Part high-stakes physics, part childhood pastime, Korea’s premier paper airplane tournament is landing at Yeouido Hangang Park on Oct. 10 — and the race to secure a spot begins this weekend. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Friday it will open online registration Saturday at 10 am to select 700 competitors for the 16th annual Han River Paper Airplane Festival. Open to enthusiasts of all ages, the event routinely sells out online within 60 seconds as aviation buffs, families and precision craftsmen from across the nation rush to claim a spot. The venue itself adds historical flair to the friendly rivalry. Yeouido, now a dense financial district dominated by corporate headquarters, glass skyscrapers, and parliamentary buildings, served as the birthplace of Korean aviation as the site of the country's first civilian airfield in 1916. For nearly two decades, the annual festival has drawn on that heritage, transforming the lush riverside park into an open-air arena for grassroots aerodynamics and family entertainment. The main tournament features two primary competitive disciplines