Commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the Berlin Olympics, the Son Ki-jung Peace Marathon to be Held

*This content was translated by AI.

"I am a person who protects peace."

This is a sentence that defines himself, by the late Son Ki-jung, Korea's first sports hero and winner of the marathon at the Berlin Olympics.

The 2026 Son Ki-jung Peace Marathon, commemorating the achievements of Mr. Son Ki-jung, will be held on November 15 at Imjinak, running along the Civilian Control Line (CCL) course.

Held for its 22nd year this time, the Son Ki-jung Peace Marathon is organized to commemorate the 90th anniversary of Son Ki-jung's marathon victory at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. In particular, the 2026 event is expected to serve as a starting point for realizing the values the marathon aims to promote, with support from the Ministry of Unification.

As an athlete, Son Ki-jung boosted national pride through his marathon victory at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. As a coach, he led victories in the Boston Marathon in 1947 (by Yoon-bok Seo) and 1950 (by Ki-yong Ham). Son Ki-jung was a symbol of challenge and victory in Korea's modern history.

However, his life was marked by turmoil and suffering. During the Japanese colonial period, an uneasy time, he stood on the Olympic podium and was recorded as "the sad champion." Furthermore, after liberation, he was thoroughly erased from his hometown in North Korea for a long period due to his choice of South Korea.

The Son Ki-jung Peace Marathon seeks to bestow upon all participants the value of being "a person who protects peace," rejecting prejudice and contributing to inter-Korean and global peace.

This event will be organized in four categories: full marathon, half marathon, 10km course, and 6km (slow run). A special event for inter-Korean peace will also be held along the Civilian Control Line course. Safety will be strengthened through various forms of encouragement to boost participants' energy and the presence of a race patrol composed of active-duty firefighters.

Kim Sung-tae, President of the Son Ki-jung Memorial Foundation, stated, "We will prepare the event so that all participants can feel proud, going beyond a marathon that remembers Son Ki-jung, the runner who symbolizes the story of peace, and contributing to spreading national consensus for inter-Korean peace." He emphasized, "In the future, the event will evolve into the Son Ki-jung Inter-Korean Peace Marathon, which starts at Imjinak and turns around in Kaesong."

Registration can be checked on the Son Ki-jung Peace Marathon website. The number of participants is limited to 15,000 on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration begins at 9 a.m. on August 9. This event is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Unification, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, and the National Financial Industry Labor Union.

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*This content was translated by AI.