Gwangju City to Fully Operate Public Sports Clubs Starting April

9 Clubs, 22 Sports Including Volleyball, Tennis, and Judo

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 30th that public sports clubs will be fully operational starting next month.

Public sports clubs are being promoted as part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Korean Sport & Olympic Committee) public sports club development project, aiming not only to revitalize community sports but also to improve the existing unified school sports team athlete development system.

Currently, there are a total of nine clubs in the area, including the Gwangju-type sports club directly operated by the Gwangju Sports Council, with 22 sports disciplines such as volleyball, tennis, judo, soccer, table tennis, taekwondo, basketball, and archery.

Since 2013, local public sports clubs have utilized regional public sports facilities to provide citizens with various sports programs at affordable costs, supported by the National Sports Promotion Fund and local government funds.

However, due to the closure of public sports facilities caused by COVID-19 last year, operations faced difficulties. Recently, preparations for operation have been underway, including the completion of instructor selection and the start of club member recruitment.

Public sports clubs prepare for injuries during lessons by subscribing to organizer liability insurance, and to strengthen friendly exchanges and bonds among club members, they participate in the National Sports Club Exchange Competition, collaborate with the National Fitness Certification Center to scientifically measure members' physical condition and provide personalized exercise programs, and conduct regular sports club performance evaluations and consulting.

Detailed information on each club’s sports disciplines, membership fees, and participation application methods can be found on the Gwangju Sports Club website.

Shin Dong-ha, Director of the Sports Promotion Division of the city, said, “Through the operation of public sports clubs, we hope that citizens, who have been restricted due to COVID-19, can train their mind and body and improve their immunity,” and added, “We ask both facility operators and users to strictly adhere to COVID-19 prevention guidelines when using the facilities.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.