The 24th Changwon Unification Marathon in Gyeongnam, which was expected to face difficulties this year due to the complete cut of local government subsidies, will be held on a reduced scale.
The Changwon Unification Marathon Organizing Committee held a press conference at the Changwon City Hall Press Center on the 10th and announced that the event will take place on November 17 at Changwon Sports Complex.
The committee stated, "The Changwon Unification Marathon, which has been created together by Changwon citizens and runners from across the country, marks its 24th anniversary this year," and added, "We will continue the 23-year-long run toward peace and unification."
They said, "Groundless criticism and unfounded claims that do not match the facts have been rampant regarding the event," and claimed, "The Changwon City Council used these claims as grounds to completely cut the city's budget support, and tried to label the hosting organizations as associated with anti-state groups, attempting to taint the event with ideological accusations."
The Changwon Unification Marathon Organizing Committee in Gyeongnam is discussing the scale of the 24th event. Photo by Lee Seryeong
They continued, "The Changwon Unification Marathon is the first privately organized marathon to use unification, the task of the era and the wish of the nation, as its official name," and added, "We will stand against the forces trying to undermine the event with baseless accusations, slander, and budget cuts, and will be reborn as an independent event."
"The Gyeongnam Headquarters for the Implementation of the June 15 Joint Declaration, which has hosted the event so far, recently changed its name to the Gyeongnam Autonomous Unification Peace Alliance," they explained. "In order to fulfill the era's task of peace and unification, autonomy is essential, and this year's event will embody this spirit of the times."
According to the organizing committee, the Changwon Unification Marathon has been held annually in Changwon since July 2001 to commemorate the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration of 2000.
Last year, the organizing committee received event-related budgets of 37 million won from Changwon City, 10 million won from Gyeongnam Province, and 20 million won from the Gyeongnam Office of Education.
After suspicions were raised regarding the hosting organization's alleged ties to anti-state groups, excessive use of public funds, and insufficient supporting documents during the regular session of the Changwon City Council in December last year, all city subsidies were cut, leading to the decision to scale down this year's event.
This year, the event will be held with subsidies of 10 million won from Gyeongnam Province and 20 million won from the Gyeongnam Office of Education.
The committee stated, "Due to circumstances this year, we plan to reduce the scale of the event and operate only a 5 km race," and added, "We hope Changwon City will make a forward-looking decision to help the Changwon Unification Marathon become a representative event of the city."
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