Korean Sports Council successfully concludes '30th Korea-Japan Youth Sports Exchange' in Daejeon → Japanese delegation departs on the 16th

*This content was translated by AI.

The Korean Sports Council announced on the 11th that it successfully concluded the '30th Korea-Japan Youth Sports Exchange Invitation Event,' held for five nights and six days from August 2 to 7 in Daejeon Metropolitan City.

According to the Korean Sports Council, the Korea-Japan Youth Sports Exchange, which began in 1997 and has been held annually alternating between the two countries, is an event that provides elementary and middle school students from both nations with opportunities for international sports competitions and cultural experiences. This year's invitation event saw a total of 434 participants, including 216 athletes from Mie Prefecture and Hyogo Prefecture in Japan, along with team members and headquarters officials from both countries.

Participants from both countries competed in skill and built friendships through joint training, practice matches, and official games across five sports: soccer, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, and badminton. Additionally, leveraging Daejeon's identity as a science city, the event included diverse scientific and cultural experiences, such as visits to the National Museum of Science and Culture.

In particular, to mark the 30th anniversary of the exchange, the welcome banquet featured a commemorative video showcasing three decades of youth exchanges between the two nations, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony. The event was attended by Won Yun-jong, an IOC athlete committee member and director of the Korean Sports Council, who encouraged the youth of both countries as the future generation and reflected on the meaning of friendship through sports.

After successfully concluding the invitation event in Daejeon, the Korean team will participate in the dispatch event held from August 16 to 21 in Mie Prefecture, Japan, continuing with sport-specific competitions and cultural exchanges.

Yoo Seung-min, president of the Korean Sports Council, said, "I am very pleased that the Korea-Japan Youth Sports Exchange, which allows youth from both countries to understand each other and build friendships through sports, continues steadily. Going forward, we will actively support efforts for youth from both nations to exchange through sports as a medium, thereby expanding the foundation of friendship and cooperation between future generations."

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*This content was translated by AI.