Five Young Soccer Talents to Experience Advanced Soccer in Spain
Strengthening Community Sports Infrastructure
Five promising young soccer players from Gumi City have been selected for STAGE 3 of the 2025 Rural Youth Preferred Sports Clinic, an event hosted for the fifth consecutive year by National Assemblyman Koo Ja-geun (People Power Party, Gumi City Gap). From November 28, they will travel to Spain for eight days and six nights to experience advanced international soccer programs.
This program, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Football Association, provides youth from rural areas across the nation with opportunities to experience advanced soccer training both domestically and abroad through soccer clinics.
Since August, a total of 20 participants have been selected through STAGE 1 and 2. From Gumi, the five selected are Park Suho (Inui Elementary School, Grade 6), Choi Mingyu (Okgyedongbu Elementary School, Grade 6), Cheon Seol (Okgyedongbu Elementary School, Grade 6), Shin Yunhwan (Haemaru Middle School, Grade 1), and Kwon Doyoon (Geumo Middle School, Grade 2).
Gu Ja-geun, Member of the National Assembly (People Power Party, Gumi City Gap, Gyeongbuk), with young soccer hopefuls / Photo by Kim Eehwan
From December 1, the selected athletes will participate in advanced training programs and friendly matches at ATM Sports City, the training facility of the prestigious Spanish club Atletico Madrid.
They will also visit the club's home stadium, Metropolitano Stadium, and explore Madrid's cultural heritage, before returning to Korea on December 5.
Assemblyman Koo Ja-geun, who has successfully brought this clinic to Gumi for five consecutive years, has been actively supporting youth athlete development and sports infrastructure expansion since the 21st National Assembly.
He has closely collaborated with the Korea Football Association to host the I-League Summer Soccer Festival in Gumi for three consecutive years, and last year, achieved the selection of Gumi Civic Stadium as the training camp for the women's U-20 national soccer team.
In addition to soccer, Assemblyman Koo has secured various national sports projects, contributing to the development of community sports in the region. Recently, he attracted the construction of Sangmo-Sagok and Imo-dong Sports Centers (total project cost: 16.3 billion won), and last year, secured the establishment of the nation's largest track and field training facility (air dome) with a total project cost of 15 billion won.
He has also worked to improve and expand major sports facilities in the region, including the renovation of Gumi Civic Stadium and Park Chunghee Gymnasium, the construction of Dobong National Sports Center, and the allocation of special grants for the renovation of school gymnasiums in the area.
Assemblyman Koo stated, "To become a leading sports nation and to address the challenges of an aging society, community sports infrastructure is essential," adding, "Through continued efforts, I will transform Gumi from a city of soccer into a mecca for community sports."
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