Gyeonggi Province will host a non-competitive youth tournament between Korea, China, and Japan from August 24 to August 28, 2007. Soccer and basketball teams from Liaoning, China, and Kanagawa, Japan, sister regions to the province, have been invited to come and play against Gyeonggi Province teams.

The first friendly youth tournament between the three nations was held in Gyeonggi Province in 2004, and started with a soccer match for boys 16 years old or younger. Following the 2nd tournament held in Liaoning in 2005 and the 3rd tournament held in Kanagawa in 2006, the 4th tournament will be held in 2007 in Korea. For the past three years only soccer games have been held, but this year, a basketball tournament for girls who are 17 years or younger will be added.

The province will invite 35 players from Liaoning, China, and 42 players from Kanagawa, Japan. The Gyeonggi soccer team will be made up of the best youth players in the province, while the Suwon Women’s High School basketball team will represent Gyeonggi province in the girls’ basketball tournament.

The league tournament consists of 2 games for each team, for a total of 6 games. The Gyeonggi Province team and the Kanagawa team will have matches at the Deokyang Eoulim Nuri Stadium in Goyang City on August 24th, followed by matches between the Liaoning team and the Kanagawa team held at Ansan Wa Stadium and Suwon Women’s High School on August 25. Matches between the Gyeonggi Province team and the Liaoning team will be held at the Suwon World Cup Stadium and the gym of Suwon Women’s High School on August 26.

Invited Kanagawa and Liaoning teams will also have opportunities to experience the culture and learn the history of the province by visiting Goyang High School of Arts, the Korean Folk Village, and Hwaseong Fortress.

An official of the province said, “The province is discussing ways to expand the areas of exchange with sister regions to the province. This exchange will serve as the foundation for activation of other exchanges in the sports area between the 3 regions in the future.”