S.Koreans march with lanterns to celebrate Buddha’s birthday

South Korea celebrated the centuries-old Lotus Lantern Festival, or Yeondeunghoe, on Saturday, drawing many participants and spectators to central Seoul's Jongno district.

Tens of thousands of people marched with nearly 100,000 handmade paper lanterns, with the unexpected highlight of the 2026 procession being four humanoid robot monks in traditional robes. Yeondeunghoe is a UNESCO-designated Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity with a history tracing back over 1,200 years.