the new year. © News 1 Reporter Kim Geun-wook |
Even so, Park Chang-sun, in her 40s, pressed a mask deeply and climbed Namsan Mountain. Mr. Park said, “Of course, I follow the quarantine rules, but I saw the sun rise here every year, but this year I didn’t see it properly, so I came to see the sunrise from a distance.” Park, who works at a trading company, was unable to conduct business or meetings properly in the aftermath of Corona 19 last year. He said, “I want to build a good track record this year and spend a healthy life,” he said and left after a one or two minute meeting.
Around 20 citizens also stood out near the Jeoldusan Martyrs’ Shrine near Hapjeong Station in Mapo-gu. Due to the strong wind blowing along the Han River, the temperature felt below -10 degrees Celsius (as of 7:30 am, as of 7:30 am, the lowest experienced in Seoul in Seoul’s Disaster Prevention Weather Information System -13.7 degrees), but Mundong recorded his appearance on his mobile phone.
Yang-mo, in her 50s, shed tears. “I don’t come to see the sunrise, but I go for a walk every morning, and I look back at the past year, which was exhausted today,” he said, saying, “I have been unable to find a daughter due to Corona 19, but I hope this year, I hope to achieve my dreams.”
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| Citizens waiting for the New Year’s sunrise on the morning of the 1st are crowded for an instant. © News 1 Reporter Kim Geun-wook |
However, as the time of sunrise approached, distances from all over the place collapsed, and the police and public officials did not follow the instructions. In Namsan, as the day started to get brighter around 7:30 am, more than 40-50 people gathered in one place and stood up and frowned at the request, “Please move. Otherwise, open the street.”
According to the astronomical and space knowledge information of the Korea Astronomical Research Institute, the sunrise time in major areas on this day (1st) is at 07:31 on Ulleungdo and Dokdo in the easternmost part, 07:40 in Gangneung, and 7:47 in Seoul.
Sunrise Spot The sunrise time is 7:40 in Jeongdongjin, 7:38 in Taebaeksan, and 7:32 in Ganjeolgot.
However, the quarantine authorities recommended online viewing with Corona 19. Since the 24th, the government has closed major tourist attractions such as Gangneung Jeongdongjin, Ulsan Ganjeolgot, Pohang Homigot, and Seoul Namsan Park, as well as national and public parks, and restricted access to visitors to see the sunrise and sunset. .