The Haknyeoul Trail near Hak Reservoir in Cheorwon, a county that bills itself as a city of peace rooted in resilience, a dynamic geopark destination and a hub for health trekking — and now aspires to become a sports city.
The Haknyeoul Trail near Hak Reservoir in Cheorwon, a county that bills itself as a city of peace rooted in resilience, a dynamic geopark destination and a hub for health trekking — and now aspires to become a sports city.
MOU signing ceremony between Cheorwon-gun and Yongin University
MOU signing ceremony between Cheorwon-gun and Yongin University

Cheorwon-gun, a county in Gangwon Province at the heart of truce-line peace tourism, has hosted the Yongin University President's Cup National Taekwondo Competition for the past three years, cementing its reputation as a sports destination through one of the country's premier martial arts events.

The county announced Tuesday it had signed a formal MOU with Yongin University to pursue a range of cooperative activities aimed at establishing Cheorwon-gun as a nationally recognized sports city.

Under the agreement, Cheorwon-gun and Yongin University will expand exchanges and cooperation in sports and jointly carry out projects to promote athletic development and regional vitalization.

A key element of the deal is a commitment to hold the Yongin University President's Cup National Taekwondo Competition — the largest taekwondo competition in the country, held in Cheorwon since 2022 — in the county for another three years. The extension raises expectations for sports marketing opportunities and a boost to the local economy.

Cheorwon-gun said it expects the MOU to help attract more national-level sports competitions, draw sports tourists to stimulate the local economy, broaden the base of taekwondo participation and contribute positively to the development of local athletics.

The signing ceremony was attended by Cheorwon County Chief Lee Hyeon-jong, Cheorwon County Sports Association President Im Dae-su, Yongin University Department of Taekwondo Chair Cha Myeong-hwan and Yongin University Graduate School of Taekwondo Dean Kim Jong-gil, who discussed cooperation plans and formalized the partnership.

A statue of Im Kkeok-jeong, a symbol of resilience, at the entrance to Gosokjeong in Cheorwon — a county known as the city of Im Kkeok-jeong.
A statue of Im Kkeok-jeong, a symbol of resilience, at the entrance to Gosokjeong in Cheorwon — a county known as the city of Im Kkeok-jeong.

"The MOU with Yongin University will serve as a turning point in raising Cheorwon-gun's sports competitiveness and establishing it as a nationally recognized sports city," County Chief Lee said. "We will continue to work with outstanding educational institutions and sports organizations to advance local athletics and improve the health of our residents."

Meanwhile, Cheorwon-gun plans to sign another MOU — this time with Korea National Sport University — next week.

The county intends to accelerate its efforts to attract a wider range of national and provincial sports competitions, using sports as a driver of regional vitalization and tourism growth.


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