Kim Dongyeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, attended the opening ceremony of the 71st Gyeonggi Province Sports Festival held on May 15 at Jaraseom Jungdo in Gapyeong, where he called for healthy competition and unity through sports.
Governor Kim stated, "Sports is not merely a stage for competition and victory, but a space for integration, solidarity, and shared hope. It is true sportsmanship when each participant showcases their skills to the fullest, winners encourage those who did not win, and those who did not win congratulate the winners, all while respecting one another."
He continued, "Gyeonggi Province has achieved overall victory for three consecutive years, including last year's National Sports Festival, and Gyeonggi athletes won nine medals at the Paris Olympics, further elevating the status of Gyeonggi sports and ushering in a sports renaissance era. We, together with the Gyeonggi Sports Council, will work as one to ensure that all residents of Gyeonggi Province become sportspeople, not only in elite sports but also in everyday sports."
This year's event, held under the slogan "Healing More in Gapyeong, More Opportunities in Gyeonggi," features delegations from 31 cities and counties in Gyeonggi Province, with a total of 11,583 participants (8,170 athletes and 3,413 officials) competing from May 15 to May 17.
The opening ceremony included the parade of city and county delegations, the declaration of the opening and hoisting of the festival flag, welcome remarks, opening address, congratulatory speeches, oaths by athlete and referee representatives, a themed performance, and the lighting of the torch. The ceremony was attended by Lee Yoongmin, President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, as well as Shin Jinseong, President of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Sports Council, who continues to work in partnership with the Gyeonggi Sports Council.
All matches of the sports festival are open to the public free of charge. Detailed schedules and results can be found on the official website of the Gyeonggi Province Sports Festival (https://gpsports.gp.go.kr/athletic/main).
Meanwhile, as part of its ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives, the Gyeonggi Province Sports Festival is purchasing renewable energy through a green premium system, using renewable electricity for event and public facility operations in Gapyeong-gun. Additionally, reusable containers are used at the opening and closing ceremonies, and shuttle buses within the opening ceremony venue operate on electric power, making the event environmentally friendly.
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