'Even with 10 legs, it would not be enough' — Yoo Seung-min, President of the Korean Olympic Committee, conducts active sports diplomacy in Nagoya, Japan, simultaneously pursuing 'going-out diplomacy' and 'bringing-in diplomacy'

*This content was translated by AI.

The Korean Olympic Committee (President Yoo Seung-min) continues its sports diplomacy activities by meeting consecutively with key figures from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), as well as representatives from National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and international and Asian Games federations (IFs and AFs), ahead of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Summer Asian Games.

In particular, it is simultaneously carrying out 'going-out diplomacy' and 'bringing-in diplomacy' by utilizing Korea House as a hub for international sports exchange and discussing cooperation agendas with key figures at various venues during the event.

◆ Korea House as a Hub for International Sports Diplomacy

On the 18th, Yoo Seung-min (Chairman) attended a welcome reception in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya City, and later that day personally led the opening ceremony of the '2026 Aichi-Nagoya Summer Asian Games Korea House.' The event, hosted by the Korean Olympic Committee, was attended by 179 prominent domestic and international figures, including IOC members, OCA Secretary-General, executive committee members, subcommittee members, presidents and secretaries-general of NOCs from various countries, and IFs and AFs.

The Korean Olympic Committee has transformed Korea House into more than a national promotion office; it is now a 'field base camp' that combines athlete support, K-sports and cultural promotion, and international sports diplomacy. It provides support spaces for athletes and their families, organizes group cheering events and sports and cultural experience programs, and creates exchange spaces for officials from international sports organizations to connect international networks at the event venue.

◆ Continuous Communication with Key IOC and OCA Figures, Direct Response to Athlete Issues

On the 19th, Yoo Seung-min (Chairman) attended events hosted by the OCA in succession, and on the 20th, at a reception of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), met separately with IOC President Kirsty Coventry and OCA President Sheikh Ahmad bin Hamad Al Thani to discuss ways for continuous communication and cooperation among the IOC, OCA, and the Korean Olympic Committee.

Immediate responses were also made to athlete-related issues that arose during the event. Yoo Seung-min (Chairman) met with Dato' Fumio Ogura, President of the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF), and received a direct apology regarding an error in broadcasting the South Korean national anthem during a hockey match on the 18th. This involved communicating directly with the relevant international organization about issues that occurred at the event venue and continuing follow-up actions personally.

Diplomatic agendas were also concretized through athlete development and competition exchanges. During a separate meeting on the same day with Anli Parker, Secretary-General of the Namibia NOC, they shared South Korea's athlete development system and experience, and discussed ways to expand sports exchange between athletes and coaches of both countries.

◆ From Next Asian Games Host Countries to E-sports... Expansion of Diplomatic Scope

Yoo Seung-min (Chairman)'s diplomatic efforts also extended to next Asian Games host countries. On the 21st, Yoo Seung-min (Chairman) attended a reception hosted by the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), the host of the 2030 Doha Asian Games, and on the 23rd, attended a reception hosted by the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC), the host of the 2034 Riyadh Asian Games. Through continuous exchanges with upcoming host countries, it is building a foundation for medium- to long-term cooperation, including sharing operational experience for future international multi-sport events.

Diplomacy targeting the changing sports landscape was also pursued in parallel. On the 22nd, Yoo Seung-min (Chairman) attended a luncheon hosted by Sermieng Ng, an IOC member and President of the World Esports Association, to discuss the association's future operational direction and ways to activate e-sports through cooperation with NOCs. Through this, it directly participated in international discussions not only in traditional sports fields but also in the rapidly growing e-sports sector, exploring new areas of cooperation.

In addition to formal events with the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee (CTOC), separate meetings were arranged to increase the density of exchanges. On the 22nd, at a CTOC reception, __NAME_0__ met with IOC members and CTOC and Taiwan-side officials to exchange views on the Asian Games and sports exchanges. On the 23rd, it held a separate meeting with Chia-Chih, President of the CTOC, to discuss cooperation measures between the two NOCs.

◆ Expanding International Networks Through 'Going-Out Diplomacy' and 'Bringing-In Diplomacy'

As such, Yoo Seung-min (Chairman) is actively utilizing international sports networks concentrated during the event period by personally welcoming international sports figures at Korea House while also managing a series of receptions, luncheons, and separate meetings attended by IOC and OCA officials, representatives from NOCs worldwide, and officials from sport-specific international organizations.

Yoo Seung-min (Chairman) stated, "The Asian Games is not only a stage where athletes compete with their best performance but also an important opportunity for people who move sports in Asia and the world to gather in one place." It added, "We will actively utilize Korea House, prepared by the Korean Olympic Committee, as a hub for sports diplomacy, and directly visit necessary sites to create even more cooperation opportunities needed for South Korean sports."

It further said, "Discussions initiated at this event regarding athlete development, performance improvement, operation of international multi-sport events, and new sports fields will be connected to actual results. We will continue follow-up cooperation even after the event."

The Korean Olympic Committee emphasized, "We plan to continue exchanges with officials from the international sports community during the remaining days of the event and explore possibilities for cooperation in various fields based on the networks formed through this event."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.