Busan International Marathon, Sabre Junior & Cadet Fencing World Cup
Selected for Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Support Project for International Sporting Events Hosted by Local Governments
Busan City will host two international sporting events this year with support from the national government budget.
On January 1, Busan City announced that two competitions had been selected in the 'Support Project for International Sporting Events Hosted by Local Governments,' organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, securing 460 million won in national funding.
The selected events are the '2026 Busan International Marathon' and the '2026 Busan International Men's and Women's Sabre Junior & Cadet Fencing World Cup.' The Busan International Marathon will receive 300 million won in national funding, while the Fencing World Cup will receive 160 million won.
The Busan International Marathon is planned under the theme of a 'Bridge Marathon,' reflecting the city identity of Busan as a maritime capital. The course will be designed around major bridges, aiming to create an urban international marathon where citizens and runners from Korea and abroad can participate together. From course design to event operation and production, the event will be comprehensively planned so that the symbolism of the maritime city is naturally highlighted.
With the securing of national funding, the city has established a foundation for organizing the events. Moving forward, Busan City plans to form an organizing committee with related organizations such as the Busan Athletics Federation, discuss detailed plans such as the course and participation methods, and announce them sequentially.
Busan City aims to increase tourist inflow through these events, thereby revitalizing the local economy and enhancing the city's brand. The city will operate the events so that their positive impact spreads across related industries such as accommodation, dining, and transportation.
The Busan International Men's and Women's Sabre Junior & Cadet Fencing World Cup, which was also selected, is an international competition featuring promising fencing athletes from around the world. The city expects that being selected for this project will accelerate preparations for the event. It is also anticipated that this will raise Busan's status as a base city for the sabre discipline in Korean fencing and help expand the sport's popularity.
Park Hyungjoon, Mayor of Busan, stated, "This is a result of Busan's recognized capabilities in hosting international events and planning content," adding, "We will develop the Busan International Marathon into a global sports tourism product that highlights the unique characteristics of Busan."
Mayor Park also emphasized, "We will support the Fencing World Cup so that it becomes a stepping stone for domestic promising athletes to advance onto the world stage."
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