The 2026 Seoul World Youth Hockey Tournament, set to run from Sept. 6 to 11 at Jamwon Han River Park, officially kicked off preparations Friday with the launch of its organizing committee, chaired by Jo Byung-woo, president of the Seoul Hockey Association.
The committee held its inaugural ceremony at the second conference room of the Seoul Metropolitan Council Member Hall, announcing its goal of developing the event into an international sports and culture festival where young athletes from around the world can forge friendships through sport and experience Seoul's culture and tourism firsthand.
Representing the Seoul Metropolitan Council at the ceremony were Speaker Im Man-gyun, People Power Party floor leader Kim Gil-young, Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee Chair Hwang Cheol-gyu, Vice Chair Choi Won-sun, and lawmakers Kim Gwang-cheol and Yun Seon-hui, all expressing support for a successful launch. Council leadership and members of the standing committee overseeing culture and sports joined together to back the expansion of global youth sports exchange and the strengthening of Seoul's competitiveness as an international sports city.
The Herald Business and the Korea Herald are participating as official media partners for the tournament, providing promotional support both domestically and internationally. The outlets plan to cover the full arc of the event — from preparations through the opening ceremony, key matches, cultural programs and the stories of participating athletes — delivering the experience of young people from around the world connecting through sport and culture in Seoul across a wide range of content.
Herald Media Group CEO Choi Jin-young said he expects the tournament to serve as an opportunity to showcase Seoul's culture and tourism to the world beyond sport. He also said the group intends to actively amplify the stories of the young athletes' challenges and exchanges, and the broader significance of the event, by leveraging its domestic and international media networks.
"This tournament, staged along the Han River, will become a new kind of global festival unique to Seoul — one where sport, culture and tourism come together," Choi said. "I hope it takes root as a new model of international exchange through which K-sports and K-culture reach out to the world together."
Seoul Metropolitan Council vows to boost global youth sports exchange
Council Speaker Im Man-gyun, in his congratulatory remarks, underscored the significance of the tournament as a gathering where young people from across the globe come to Seoul to connect and build friendships through sport. He expressed hope that the Seoul World Youth Hockey Tournament — launching in the city for the first time — would grow into a platform for international exchange that offers young athletes new opportunities for challenge and growth while bringing the world's youth together.
The Seoul Metropolitan Council said it would maintain sustained interest and support for the tournament's success, helping young people pursue their dreams through sport and enabling Seoul to take another step forward as an international sports city.
People Power Party floor leader Kim Gil-young said continued attention and investment are needed to broaden the base of hockey as a sport, and that international sporting events can serve as a powerful tool for raising a city's profile and competitiveness. He said someone must invest for a less popular sport to succeed, and that sports events are essential for effectively marketing and promoting a city. He also encouraged the South Korean youth athletes present at the ceremony, saying the judgment and teamwork skills they develop through sport will become valuable assets throughout their lives.
Committee Chair Hwang Cheol-gyu highlighted the tournament's potential for growth as an event combining sport with culture and tourism. With an international youth competition taking place along the Han River — one of Seoul's most iconic attractions — he said the event is poised to go beyond sport and serve as an opportunity to introduce Seoul's culture and appeal to the world.
Hwang said sustained attention and support are needed to ensure the tournament, which blends hockey with K-culture content, grows into a new international sports and culture festival for Seoul that citizens and tourists can enjoy together — not just an event for athletes.
Kim Byung-min, chair of the G3 Seoul Planning Committee, called sport and health core elements in strengthening Seoul's competitiveness as a global city. He said the very environment of young athletes from around the world playing sport along the Han River while citizens cheer them on can itself become a source of competitiveness for Seoul as it aims to rank among the world's top three cities.
"For Seoul to be a healthy city, we need conditions where athletes can compete brilliantly and be applauded by citizens who enjoy it alongside them," Kim said. "If athletes from countries around the world compete on the Han River with cultural performances as part of the experience, it will be a wonderful occasion for citizens to enjoy and cheer together."
He also expressed hope that through the tournament, the efforts and determination of the young athletes would capture the attention of Seoul residents and the broader public, giving the players a springboard to grow onto bigger stages.
About 300 youth athletes from 7 nations to converge on the Han River
The tournament will be held over six days from Sept. 6 to 11 at a specially constructed venue at Jamwon Han River Park. About 300 athletes, officials and other participants from seven countries — South Korea, China, Japan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and Macao — are expected to take part.
The event is designed as an international friendship invitational where young hockey players from around the world can build camaraderie and deepen their understanding of one another's cultures. The organizers plan to build on this inaugural edition by developing it into a regular annual international tournament in Seoul, with the long-term vision of establishing it as a global sports brand representing the city and a platform for youth hockey exchange across Asia.
Organizing committee chair Jo said the committee's work will go well beyond running the matches themselves, with systematic preparations covering athlete support, safety management, international exchange, cultural programming and public participation. He said the tournament will also serve as a platform for identifying and nurturing future hockey talent by giving South Korean youth players direct competitive and exchange experience with athletes from a range of countries, helping them build international exposure.
Byun Jae-woon, president-elect of the 32nd Korea Hockey Association, also offered congratulatory remarks at the ceremony, expressing his expectations for the committee's launch and a successful tournament. He said young people are both the protagonists of today and the future leaders of South Korea, and that the tournament is a deeply meaningful event that goes beyond a simple international competition to open a stage for international exchange and education for the world's youth.
He added that the experience of young people from different languages and cultures sweating together on the same field and cheering each other on is a precious form of learning that cannot be replicated in a classroom. He said he hopes the tournament will grow into a stage for cultural diplomacy where about 300 young athletes from seven countries come to understand one another and build trust.
Daily K-culture performances to add color throughout the tournament
A series of special events will run throughout the tournament. The organizing committee will operate a "Seoul Festival Week," presenting a range of cultural programs for citizens as well as participating athletes. Planned performances include an opening show, DJ sets, rock concerts, a cappella, percussion, magic, circus acts, the Seoul Dance Festival and a closing ceremony, transforming the Jamwon Han River Park area into a festival space where sport and culture come together.
The plan is to give international athletes a chance to experience Seoul's culture and tourism while allowing citizens to enjoy an international sporting event up close, developing the tournament into a Seoul-style international sports and culture festival that promotes K-sports and K-culture simultaneously.
The organizing committee said it intends to use the tournament as a springboard to support youth hockey development and expand international exchange. The goal is to broaden opportunities for young athletes to gain international experience and build a foundation for players, coaches and enthusiasts to grow together, ultimately widening the base of hockey in South Korea and strengthening its international competitiveness.
The committee also plans to finalize arrangements with participating countries and flesh out details covering venue construction, match operations, safety and medical measures, cultural programming and public participation programs.
After a successful inaugural edition this year, the committee aims to develop the Seoul World Youth Hockey Tournament into a regular annual international event, establishing it as a signature international sports festival for Seoul that symbolizes the dreams, challenges, friendship and unity of young people around the world.
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
