Jeong Ju-young - Jeong Mong-gu - Jeong Ui-seon: Three Generations Supporting Korean Archery
Jeong Ui-seon, Hyundai Motor Chairman, Continues Generous Support for Korean Archery
Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun is applauding as the women's archery team wins the gold medal in the women's team archery event at the Tokyo Olympics held at Yumenoshima Park Archery Field in Japan on the 25th. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy reporters Changhwan Lee and Jonggil Lee] On the afternoon of the 25th, when the women's archery team final match of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was held at the Yumenoshima Park Archery Field in Tokyo.
The South Korean women's archery team, consisting of Kang Chaeyoung (Hyundai Mobis), Jang Minhee (Incheon National University), and An San (Gwangju Women's University), secured the gold medal by defeating the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC). Among the spectators who stood up and applauded louder than anyone else was Chung Euisun, Chairman of the Korea Archery Association and Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group.
The Korean women's archery team won the gold medal that day, achieving the legendary nine consecutive Olympic victories. Since the women's team archery became an official event at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the team has won gold every time without exception. Besides team archery, only Kenya's men's 3000m steeplechase and the United States' men's 400m medley relay in swimming have achieved nine consecutive Olympic wins in history.
The success of Korean archery can be attributed to the strong support from Hyundai Motor Group.
The relationship between Korean archery and Hyundai Motor Group began with the late Chung Ju-yung, the founder of the Hyundai Group. Chung Ju-yung, who served as the president of the Korean Sports Council in 1982, was appointed the first president of the Archery Association in 1983 when the Korean Sports Council decided to separate archery and traditional Korean archery. However, Chung Ju-yung delegated the role of the first archery association president to his son, Chung Mong-joon, Honorary Chairman of the Asan Nanum Foundation.
Korean archery made remarkable progress after Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-koo of Hyundai Motor Group succeeded Chung Mong-joon and took office as the association president in 1985.
Chung Mong-joon, who was president of Hyundai Precision (now Hyundai Mobis) in 1984, reportedly decided to foster archery after watching the women's individual archery event at the LA Olympics. Subsequently, he established a women's archery team at Hyundai Precision and a men's archery team at Hyundai Steel, initiating large-scale support.
He served as president of the Korea Archery Association four times from 1985 to 1997 and remained as honorary chairman thereafter, investing over 40 billion KRW over 29 years in expanding the archery base, talent development, and equipment advancement.
On the 25th, Jeong Eui-sun, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group (bottom row, right), is seated in the stands at the women's archery team final held at Yumenoshima Park Archery Field during the Tokyo Olympics. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Following his father's legacy, Chairman Chung Euisun began his first term as president of the Archery Association in May 2005 and has been supporting Korean archery for 16 years.
Since his inauguration, Chairman Chung has researched ways to revitalize Korean archery and implemented mid- to long-term development plans accordingly. These plans include continuous and systematic nurturing of archery prospects, expanding the sport's base through popularization projects, and training coaches. Establishing a fair, skill-based representative selection system is also credited to him.
Providing athletes with various practice spaces to simulate real competition conditions before major events is another key support initiative by Chairman Chung. Ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics, where Korean archers swept all four gold medals in archery for the first time, he supported practice sessions in front of large crowds at professional baseball stadiums to build athletes' composure.
For the Tokyo Olympics, a training environment similar to the Yumenoshima Park Archery Field was recreated at the Jincheon National Training Center Archery Field to prepare athletes for various variables through practical training. Special training was also conducted on Jaeun Island in Sinan County, Jeollanam-do, which has similar geographical conditions to Yumenoshima Park.
Generous rewards have continued as well. Hyundai Motor Group awarded 1.6 billion KRW to the archery team that won three gold medals and one bronze at the 2012 London Olympics and 2.5 billion KRW at the Rio Olympics. Similar rewards are expected this year.
Chairman Chung Euisun is still in Tokyo to support the archery team. He is expected to return to Korea after the final results are announced and after personally encouraging the athletes.
With Chairman Chung's support, this time the male archers are challenging for the gold medal. The men's team, consisting of Oh Jin-hyek (Hyundai Steel), Kim Woo-jin (Cheongju City Hall), and Kim Je-deok (Gyeongbuk High School), will attempt to defend their title on the 26th at the Yumenoshima Park Archery Field.
The men's archery team has won five Olympic gold medals from the 1988 Seoul Olympics through the 2016 Rio Olympics. Chairman Chung is scheduled to stay until the men's individual final on the 31st before returning home.
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