2023 Yanggu Peace Cup North Korean Defectors and Multicultural Soccer Festival Match Scene Photo by SH Sports Agency
2023 Yanggu Peace Cup North Korean Defectors and Multicultural Soccer Festival Match Scene Photo by SH Sports Agency
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The '2023 Yanggu Peace Cup for North Korean Defectors and Multicultural Soccer Festival' was grandly held on the 4th at Yanggu Sports Complex in Yanggu-gun, Gangwon-do.
On the first day of the tournament, a total of 32 teams of North Korean defectors and multicultural participants competed in a round-robin group stage divided into 8 groups. Among them, 16 teams advanced to the main knockout tournament, which will be held on the 5th. The top two teams from each group will compete in the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.
The champion team will receive a prize of 2 million KRW, the runner-up 1.5 million KRW, third place 1 million KRW, fourth place 500,000 KRW, Fair Play team 300,000 KRW, Best team 200,000 KRW, and the Inspiring Peace team 100,000 KRW in Yanggu Love gift certificates. Individual awards will include Best Coach, Outstanding Coach, Best Player, Outstanding Player, MVP, Top Scorer, Best Forward, Best Midfielder, Best Defender, Best GK, Best Goal, Fighting Spirit, and Respect awards.
This tournament is held over two days, the 4th and 5th, with the purpose of supporting the adaptation of new members of our society such as North Korean defectors and multicultural families, and contributing to global social responsibility. It is hosted and organized by SH Sports Agency (CEO Moon Sung-hwan), which is dedicated to the development of Korean soccer and the establishment and support of soccer infrastructure for socially marginalized groups. It is sponsored by Yanggu-gun, Yanggu Sports Foundation, Pocheon Ginseng Agricultural Cooperative, Haha Mask, KBS Sports Arts Science Institute, HIGHSOL, Footballist, Sun Medical Center, Arcobaleno Wonju Branch, AIRDOME_SH, Gopchang Sanghoe, and Monggo Wangju.
Kim Tae-wook, an official from Yanggu-gun, Gangwon-do, said, "I am very pleased that the 2023 Yanggu Peace Cup for North Korean Defectors and Multicultural Soccer Festival was held in Yanggu, the geographic center of the country. I was deeply impressed to see the North Korean defector and multicultural players enjoying and playing the games. We will do our best to further develop soccer festivals for marginalized groups in the future."
Moon Sung-hwan, CEO of SH Sports Agency, said, "I am grateful to Yanggu-gun for their wholehearted support in hosting a festival that socially marginalized groups such as North Korean defectors and multicultural families can enjoy. I also thank the Yanggu Sports Foundation for providing a joyful festival for marginalized groups in this symbolically central geographic location of the country."
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