"Moving with Sports for Everyday Life"... Pohang City Expands Infrastructure to Promote a Healthy City

From Sports Culture to Local Economic Vitality and Multipurpose Sports Facilities, Pohang Leaps Forward as a City of Vitality
A New Hub Connecting Daily Life, Sports, Culture, and Welfare
Ocheon Dawon Complex Center Opens on November 3

Pohang City has set its vision as "a city where all citizens enjoy and share health together," and is implementing policies to boost urban vitality and citizen happiness through sports.

Aerial perspective of Ocheon Daewon Complex Center.

To expand opportunities for participation in sports for everyday life, the city operates sports classes in 14 disciplines and is strengthening support for sports instructors, creating an environment where citizens can easily learn and enjoy physical activities close to home.

Additionally, the city provides sports class vouchers for underprivileged youth and people with disabilities, as well as facility usage vouchers for seniors, enabling them to enjoy sports activities without financial burden.

The city is also accelerating the expansion of community-based sports facilities. Construction of small-scale gyms is underway in Haedo, Jukdo, and Duho districts. The gym in Haedo-dong is scheduled for completion in February next year, the gym in Jukdo-dong will begin construction in August 2027 and is planned for completion in December 2028.

The gym in Duho-dong is set to begin construction in December 2026, with completion targeted for December 2027.

In response to increasing demand for leisure activities and greater participation in sports among the elderly, the city is also accelerating the expansion of park golf courses. Currently, there are four park golf facilities (Hyeongsangang, Jigok, Disabled, and Gokgang) with a total of 108 holes. By 2027, the city plans to add six more facilities with 171 holes, expanding to a total of ten facilities with 279 holes.

In 2025, two new courses will be established first: Janggi Imjung-ri in Nam-gu (9 holes) and Nam Pohang (18 holes). From 2026 to 2027, four additional courses will be added: Yeonorangsaeonyeo 1 in East Pohang (27 holes), Yeonorangsaeonyeo 2 (54 holes), Gokgang 2 (27 holes), and Seo Pohang Gigae (36 holes).

The city is positioning sports as a growth engine for the local economy by attracting national-level events such as the Presidential National High School Baseball Tournament (scheduled for July-August 2026) and the National Sports Competition for the Visually Impaired (scheduled for October 2026), thereby enhancing the city's brand value. The city is also working to host the International Kukhak Kigong Competition and attract the International Coastal Rowing Competition, aiming to bring in foreign participants and revitalize tourism, which will have a positive impact on the local economy.

The Ocheon Dawon Complex Center, with a total project cost of 49.8 billion won and a total floor area of 7,765 square meters (one basement floor and three above-ground floors), was completed in June this year and is set to open on November 3. As a lifestyle-oriented complex cultural facility that combines sports, cultural, and welfare care functions-including an indoor swimming pool, youth culture center, and all-in-one care center-it is expected to contribute to improving citizens' leisure and health, as well as revitalizing the local community.

Among these, the indoor swimming pool, which has drawn significant anticipation from citizens, will open first on October 27 and be available free of charge until November 15. Afterward, it will transition to paid use and offer various programs. Full-scale operations will begin with the "National University Swimming Championships," which will be held from November 8 to 9.

A Pohang City official stated, "Sports are a crucial foundation supporting citizens' health and happiness, and a source of the city's competitiveness. We will continue to expand opportunities for participation in sports for everyday life and create an environment where everyone can easily enjoy physical activities nearby, making Pohang a city where all citizens feel vitality and happiness."

September 2025 National Secondary Battery Marathon. Provided by Pohang City

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