Daejeon launches bid as minister heads to UK; fiscal strength, infrastructure and diplomacy seen as key

Kwon Oh-eul, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs [Yonhap]
Kwon Oh-eul, Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs [Yonhap]

South Korea's Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs has traveled to the United Kingdom to make the country's case for hosting the 2029 Invictus Games, the international sporting competition for wounded and injured service members.

Minister Kwon Oh-eul departed for the UK on Sunday to take part in a competitive presentation for the bid, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs said Monday.

The Invictus Games were founded in 2014 by Britain's Prince Harry as a flagship international event symbolizing the rehabilitation and reintegration of wounded veterans from around the world.

Because cooperation and networking with the UK — as the founding nation — are considered central to any successful bid, the trip amounts in effect to the opening salvo of a full-scale diplomatic campaign.

The host city for the 2029 Games will be chosen from three candidates — Daejeon, South Korea; Aalborg, Denmark; and San Diego, United States — through a vote by the Invictus Games Foundation's 10-member board of trustees following the presentations. A final decision is expected in July.

At the competitive presentation in London on Tuesday, Kwon will be joined by Yoo Deuk-won, administrative vice mayor of Daejeon Metropolitan City, and Han Tae-ho, welfare director of the Korea Wounded Veterans Association. Together they will make the case for South Korea's commitment and capacity to host the Games.

During the visit, Kwon is expected to meet with Invictus Games Foundation officials and key stakeholders to outline South Korea's readiness and resolve. He is particularly expected to highlight the country's veterans welfare policies, rehabilitation infrastructure and experience hosting major international events as grounds for awarding the Games to Daejeon.

Winning the Invictus Games would carry significance beyond sport, representing an expansion of what officials describe as "veterans diplomacy." South Korea has maintained veterans cooperation with countries that fought alongside it in the Korean War, and a successful bid could extend that engagement to a broader multilateral stage. It would also be expected to raise public awareness of wounded veterans and elevate the international profile of South Korea's veterans policy.

The actual prospects for a successful bid depend on a complex set of variables. Chief among them are the financial burden and the division of responsibilities between the central government and local authorities. While the Invictus Games are smaller in scale than the Olympics, they require substantial budgets for athlete support and rehabilitation programming. The competition also demands the kind of city-wide, all-in backing that past host cities have demonstrated, making close cooperation with local government essential.

The international competitive landscape presents another challenge. The Invictus Games rotate among host cities, and European and North American countries have built relatively strong networks within the foundation — a barrier South Korea will need to overcome.

On the other hand, the relative scarcity of Asian host cities could work in South Korea's favor.

Overall, Kwon's visit to the UK is seen as a first step that carries both symbolic and practical weight.

Securing a foothold with the founding nation and strengthening international networks could give South Korea meaningful momentum in the bidding race. Analysts say the country will still need to satisfy three conditions — fiscal readiness, diplomatic groundwork and local government cooperation — before a successful bid becomes possible.

"Through this presentation in the UK, I will do my utmost to properly convey Daejeon's excellent infrastructure and the historic case for Asia's first hosting of the Games, so that we can bring the competition to South Korea," Kwon said.


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