D-100 Preparations for National Sports Festival Underway
(June 27, 2011)

This year’s opening and closing events to be the most spectacular yet!
Stadium currently under construction, promoted on- and off-line

-The 92nd National Sports Festival is now just 100 days away. Gyeonggi Province is testing all of its facilities and preparing extravagant opening and closing torch ceremonies to represent the region’s specialties. Pictured in the photo is the Goyang Sports Complex, the main stadium of the upcoming event, and a bird’s eye view of the Goyang Indoor Sports Stadium, which is scheduled for completion this month. (GNews Plus)

With only 100 days remaining until the 92nd National Sports Festival, Gyeonggi Province is conducting a thorough review of the related facilities and making other preparations.

The local government seeks to break away from the typical ceremony and schedule by establishing a whole new brand for the festival. To achieve this goal, Gyeonggi Province is preparing opening and closing events that will be remembered by all for a long time to come.

For the upcoming festival, the opening and closing ceremonies will be held at Ilsan’s Hosu Park (Hannul Square) for the first time in the festival’s history under the theme of “Let’s celebrate becoming one through sport.” The torch, which will be delivered by boat, will be lit at Ganghwa-do Manisan Mountain on September 30 and carried from Incheon Terminal to Gimpo Terminal on a yacht that was used in the Korea Match Cup. The torch will arrive in Goyang on October 6 via DMZ Pyeonghwa Nuri-gil, a symbol of the nation’s division.

Regional stadiums are being renovated to bring out the best among participating athletes.

Of the four new stadiums, Bucheon’s Ojeongleports Center was completed in June, the Goyang Indoor Stadium will be completed this month, and the Goyang Baseball Stadium and the Yongin Motorboat Racing Park will be ready for use by August this year. The main stadium of the festival, the Goyang Sports Complex, and thirty-two other stadiums will be renovated before the festival begins.

To heighten awareness of and build up anticipation for the festival, various promotional events are being organized. Local festivals will be held before and after the festival period, along with numerous valuable cultural performances geared to attract more citizens.

The 2011 National Sports Festival will be held for one week from October 6 to 12 at its main ground in Goyang City and at 65 stadiums in twenty other districts and cities. Teams from sixteen cities and districts will participate in forty-five sports categories, including overseas Korean teams and executives of 28,000, making it the largest event in its history.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Government designated a national sports festival execution committee this March, and the organizing committee will be assisted by local steering committees. The 2011 festival is represented by the slogan “Dream with Gyeonggi, hand-in-hand with the world!”, an emblem, and the “Kkumi Soni” mascot. Further details can be found on the official website at ggsports2011.kr

Funds of KRW 32.5 billion will be provided by the central government, along with KRW 34.2 billion from the local government and KRW 121.4 billion from various cities and districts, amounting to a total of KRW 188.1 billion, of which KRW 18.3 will be used to fund the festival itself from the opening to closing event. KRW 142.9 billion has been set aside to build stadiums, while a further KRW 26.9 billion is earmarked for the renovation of older facilities.

The local government has analyzed the economic effects of this year’s festival with the help of the Gyeonggi Research Institute. The festival is expected to generate KRW 576 billion in manufacturing and KRW 295.5 billion in added value, and approximately 10,560 people will be hired.

A local government official said, “We need the interest and active participation of the public in order for this year’s National Sports Festival to be successful. Please cooperate in managing the stadiums and their vicinities so that our guests feel welcome.

-GNews Plus News | Han Sang-hui gnewshan@gmail.com

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