Attending Gyeonggi-do Sports Awards Ceremony, Kim Dong-yeon Says "Our Political Arena Should Be a Field of Sports, Not War"

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon attended the ‘Gyeonggi Sports Awards’ ceremony to encourage athletes and pledged support for the development of sports in Gyeonggi Province.

At the Gyeonggi Sports Awards ceremony held on the 10th at Dasan Hall in the Gyeonggi Provincial Government building, Governor Kim said, "Last year at this event, I said that this year would be a year of leap forward for Gyeonggi sports, and I was right." He added, "This year, athletes from Gyeonggi Province have made remarkable achievements in all fields of elite sports, recreational sports, and school sports, including winning the National Sports Festival three years in a row, overall victory at the Disabled Sports Competition, 21 consecutive wins at the Winter Sports Competition, 21 consecutive years of winning the most events at the National Life Sports Festival, and winning the most medals at the National Youth Sports Festival."

He continued, "A political scientist once said that politics should be sports, not war. Unlike war, which has winners and losers, involves brutal slaughter, and the possibility of future wars, sports involve fair competition, recognition of winners, and respect for losers." He added, "Our political arena should show such a scene where it is conducted as a field of sports, not war. I feel even more ashamed standing before athletes who follow the rules and inspire us. We must revive the difficult lives of the people through democratic and constitutional methods as soon as possible. Gyeonggi Province will take the lead on that path," he promised.

He went on to say, "Next year, we will increase the sports budget and expand the support targets so that more benefits will be returned to our athletes and residents." He emphasized, "The core of Gyeonggi Province’s administration, the human-centered economy called Humano-mics, embodies the spirit of cooperation, innovation, and integration that sports embrace. Through fair competition, we will realize the true spirit of sports that embraces the efforts, frustrations, sweat, and tears of losers in a world where people live."

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon is delivering a greeting at the 'Gyeonggi Province Sports Awards' ceremony held on the 10th. Photo by Gyeonggi Provincial Government

The Gyeonggi Sports Awards are held annually to encourage participants in various domestic and international competitions and those who have contributed to the development of sports in Gyeonggi Province. This year, 92 recipients were awarded, including the curling team from the Gyeonggi Provincial Government. The Gyeonggi Provincial Government curling team currently serves as national representatives, achieving 3rd place at the 2024 World Championships and 2nd place at the Pan-Continental Championships. They have also won first place in various international competitions such as the Bernice Ladies Cup, promoting national prestige worldwide, and secured victory at the 105th National Winter Sports Festival.

The Most Valuable Player awards went to Lee Woo-seok (Kolon Xtenboys), who won three gold medals in archery at the 33rd Paris Olympics last August, and Bae Jeong-hoon from Suwon Youth, the youngest national representative in bowling who won a gold medal at the World Youth Bowling Championships.

Meanwhile, during the 8th term of the elected government, Gyeonggi Province has established an organic cooperative system with the Sports Council and actively promoted sports policies on its own, including ▲providing opportunity income payments to athletes recognizing the social value of their sports activities ▲expanding opportunities for vulnerable groups to attend sports events through opportunity spectator tickets ▲resolving sports imbalances in the northern Gyeonggi region through the Gyeonggi Sports Council and the Northern Support Center of the Gyeonggi Disabled Sports Council ▲and successfully bidding to host the 108th National Sports Festival in 2027.

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