Busan Office of Education Sends 707 Athletes to the 53rd National Youth Sports Festival

Busan Elementary and Middle School Athletes Challenge to Reap the Fruits of Sweat and Effort

Education Office Official Hopes for Safe Matches Regardless of Outcome

The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education announced on the 23rd that the Busan delegation, consisting of 707 elementary and middle school students, will participate in the 53rd National Youth Sports Festival, which will be held for four days from the 25th to the 28th of this month in various locations throughout Jeollanam-do.

The Busan delegation of 707 athletes participating in the 53rd National Youth Sports Festival is holding a pledge ceremony.

This event is a nationwide comprehensive sports competition hosted by the Korea Sports Council and organized by Jeollanam-do, the Jeollanam-do Office of Education, and the Jeollanam-do Sports Council. Approximately 12,000 elementary and middle school students from 17 cities and provinces across the country will participate.

The Busan delegation will compete in 34 events, showcasing the skills they have honed over time. The city’s Office of Education selected 707 student athletes to represent Busan through elementary and middle school sports competitions held since the end of March.

Park Chaeun from Mojun Elementary, who will compete in the 50m backstroke and 100m freestyle swimming events, and Park Taejun from Busan Physical Education Middle School, who will participate in modern triathlon, are both aiming to win two gold medals each at the competition.

Kim Sumin from Mora Middle School is aiming for gold in the individual 50m archery event, while Seo Bugun from Eomgung Middle School is targeting gold in the single scull rowing event.

In aerobics, a traditionally strong event for Busan, five students including Choi Seoyeon will compete as a group of five, while Kim Minseong from Haegang Middle School will challenge for gold in the yacht optimist event.

Notably, Jang Junseo from Dongnae Middle School, a member of the national youth tennis team, will also aim for the top of the podium, demonstrating skills on par with older students despite his young age.

In addition, students participating in various other events are expected to fully demonstrate the abilities they have developed in pursuit of their goals.

Kwak Jeongrok, head of the Character, Physical Education, and School Meals Division at the city’s Office of Education, said, “The participating athletes have worked hard to balance academics and sports in order to nurture their dreams and talents. Regardless of the outcome, I hope they will recognize their own growth and compete safely without injury.”