8 Days to Go Until Opening: National Sports Festival Official Flame to Be Lit ... Unified Torch on the 4th

The flame for the 105th National Sports Festival and the 44th National Para Games, which will be held mainly in Gimhae, Gyeongnam this month, was ignited on the 3rd.

According to Gyeongnam Province and Gimhae City, the National Sports Festival torch was lit at the summit of Manisan Mountain in Ganghwa Island, Incheon, while the National Para Games torch was lit at Gujibong in Gimhae on the same day.

The "Flame of Harmony" ignited in Ganghwa Island and the "Flame of Gaya Culture" ignited in Gimhae City were enshrined at the main building of the Gyeongnam Provincial Government.

The Flame of National Defense is being specially ignited at Jesaengdang in Hansando, Tongyeong City, Gyeongnam.
[Photo by Kimhae City Hall]

Previously, Gyeongnam Province specially ignited the first "Flame of Patriotism" for both festivals at Jeseungdang in Hansando, Tongyeong, which embodies the patriotic spirit of Admiral Yi Sunshin, and the second "Flame of the Universe" at Chogye Grand Park in Hapcheon, known for its 50,000-year-old meteorite crater.

These flames will be merged into a single flame at the torch merging and enshrinement ceremony to be held at the Gyeongnam Provincial Government at around 4 p.m. on the 4th.

The merged torch will be carried by 644 torchbearers, passing through 105 sections in 18 cities and counties of Gyeongnam, starting with the torch departure ceremony in front of the provincial government at 9:30 a.m. on the 7th, and will light up the main stadium, Gimhae Sports Complex, at the opening of each festival on the 11th and 25th.

Lee Jihwan, Secretary General of the Gyeongsangnam-do Sports Council, is holding the torch at the official torch lighting ceremony for the 2024 National Sports Festival held at the summit of Manisan in Ganghwa-gun, Gyeonggi-do. Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government

The 105th National Sports Festival will be held from the 11th to the 17th, mainly in Gimhae, across 18 cities and counties of Gyeongnam.

Under the theme "Korea Runs Again with Gyeongnam," a total of 28,153 athletes from high school, university, and general teams representing 17 cities and provinces will compete.

After the National Sports Festival concludes, the 44th National Para Games will take place from the 25th to the 30th.