The Herald Business-organized race held Sunday at Daegu Stadium; Kyobo Life joins as partner as chairman invokes pacemaker philosophy
The 2026 The Race Daegu 10K marathon was held Sunday at Daegu Stadium in Suseong-gu, Daegu, drawing runners to the city in the crisp air of early summer.
Organized by The Herald Business and managed by Spormax Korea, the event featured a single 10-kilometer race that brought together more than 5,000 participants from across the country to share the values of health, challenge and community.
The field ranged from competitive runners chasing personal records to residents running for fitness, families and running club members, all adding to the festive atmosphere.
The 10-kilometer course looped from the eastern plaza of Daegu Stadium past Daegu Meister High School and the Daegu Digital Innovation Promotion Agency before returning to the start.
The venue was buzzing with energy from early morning. Registration, baggage storage and photo opportunities opened at 7 a.m., an hour before the start, followed by a warm-up session and opening ceremony that built anticipation ahead of the race.
Temperatures hovered around 18 degrees Celsius on race day, but overcast skies brought a relatively cool breeze. Runners lined up at the starting line with their individual goals firmly in mind.
At 8 a.m., the starting signal sent runners in three groups — A, B and C — charging onto the course at once. Participants kept their own pace as they pushed toward the finish line, drawing energy from cheering spectators and volunteers stationed throughout the route.
The race results drew considerable attention. In the women's 10K, Jeong Sun-yeon took first place with a time of 37 minutes and 11 seconds. Jeon Su-jin finished second in 39:18, and Yoo Hwan-young crossed the line third in 43:46.
In the men's 10K, Park Han-sol claimed the top spot in 33 minutes and 2 seconds. Han Hyeon-jun and Park Ji-ung finished just behind him to take second and third, respectively.
The event also drew praise for its organization. Organizers deployed medical support teams and safety personnel at key points along the course and operated ample water stations to ensure participant safety throughout.
Photo zones and event spaces were set up at the venue, creating a festival atmosphere where participants and their families could enjoy the day together.
With close cooperation from the Daegu city government, the Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency, the Daegu Suseong Police Station and Suseong-gu, the 2026 The Race Daegu 10K concluded without a single safety incident.
Kyobo Life participated as an official partner — a role aligned with the customer-protection management philosophy championed by Kyobo Life Chairman and CEO Shin Chang-jae.
Shin has long drawn a parallel between life and a marathon. "Just as a marathon has uphill and downhill stretches, life is a winding journey filled with the joys and sorrows of birth, aging, illness and death," he has said. "Just as a pacemaker is needed in a marathon, life insurers and their agents must faithfully serve as pacemakers — helping customers overcome adversity and run their life's race all the way to the finish line."
Kim Jung-ho, head of Kyobo Life's Daegu division, said he was grateful to every runner and resident who took part. "I hope this Daegu race serves as an opportunity to spread a healthy running culture and invigorate local sports," he said.
Kim Hyeong-gon, executive managing director of The Herald Business, said he hoped the day's challenge would leave a meaningful memory for all participants. "The powerful wave created by the runners who took part today has breathed new energy into the heart of Daegu," he said. "I hope it goes down as another chapter in the history of meaningful sports festivals."
kbj7653@heraldcorp.com
