Gangjin County Kicks Off Winter Training Season... Local Businesses Buzzing

'Sports Marketing' Signals Boost for Local Economy

Gangjin County, South Jeolla Province (Governor Kang Jinwon), announced on the 9th that with the opening of the 2025 Winter Elementary Soccer Stove League on the 3rd, the official winter training season has begun.

Gangjin boasts a mild climate even in winter and offers optimal infrastructure for training and matches, centered around the main stadium, including two dedicated soccer fields, three natural grass fields, Multipurpose Gymnasium 1, Multipurpose Gymnasium 2, a weight training center, and a swimming pool.

The county provides various support measures such as waiving stadium usage fees by sport and offering free access to the weight training center, ensuring that visiting teams can focus solely on their training.

Soccer players from the Sports Industrial Complex are training. Photo by Gangjin County

Last year, about 3,000 athletes from six sports visited Gangjin for winter training. This year, approximately 5,100 people from seven sports?including soccer (127 teams), tennis (61 teams), badminton (36 teams), bowling (15 teams), cycling (15 teams), rugby (4 teams), and volleyball (10 teams)?are expected to visit, marking a 70% increase. This growth is attributed to Gangjin County's systematic sports marketing strategy and the expansion of optimal training infrastructure.

Thanks to the winter training season, the local economy in Gangjin is experiencing a significant boost. The influx of athletes and event officials has increased business for restaurants, cafes, and accommodations, as well as sales of local specialties and visits to tourist attractions. A representative from an accommodation facility stated, "Thanks to the winter training camps, we have no vacancies even during the winter season," adding, "The county's sports marketing is making a real contribution to revitalizing the local economy."

In particular, Gangjin County actively promotes its "Half-Price Gangjin Tour" to guardians and parents accompanying the teams, encouraging visits to major local tourist attractions and providing enriching experiences outside of training hours. The county is also running a "Cyber County Resident" campaign for visitors to enhance the region's brand value.

A coach participating in the training shared, "Every year, I visit Gangjin County with my team for winter training. With the warm weather, excellent facilities, delicious restaurants that provide hearty meals, and the active support and cooperation from the county, sports council, and sports organizations, we can complete our training without any worries."

Governor Kang Jinwon stated, "By attracting training teams, we aim to establish Gangjin County as a hub for sports and tourism. We will pay close attention to ensure nothing is lacking so that teams return every year, and we will spare no effort to ensure that both athletes and tourists are satisfied during their stay in Gangjin."