Jeju to host Korea's largest sports festival for the first time in 12 years as the 107th National Sports Festival opens on the 16th

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The "107th National Sports Festival," Korea's largest sports event, will be held for seven days from October 16 to 22 in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. This marks the first time the National Sports Festival has been hosted in Jeju since the 95th edition in 2014, a span of 12 years.

Hosted by the Korea Olympic Committee and organized by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Office of Education, and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Sports Association, this edition will proceed under the slogan "Shining Jeju, United Korea Running Together!" A total of 30,599 participants (19,576 athletes, 9,468 officials, and 1,555 overseas athlete team members) from the 17th metropolitan cities and provinces across the country, as well as overseas Korean sports organizations, will compete in 50 events at 74 venues, staking their regional honor on the line.

Star athletes are also set to make a full appearance to add to the excitement of the tournament. National team members who have shone on the international stage, including swimmers Hwang Sun-woo and Kim Woo-min, archer Kim Woo-jin, fencer Oh Sang-uk, weightlifter Park Hye-jung, and short-distance track athletes Namadi Joel Jin and Bwesha Daniel Gasama, are expected to compete in large numbers. The Korea Olympic Committee plans to designate key national team competitions, events challenging for multiple titles or new records, and appearances by promising next-generation talents as "Prime Events" to provide viewers with key points of interest.

The opening ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. on the 16th at Jeju World Cup Stadium under the theme "Great Breath." The Olympic flame, collected from Manisan Mountain in Ganghwa-do on the 3rd, will tour all of Jeju before lighting the cauldron on this day. The closing ceremony, which concludes the seven-day competition, will be held at the same venue at 5:30 p.m. on the 22nd, marking the end of the event with overall awards and Most Valuable Player (MVP) ceremonies. The opening and closing ceremonies will be broadcast live on KBS 1TV and the KBS Sports YouTube channel, while major competitions in 39 events, including swimming and archery, will be broadcast or streamed via KBS, KBSN, SOOP, Naver Chizik, and other platforms.

New initiatives are also being introduced regarding spectator convenience and competition operations. For the first time in the history of the National Sports Festival, "NFT digital tickets" will be implemented for this tournament, linking entry and viewing verification incentives for the opening and closing ceremonies with Jeju tourism benefits. Additionally, to enhance the fairness of judging, a system assigning standing referees and recording and releasing game footage will be activated. A comprehensive safety management system will also be operated through pre-event and on-site inspections in cooperation with the Sports Safety Foundation and the enrollment in liability insurance mutual aid.

Yoo Seung-min, President of the Korea Olympic Committee, stated, "The National Sports Festival is the largest event that has led the development of Korean sports for over 100 years." He added, "I hope this tournament, which returns to Jeju after 12 years, will serve as a venue for unity where athletes from across the country can fully showcase their skills and all citizens come together as one."

Meanwhile, detailed information such as competition schedules, venues, and results can be found on the official website of the 107th National Sports Festival and the host city's website.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original