Sunchang-gun to Establish Soft Tennis Team Next Year Following Weightlifting Team

Sunchang-gun Leads Sports Promotion... Acts as a Catalyst for Other Cities and Counties

Sunchang-gun, Jeonbuk Province (Governor Choi Young-il) has established a weightlifting team and plans to establish a women's soft tennis team next year, raising expectations for the revitalization of sports in the Jeonbuk region.

In the reality of Jeonbuk sports, where corporate teams are lacking, Sunchang-gun's active movements are seen as a catalyst for other cities and counties preparing or considering the establishment of corporate teams.

According to the Jeonbuk Sports Council (Chairman Jeong Gang-seon) on the 30th, Sunchang-gun established a weightlifting team last March. Although no separate inauguration ceremony was held, the weightlifting team currently consists of one coach and two athletes, totaling three members, with additional recruitment underway.

Exterior view of Jeollabuk-do Sports Council Building. [Photo provided by Jeonbuk Sports Council]

Since its establishment, the Sunchang-gun weightlifting team has participated in events such as the National Spring Men’s Weightlifting Competition, promoting the strength of Sunchang weightlifting both domestically and internationally.

Sunchang-gun is well known as a weightlifting mecca, having served as the setting for the 2009 film ‘King Kong Escapes.’ Over the years, Sunchangbuk Middle School and Sunchang High School have swept various competitions such as the National Youth Sports Festival and the National Sports Festival, achieving many notable results.

Additionally, Sunchang-gun is currently preparing to establish a women’s soft tennis corporate team next year. Once established, Sunchang-gun will operate a total of three corporate teams, including the existing men’s soft tennis team and the weightlifting team.

A Sunchang-gun official stated, “We formed the weightlifting team last March and are moving forward to establish the women’s soft tennis team next year. These are part of the governor’s sports pledge projects.”

Sports officials in the province evaluate that the success of establishing these corporate teams is partly due to the high interest and affection for sports shown by Governor Choi Young-il and the efforts of Chairman Jeong Gang-seon, who emphasized the necessity of forming corporate teams.

Meanwhile, cities and counties actively establishing workplace sports teams in the province include Gimje City for hockey, Jeongeup City for handball, and Jinan-gun for tennis. Some other cities and counties are also positively reviewing the establishment of corporate teams.

Governor Choi has promoted sports revitalization by actively engaging in sports marketing to boost the local economy and promote Sunchang-gun. As a result, last year, 45 competitions and 39 training camps were hosted, attracting over 100,000 visitors to Sunchang-gun, achieving overwhelming success in sports marketing.

Chairman Jeong said, “I am grateful to Governor Choi Young-il for his deep understanding and interest in sports. The establishment of corporate teams will create a virtuous cycle sports system linked with school sports clubs, protecting the pride of the local economy and sports strength. I will continue to work hard to ensure more teams are established.”