“I was very surprised to see that the national team players came, not just a hobby.”
Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Governor Woo Sang-ho visited the NH Nonghyup Bank FIBA 3×3 Hongcheon Challenger 2026 site at a special court at the Hongcheon K Convention Center in Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon State on the 19th.
Governor Woo Sang-ho met with Hongcheon-gun residents before the opening ceremony and even took group photos to shine the scene to his heart’s content.
In fact, Governor Woo Sang-ho has a special relationship with Choi Hee-am, chairman of the Hongcheon Challenger Organizing Committee, and Park Geon-yeon, chairman of KXO. He said, “Chairman Choi Hee-am and Chairman Park Geon-yeon have a deep relationship since their days at Yonsei University. Chairman Choi Hee-am was a basketball star in South Korea and a great leader who shone at Yonsei University, Chairman Park Geon-yeon said, “I’ve known him for decades as a university colleague.”
“In fact, I came here with a personal connection rather than basketball, and when I came to the scene, I thought I should maintain and develop this tournament, and I decided to raise it as a representative sports event in Gangwon State.” Overall, I heard that he is planning various parts with Sono. If Gangwon State cooperates with corporate sponsorship, Hongcheon-gun’s will, and it is likely to settle into a more meaningful competition than now. We need to discuss the specifics with the relevant departments, but we are thinking about taking a direction to further develop what KXO has grown so far on its own,” he added.
The Hongcheon Challenger is the best 3×3 competition in Korea and a very large event that FIBA is paying attention to. In particular, it is great that national representatives from each country visit Hongcheon to play an active role. Governor Woo Sang-ho also said, “I was surprised. In fact, international competitions of this size are held in large cities (laughs). However, the Hongcheon Challenger’s enthusiasm was hotter than expected. It was the first time I knew that the athletes who participated in this competition were not just hobbies but national teams. I was very surprised to find out that it was a huge competition. The people who have led this competition so far have been very successful and moving,” he said.
In the case of population-devastated areas such as Hongcheon-gun, large-scale competitions such as the Hongcheon Challenger are certainly of great help. This is true even if you look at the entire Gangwon State in a similar crisis situation.
In response, Governor Woo Sang-ho said, “I think it is meaningful to think that the overall base is expanded rather than ending in a simple event called a sports event. Of course, when the event is held, people from outside can be expected to flow in and revitalize the commercial district for a while. However, what should be viewed in the ultimate direction is to create a virtuous cycle structure such as expanding life clubs through events and growing players. I think the expansion of the sports base in Gangwon State is a very important part,” he said.
“It is also meaningful to tour several cities and hold events, but it seems more meaningful as a sports policy to create an overall boom and even expand the base,” he added.
If the entire Hongcheon-gun County has joined forces to achieve the success of the Hongcheon Challenger, active support and cooperation from Gangwon State are also needed to expand it.
Governor Woo Sang-ho said, “In fact, there are quite a few other places besides Hongcheon. Although it’s mostly an event-oriented company (laughs). The important thing is that I want to do it in Gangwon State. And there are many international elements. There are also proposals to expand areas in various regions such as cycling and racing, he said. “There are a number of proposals that are great and popular internationally. The problem is finances. Looking at the Gangwon State’s finances, it is true that there is not enough capacity to invest in sports. We are having a conversation, but we need to think a lot before making a decision,” he explained.
Whenever a large-scale competition is held, it is the accommodation that becomes a problem. In the case of large cities in Gangwon State, accommodation facilities are excellent, but there are many places that are not. Governor Woo Sang-ho said, “There must be accommodation problems. Except for the high-quality facilities in Gangneung and Sokcho, the reality is that it is not easy overall. Chuncheon Mayor Yuk Dong-han is steadily holding taekwondo competitions, but accommodation facilities are holding back. With many people gathering, the commercial district has grown to some extent, but there are still many shortcomings. In the end, we need to take a way to grow steadily and solve problems. Now, we are also considering growing international competitions to suit regional characteristics, he said. “Nevertheless, if it is possible to revitalize commercial districts and expand the base of sports, we are trying to make accurate plans with greater interest.”
[Hongcheon = MK Sports Reporter]
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