Kyobo Life Insurance Opens the 40th Kyobo Life Insurance Cup Dream Tree Sports Competition

Nationwide Competition Kicks Off with Track and Field Starting on the 13th

The "2024 Kyobo Life Insurance Cup Dream Tree Sports Competition" hosted by Kyobo Life Insurance has begun a month-long series of events starting with athletics in Yecheon-si, Gyeongbuk.
[Photo by Kyobo Life Insurance]

Kyobo Life Insurance announced on the 15th that the '2024 Kyobo Life Insurance Cup Dream Tree Sports Competition' has begun its month-long intense competition starting with athletics in Yecheon, Gyeongbuk. This tournament, held in Jecheon, Gimcheon, Cheorwon, and Uijeongbu, features about 4,000 elementary school student athletes competing to showcase their skills.

The Kyobo Life Insurance Cup Dream Tree Sports Competition, the largest comprehensive sports event hosted by the private sector in Korea, started in 1985 and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Student athletes who have nurtured dreams of Olympic gold medals plan to fully demonstrate their honed skills in seven sports: athletics, tennis, judo, gymnastics, swimming, ice skating, and table tennis.

The reason Kyobo Life Insurance devotes effort to youth basic sports rather than popular sports can be found in the unique philosophy of talent development passed down from its founder. Daesan (大山) Shin Yong-ho, the founder of Kyobo Life Insurance, created the Dream Tree Sports Competition, saying, "Healthy physical strength must be developed from a young age for character and knowledge to grow well."

Founder Shin, who established Kyobo Life Insurance with the founding ideals of 'national education promotion' and 'formation of national capital,' has long practiced the belief that 'education is the future of the nation.' The Kyobo Life Insurance Cup Dream Tree Sports Competition is another practical effort aimed at youth development to realize the founding ideal of national education promotion.

This philosophy has been faithfully passed on to Shin Chang-jae, Chairman and CEO of Kyobo Life Insurance. At the '40th Anniversary Homecoming Day of the Kyobo Life Insurance Cup Dream Tree Sports Competition' held in April, Chairman Shin personally expressed his reflections on supporting the largest private youth comprehensive sports competition in Korea for 40 years. At that time, he said, "The sports spirit pursued in athletic activities lies in fair play without cheating, giving your best with dignity, a sense of community that prioritizes the team over the individual, respect for all participants including opponents, teammates, and coaches, and the attitude of enduring hardships and persistently challenging oneself. I hope the young athletes always keep the spirit of fair play in their hearts, practice it, grow into true leaders who widely spread the right sports spirit throughout our society."

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Dream Tree Sports Competition and share its significance and achievements with citizens, Kyobo Life Insurance has also prepared commemorative projects. Until the end of this month, a 40th-anniversary commemorative pop-up exhibition titled 'Road to Dream' will be held at the Kyobo Bookstore Gwanghwamun branch in Jongno-gu, Seoul. This pop-up allows visitors to see the history of the Dream Tree Sports Competition at a glance through various historical materials and photos, and goods such as Kkumi dolls and reusable bags will be sold. The proceeds from sales will be donated to the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation.

During the same period, a 'Dream Tree Cheer Challenge' open to the entire nation will be held on the Kyobo Life Insurance Cup Dream Tree Sports Competition Instagram page. Participation is completed by leaving a cheering comment or posting a cheering certification photo using the Kkumi augmented reality (AR) filter. If more than 1,000 people participate, a sports scholarship of 10 million KRW will be donated to the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation.

At the Dream Tree Sports Competition venue, the 'Purumi Mobile Environmental Classroom Experience Event with Kkumi' will be held, allowing participating athletes to experience and learn about carbon neutrality practices.

A Kyobo Life Insurance official said, "We will spare no support so that many participating students can share the values of sports such as cooperation and challenge beyond competition and victory, and grow into people with healthy physical strength and wisdom for coexistence. Going forward, Kyobo Life Insurance will continue to strive to contribute to social development through public interest projects in various fields such as sports and education as a company leading culture and finance."