Choi Hee-am, chairperson of the KXO international tournament organizing committee, Park Geon-yeon, chairman of KXO, and Shin Eun-seop, chairman of the Hongcheon County Sports Council, who have worked to develop 3×3 basketball in Korea and attract international tournaments, received honors.

The three received the grand prize in the sports promotion category and the Proud Korean Award at the 2026 KEA Korea Entertainment Awards ceremony held on the 10th at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building auditorium. They were recognized for their contributions to the successful hosting of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) 3×3 international tournament, the “FIBA 3×3 Hongcheon Challenger,” and for advancing 3×3 basketball in Korea.

The ceremony, hosted by the Korea Entertainment Association, was held with sponsorship from the National Assembly, the Seoul Metropolitan Council and the Sejong the Great National Committee. It was organized to highlight the achievements of individuals, corporations and organizations that have dedicated themselves to social development in various fields such as local autonomy, social contribution and culture and the arts.

Choi Hee-am, chairperson of the KXO international tournament organizing committee, emphasized gratitude and a sense of responsibility in his acceptance remarks.

The chairperson said, “I am simply grateful. I feel a greater sense of responsibility as many people seem to recognize KXO’s efforts,” and added, “I think a good opportunity came because Korean basketball achieved excellent results at the recent Asian Games. KXO will also continue to work harder to promote the development of 3×3 basketball in Korea.”

Park Geon-yeon, chairman of KXO, expressed his intention to bolster the competitiveness of 3×3 basketball in Korea through hosting international tournaments.

The chairman said, “I feel that Korean basketball is gradually emerging from a slump,” and added, “KXO has raised its international standing over a long period by hosting the FIBA 3×3 Hongcheon Challenger. Next year, we will continue communications with FIBA as we have done and lay the groundwork for the development of 3×3 basketball in Korea.”

Shin Eun-seop, chairman of the Hongcheon County Sports Council, credited local sportspeople and county residents for the honor.

The chairman said, “I believe this award is a result created together by the executives and staff of the Hongcheon County Sports Council, sportspeople and county residents who worked together for the development of 3×3 basketball in Korea and sports in Hongcheon County.”

He continued, “The FIBA 3×3 Hongcheon Challenger, which has been held through national grant competitions for four consecutive years since 2023, concluded successfully again this year,” and added, “We will continue to do our best to strengthen Hongcheon County’s sports marketing through the Hongcheon Challenger, raise sports competitiveness, and contribute to improving residents’ health and revitalizing the local economy.”

Meanwhile, at this ceremony, director Jang Hang-jun of the film The King’s Warden, Jo Jae-ho, director of Olbarun Seoul Hospital, and Kim Eun-hye, basketball commentator for KBS N Sports, were also listed as awardees.

[OSEN]

Choi Hee-am, chairman of the Hongcheon Challenger Organizing Committee, is drawing a big picture.

NH Nonghyup Bank FIBA 3×3 Hongcheon Challenger 2026, held at the Hongcheon K Convention Center in Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon State since the 18th, has led to success and success.

In 2027, we are also preparing to hold a world tour, which can be called the FIBA 3×3 highest level competition. At this time, Chairman Choi Hee-am is drawing a new big picture.

The Hongcheon Challenger has been held for four consecutive years this year. World-class players gathered in Hongcheon and played a hot game and spent two days and one night. In addition, Hongcheon recorded one win and one loss, and did not make the main draw, but achieved a valuable victory.

Chairman Choi Hee-am said, “In the meantime, Korea’s 3×3 team has participated in these competitions and has not been able to use much energy. This time, I prepared well at the sports meeting and I think I got a good result,” he said.

“Didn’t the world’s No. 1 team lose this tournament. That’s why we have to do 3×3. In this sport, being strong is not strong, being weak is not weak. Since it is a sport that scores 21 points in 10 minutes, there seem to be many variables in which a team that is good at rhythm once wins. It is also an optimized sport for us. “Even if you are small, you can be internationally competitive if you are fast and good at shooting,” he added. “I once again confirmed that I have the next homework to expand the base and create a stage where ordinary students can play as much as they want.”

The Hongcheon Challenger has now become a competition where FIBA also sends great trust. In particular, FIBA supervisors, who have visited Hongcheon in the last three years, have great trust to simplify various procedures.

Chairman Choi Hee-am said, “The power of the Hongcheon-gun administrative organization was great, led by Governor Shin Young-jae. And it was also possible because Congress provided a good budget. In fact, Hongcheon is a small provincial city. Therefore, it will not be so free on the budget. In order for us to develop in the future, we need to receive state funding through Gangwon-do and steadily prepare a budget through another path. Only then can it be further developed and wider than it is now. We are currently holding 3×3 competitions centered on Hongcheon-gun, but we are also thinking about drawing with various cities such as Chuncheon and Wonju in the future.”

“As a result, Hongcheon Challenger has received good reviews and has been performing well for four consecutive years, which is possible because the military and sports association provide great help.” In addition, it is necessary to actively host general competitions and develop together,” he added.

I can’t be satisfied here. In the end, more active interest and investment are needed for the development of Hongcheon Challenger as well as 3×3 in Korea. Chairman Choi Hee-am said, “3×3 is a sport that does not cost much. Aren’t professional sports so large that most large companies have to operate them. That’s not the case with 3×3. It is a sport that the backbone of Korea’s industry, such as small and medium-sized companies, can join at any time. I hope they will be very interested,” he said. “Personally, I hope the game industry will also be interested in 3×3. The game industry is basically imaginative. The same goes for 3×3. “I believe that if the game industry, imagination and creativity of 3×3 come together, synergy can be created,” he said.

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KXO has recently actively communicated with Sono as well as Seoul and Gangwon Province. It was an effort for active interest and investment mentioned above. Chairman Choi Hee-am said, “I understand that Chairman Park Geon-yeon and Chairman Shin Eun-seop talked with Sono. We are planning to hold a world tour next year. Therefore, I delivered the contents of what I was doing with Hongcheon-gun, and I am also drawing a new big picture that is different from the world tour. Of course, I’m at the stage of imagination, but I think it’s good to invite North Korean and Russian teams. There was a player named Lee Myung-hoon in the past, and no one knows how North Korean basketball has developed since that era. Since Chairman Kim Jong-un likes basketball, I think it would be okay to communicate with him (laughs). That doesn’t mean many people need to come. There are at most four or five people. I don’t think the political issue will be big either,” he said.

Of course, the biggest task in planning and implementing various plans is the budget. It may be difficult for Hongcheon to handle the upcoming competitions alone. That’s why I had a conversation with Sono. Sono seems to be thinking a lot, too. I hope that it will create a good atmosphere overall and produce decent results.”

KXO, and Hongcheon are developing at a rapid pace every year. Now, we are looking beyond the Challenger to the World Tour. In the words of a KXO official, FIBA sent a positive signal to Hongcheon’s world tour. In fact, it is possible to hold the event if it is prepared internally well.

Even so, you shouldn’t just “all-in” the world tour. In the end, it is important to hold steady 3×3 competitions, large-scale competitions such as world tours and challengers, as well as various competitions in which domestic players can play as much as they want.

Chairman Choi Hee-am said, “We are thinking about holding a Challenger in Seoul as well as a world tour. The venue is considering the university district. Apart from the world tour, he is serious about the Challenger in Seoul. A year ago, I had the experience of opening a light quest in Sinchon. Of course, compared to Challengers and other competitions, it was small, so there were not so many things to see. There was only one court and complaints in the commercial district, he said. “As much as I’ve experienced it once, I think I can do better next time. To be honest, I want to hold a competition in Gwanghwamun. But the weekend competition is not easy in reality because of the rally. I made contact with the Seoul Metropolitan Government once. It is not easy to hold a large competition like the World Tour, but I think I am interested in the Challenger. I am thinking of various places even if it is not necessarily Gwanghwamun. Chairman Park Gun-yeon is suffering a lot,” he explained.

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[Hongcheon = MK Sports Reporter]