Haenam County Launches Countywide Preparation Committee for Successful LPGA Tournament

Advisor Park Jie-won and Committee Chair Myung Hyun-kwan Lead Preparations

Haenam County in South Jeolla Province has formed a county-wide preparation committee and has begun full-scale preparations to ensure the successful hosting of the LPGA BMW Ladies Championship, which will be held in October.

On September 6, Haenam County held a launch ceremony at the new county office building and officially inaugurated the tournament preparation committee. Assemblyman Park Jie-won will serve as advisor, County Mayor Myung Hyun-kwan as committee chair, and County Council Chair Lee Seong-ok as advisory committee chair.

Haenam County has launched a county-wide preparation committee to ensure the successful hosting of the LPGA BMW Ladies Championship. Photo by Haenam County

The county government, county council, sports association, office of education, police station, fire station, and South Jeolla Province have established a cooperative system by participating in the committee. Hometown associations, media, and social organizations will also join in to help create a vibrant atmosphere for the tournament and provide support activities.

The detailed work will be handled by a task force led by the deputy county mayor. Various departments of the county government, police, fire department, South Jeolla Province, and agencies will work together to handle preparations for each area, including transportation, safety, medical services, and publicity.

During the tournament, a comprehensive situation room will be operated, and medical and safety booths, as well as a Haenam promotional booth, will be set up to provide visitor guidance, hygiene inspections, and volunteer services. The number of visitors is expected to reach a cumulative total of around 50,000. The county will also implement traffic measures, such as providing temporary parking lots and operating shuttle buses.

The BMW Ladies Championship will be held from October 16 to 19 at Pine Beach Golf Club in Haenam. It is the only official LPGA tournament in Korea and the first to be held in the Honam region. Around 700 players, officials, and staff are expected to stay in Haenam for seven days and six nights, and approximately 50,000 spectators are anticipated to visit the venue.

The county expects the event to boost the local economy and increase the resident population. The launch ceremony was held under the slogan, "Haenam to the World, the World to Haenam."

Assemblyman Park Jie-won said, "It is very meaningful that the LPGA tournament is being held in the Honam region for the first time," and added, "I hope this successful event will serve as an opportunity to enhance Haenam's pride."

County Mayor Myung Hyun-kwan emphasized, "We expect that hosting a world-class tournament will raise Haenam County's profile both domestically and internationally," and continued, "We will make every effort to ensure that this event is not just a sports event, but also a venue for regional harmony and unity among county residents."