Over 120,000 Participants in 11 Sports Join Ministry’s Promotion and Relegation League
National Funding Provided for Venue Rental and Referee Allowances to Participating Organizations
The final match of the '2025 Korea Cup Championship' between Kyungbok High School, a prestigious high school basketball team, and Uptempo, a leading amateur basketball club, will be held at 7:00 p.m. on December 6 at the Dongguk University Gymnasium.
The Korea Cup is part of the 'Sports Club Division (promotion and relegation league)' project promoted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to establish a foundation for linking grassroots and elite sports. This top-tier tournament, which reflects the results of the grassroots Sports Club Division League and domestic competitions organized by the Korea Basketball Association, kicked off on November 22. In this tournament, 24 amateur basketball teams and one elite high school basketball team competed in a knockout format, with Kyungbok High School and Uptempo advancing to the finals. Around 100 players, officials, and spectators are expected to attend the final.
Game scene of amateur basketball teams Uptempo and Owls in the '2025 Korea Cup Championship' Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Since this year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has been providing national funding to the Korea Basketball Association, which participates in the Sports Club Division project, to support all aspects of league operations, including nationwide league management, venue rental fees, and allowances for referees and staff.
The Sports Club Division project implements a promotion and relegation system based on the level of performance. The aim is to strengthen the foundation for grassroots sports participation and to establish a connection with elite sports.
As of November 19, this year's Sports Club Division project has seen participation from 1627 leagues, 12,698 teams, and 117,316 individuals across 11 sports, including basketball.
Lee Sunyoung, Director General for Sports Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "The Ministry will support the expansion of sports facilities and improvement of league operations so that everyone in the country can enjoy a variety of sports close to home."
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