Gimpo, Yangju, Dongducheon to Bid for Taereung Skating Rink Hosting

Gyeonggi Northern International Skating Rink Invitation Poster

Gyeonggi Province has officially launched efforts to attract an ice rink in northern Gyeonggi to replace the Seoul Taereung International Skating Rink, which is scheduled for demolition.

According to Gyeonggi Province on the 21st, the Korean Sports Council is currently soliciting sites for the construction of a replacement facility for the Taereung International Skating Rink from basic local governments nationwide. In Gyeonggi Province, three areas?Gimpo, Yangju, and Dongducheon?have submitted applications to host the facility.

The newly constructed international skating rink will feature a 400m track, with a site area of over 50,000㎡ and a total building floor area exceeding 30,000㎡. It is scheduled for completion in 2030, with construction costs of 200 billion KRW supported by national funds. If the international skating rink is established in northern Gyeonggi, it is expected to facilitate hosting various international competitions and contribute to revitalizing the local economy.

Gyeonggi Province, together with the applicant cities and the provincial and municipal sports councils, has produced a promotional video under the theme "Gyeonggi Province, Recognized Worldwide, International Skating Rink IN Gyeonggi Province" to actively highlight the necessity and advantages of hosting the rink in Gyeonggi through social networking services (SNS) and G Bus advertisements.

Additionally, ahead of the site inspections scheduled for September 9 and 11 and the presentation evaluation on September 23, the province plans to promote the strengths of Gimpo, Yangju, and Dongducheon to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Sports Council, continuing various support efforts.

Gyeonggi Province explained that each candidate city has distinct advantages in terms of accessibility and ice sports operations.

Gimpo City is adjacent to international airports (Incheon Airport and Gimpo Airport), making it advantageous for hosting international competitions. It is a transportation hub near the recently announced Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 5, the Gimpo Gold Line, and the GTX-D line, providing convenient access for training athletes.

Yangju City’s candidate site in the Gwangsa-dong area is the shortest distance (16.4 km) from the existing Taereung International Skating Rink and offers a site more than twice the required area (109,000㎡). It also benefits from synergy with nearby winter sports facilities such as curling arenas.

Dongducheon City operates its own ice sports team and has produced many national team athletes who have achieved excellent results in international competitions. According to the expansion plan for Soyo Mountain, an additional 160,000㎡ sports leisure space can be developed on nearby land. The candidate site for the international speed skating rink is a 15-minute walk from Dongducheon Station on Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 1.

A Gyeonggi Province official stated, "All applicant cities within Gyeonggi Province are expected to be favorable in objective evaluations as optimal locations to replace the Taereung International Skating Rink. The new international skating rink should be established in Gyeonggi Province to utilize the existing ice sports athlete development infrastructure. Furthermore, with Gyeonggi’s support, we believe Korea’s winter sports will take a significant leap forward."

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province has achieved 20 consecutive victories in ice sports at the national winter sports competitions. As of the end of July, among the 2,863 registered domestic ice sports athletes with the Korean Sports Council, 1,017 athletes (35.5%) are affiliated with Gyeonggi Province, the highest number nationwide.