Source: Korea Times

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/200604/kt2006041717375611700.htm

On April 17, 2006 the Korea Times reported, "The Lotus Lantern Festival, an annual event, will be held across the nation from Tuesday through May 5 to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday, which falls on May 5 this year according to the lunar calendar. The event begins with a lantern lighting ceremony at 7 p.m. tonight at the Seoul Plaza in front of Seoul City Hall with the attendance of Rev. Ji Kwan, president of the Chogye Order of Korean Buddhism, and Lee Myung-bak, mayor of Seoul, along with some 3,000 Seoul citizens and Buddhists. As the ceremony will officially signal the start to festivities, a range of other events will follow throughout the festival period such as a lantern exhibition, traditional performances, street parades and concerts. A lantern exhibition taking place from April 28 to May 5 in Pongunsa Temple, southern Seoul, features a variety of lanterns, all in brilliant and luminous hues. The lantern parade called Yondung Nori will start at 7 p.m. on April 29 and marches in front of Chogyesa Temple But a bigger street event is also scheduled the following day from noon to 8 p.m. titled the Buddhist Street Festival."