'Songdo Steel Challenge' Heats Up Pohang Beach... Marine Leisure Sports Playground Concludes Successfully

Opening with Excitement:
Beach Soccer Tournament and the Songdo Steel Challenge
Draw Nationwide Participants
A Hands-On Urban Regeneration Festival
Songdo Beach Proves Its Potential as a Marine Culture Platform
Integrating Marine Leisure Sports and Tourism
Enhancing Pohang's Brand Value and Revitalizing the Local Economy

The "2025 Marine Leisure Sports Playground," hosted by Pohang City at Songdo Beach from August 14 to 16, concluded successfully after three days of intense competition.

Steel Challenge held on the 16th at Songdo Beach. Photo by Pohang City

On the first day, the event kicked off with an opening performance and a departure ceremony, setting an exciting tone. This was followed by a beach soccer tournament on August 14 and 15, where a total of 26 teams battled fiercely on the sand.

Starting on the second day, the highlight of the festival, the "Songdo Steel Challenge," began. This competition, which involved crawling across the sand, overcoming obstacles, and completing various missions, drew nationwide attention as 150 participants from across the country-including athletes from Seoul, Gwangju, and Gangneung-joined the challenge.

During the daytime, actual Steel Masters provided safety training and demonstrations directly to the public, and anyone could experience the challenge course for free. Citizens and tourists of all ages enjoyed the thrill of tackling obstacle sections and physical missions, experiencing the excitement of competition just like the athletes.

In particular, the challenge site in the evening was filled with enthusiastic cheers carried by the cool sea breeze, transforming Songdo Beach from a summer vacation spot into the ultimate stage for challenges.

A city official stated, "This event served as a successful example of spreading the effects of urban regeneration through cultural and tourism content, as it realized a hands-on festival model as part of the Pohang Port Old Harbor Urban Regeneration New Deal Project." The official added, "We will continue to develop experiential content that resonates with our citizens."

Through this festival, Pohang City demonstrated the potential of Songdo Beach as an 'experiential marine culture platform.' The city plans to make ongoing efforts to enhance the urban brand value and revitalize the local economy by integrating marine leisure sports and tourism that meet the needs of participants and visitors from all over the country.

Taking a commemorative photo with Lee Gangdeok, Mayor of Pohang (left), at the Steel Challenge.