Haenam County, 30,000 Athletes Participate in Winter Training Camps... Boost to Local Economy

About 3,000 Athletes from 12 Sports, Including Soccer, Basketball, and Baseball, Train Hard
Local Businesses and Accommodations Thrive, Generating 3 Billion KRW in Economic Impact

Haenam County, Jeollanam-do (Governor Myung Hyun-gwan) successfully concluded the 2024-2025 winter off-season training, attracting a cumulative total of around 30,000 participants.

According to the county on the 7th, starting with the arrival of the Sungkyunkwan University basketball team on December 23 last year, about 3,000 athletes from 210 teams across 12 sports disciplines conducted off-season training during the 2024-2025 winter period.

Along with large teams such as soccer, basketball, and baseball, the fencing stove league was held, adding to the excitement. In particular, more than 100 national track and field candidate athletes, youth representatives, and future prospects, as well as the national modern pentathlon reserve team, visited Haenam for meaningful training sessions in preparation for the world stage.

In total, the athlete groups recorded about 30,000 cumulative training days and over 1,600 lodging days, giving a significant boost to the local economy.

Players are undergoing winter training at Haenam Useul Stadium. Provided by Haenam County

During the winter off-season, which is a slow period for tourism, attracting winter off-season training teams through sports marketing invigorated local accommodations, restaurants, and shops, generating an estimated economic impact of over 3 billion KRW.

Park Seok, who runs an accommodation business in Samsan-myeon, said, "Local businesses have been struggling due to the economic downturn, but the sports marketing teams are like much-needed rain during a drought. Sports marketing, which is a smokeless clean industry, is as good as a savior for the local economy during the off-season."

Haenam County established a dedicated sports marketing department in 2007 and began full-scale sports marketing, simultaneously hosting national competitions and off-season training camps.

Alongside this, the county has actively built infrastructure, expanding from the existing Wusul Stadium and gymnasium to include three dedicated soccer fields, basketball courts, a gateball field at Wusul Sports Park, as well as tennis courts, a swimming pool, a multipurpose sports center, a fencing gymnasium, a victory training center, and a modern six-lane all-weather indoor track and field stadium.

To improve training conditions for athletes, various training equipment was installed at the track and field training center, enabling a one-stop training system that has been well received. Continuing from last year, world-renowned athletics coach Komatsu Takashi, a specialist with the Japanese junior national team, was invited again this year to provide technical guidance to the track and field candidate athletes.

Additionally, the rehabilitation camp operated during the off-season training period has six professional trainers on site to provide high-quality rehabilitation services. The camp focuses on maintaining physical fitness throughout the season and restoring performance through rehabilitation training. Unique "spo-tour" programs exclusive to Haenam, such as sightseeing, sweet potato bread making, and traditional sauce making experiences, help athletes relax and have captured their hearts.

Kim Suyeon, head coach of the national candidate team for track and field jumps, who has chosen Haenam as the winter training site for three consecutive years, said, "The warm weather, well-equipped training facilities, the county's meticulous support for athletes, and the hospitality of local residents are the reasons we return to Haenam, the Land's End, every year."

Haenam County plans to complete the second sports town, Haenam Sports Park, a multi-purpose sports and cultural center, and the Gugyori Gymnasium within this year, which is expected to double the current accommodation capacity.

Meanwhile, Haenam County will continue the momentum of sports marketing from the winter off-season training by officially launching sports competitions, starting with the 61st Spring National Boys and Girls Middle and High School Basketball Federation Haenam Tournament from the 12th to the 21st.

This year, Haenam County plans to revitalize the local economy through sports marketing by hosting over 70 various sports competitions, including national-level events.