Training Camps and National Competitions Held to Revitalize Local Economy, Promote Community Sports, and Build Sports Infrastructure
Autumn, with its cool breeze and warm sunshine, is not only the season for travel but also the perfect environment for various sports events to take place.
Sports mark the beginning of a healthy body and mind. There is a place where sports are laying the foundation for residents' healthy lives and revitalizing the local economy. That place is Uljin-gun.
▲ Promoting Local Economic Revitalization through Sports Marketing
Sports are not just simple athletic competitions but hold infinite potential as a driving force for regional development.
According to a 2023 service survey conducted by Uljin-gun, approximately 20 sports competitions held annually generate a total production inducement effect of 26.529 billion KRW, a value-added inducement effect of 13.468 billion KRW, and employment inducement effect of 384 jobs, demonstrating a high contribution to local economic revitalization.
In response, Uljin-gun is enhancing its status as a sports city by leveraging its advantage as the city with the lowest fine dust levels nationwide and its well-established infrastructure to successfully host national-level sports competitions and various regional tournaments across multiple disciplines through sports marketing.
The county has hosted about 20 national-level competitions, starting with the '2024 Uljin Geumgangsong Spring Middle School U15 Soccer Tournament,' the largest middle school soccer tournament in the country, and concluding with the '20th National Uljin Triathlon Competition.' These events include ball sports such as soccer, volleyball, and baseball, as well as rare marine sports in Korea like triathlon and beach volleyball.
In particular, the Baegam Oncheon Cup and Uljin Geumgangsong Cup youth soccer tournaments, along with a soccer festival for first-year middle school students who have fewer opportunities to participate in soccer tournaments, have significantly promoted the city’s image as a sports city boasting two natural grass soccer fields.
Uljin-gun’s national marathon is recognized as a symbolic event marking the beginning of autumn, and the triathlon competition, now in its 20th year, has established itself as a premier event attracting triathlon enthusiasts from across the country.
Alongside various sports competitions, Uljin-gun has attracted over 50 teams and more than 2,000 athletes for winter training this year through the nation’s only “Three Baths (Sam-yok: seawater wind bath, hot spring bath, forest bath) Well-being Sports Training” program, which links its natural ecological resources such as hot springs, forests, and the sea.
To overcome regional limitations such as transportation inconveniences, the county offers differentiated incentives for training camps, including free use of public sports facilities, support for using other training facilities, discount coupons for major local tourist attractions, and training support funds based on the length of stay, establishing itself as a mecca for training camps.
▲ Building Infrastructure to Promote Community Sports and Expand the Sports Base
Uljin-gun is also leading efforts to build sports infrastructure to promote community sports and expand the sports base.
Currently, two sports facilities with swimming pools are in operation, including the recently opened Nam Uljin National Sports Center. As part of expanding community sports facilities, the county is replacing the aging county gymnasium and responding to continuous demands from the Uljin-gun Sports Council and residents by investing a total of 49 billion KRW, including 7.2 billion KRW in national and provincial subsidies, to construct an indoor gymnasium larger than a handball court (7,000㎡, two floors). Various permits and designs are underway. Additionally, to attract training camps and competitions at the provincial level or higher, plans are underway to expand the auxiliary stadium within Baegam Sports Complex in Onjeong-myeon.
To ensure continuous exercise even during the rainy season, rain shelters are being installed at the futsal and jokgu courts within the comprehensive sports complex.
Moreover, two park golf courses (Wangpicheon 36 holes, Pyeonghae 9 holes) are currently operated as popular sports enjoyed by all ages, with additional courses under development in Pyeonghae (Wolsong) 36 holes and Giseong 9 holes.
Furthermore, to meet the demand from park golf enthusiasts, plans are underway to develop a large-scale premium park golf course.
Through building such sports infrastructure, the county aims to promote residents’ health, host various sports competitions, and attract many sports tourists, thereby invigorating the local economy.
County Governor Son Byung-bok stated, “We will continue to strive to attract a wider variety of sports competitions utilizing Uljin’s natural environment, including marine sports and mountain sports, beyond traditional ball games through innovative and differentiated sports marketing.” He added, “The ultimate goal of Uljin’s administration is to create a happy Uljin where residents live well. Alongside strategies to revitalize the local economy through sports, we will also focus on promoting community sports that contribute to the healthy lives of our residents.”
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