전북특별자치도 뉴스룸

Jeonbuk State has established a foothold in sports diplomacy by signing a Letter of intent with the Namibian government in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, to promote youth sports exchange and cooperation. This cooperation is expected to greatly contribute to strengthening the international sports network that Jeonbuk State is promoting.

The Jeonbuk State delegation to Africa, led by Vice Governor for Economic Affairs Kim Jong-hoon, visited Namibia and Zimbabwe from the 9th to 15th for a seven-day, four-night trip. On the 11th, the delegation visited Windhoek and announced that it had signed a Letter of Intent with Namibia’s Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, and Culture(Minister: Sanet Steenkamp) to promote the “Dream Kids Sports Camp”,

The “Dream Kids Sports Camp” is an exchange program designed to foster friendship among young people and promote mutual understanding through sports. The main point is that Jeonbuk and Namibia will take turns hosting youth, engaging them in soccer and various sports activities, while simultaneously promoting culture and exchange.

As the first initiative of this year, Jeonbuk State has decided to invite Namibia’s U-11 youth national soccer team this coming November. They are scheduled to play a friendly match with Jeonbuk’s youth team, experiencing traditional Korean culture. In addition, the youths of both countries will have the chance to understand each other. Sustainable exchange through sports are expected to gain momentum through this initiative,

After the signing ceremony held in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, the Jeonbuk State delegation to Africa visited Jan Mohr Stadium, the home ground of the MTC HOSPOL Youth Soccer League to watch the selection trials to Namibia’s youth national soccer team. On this occasion, they also strengthened sports friendship by presenting commemorative soccer balls and scarves from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

In addition, they paid a courtesy visit to the First Gentleman of Namibia, Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, and requested that he accompany the youth national team as head during their visit to Korea in Novemeber. Beyond sports, they also agreed to explore cooperative relationships between Jeonbuk State and Namibia across various sections, including industry, economy, and culture.

In this regard, Namibia, located in southwestern Africa, is a country with a population of 3.02 million and an area of 824,292 km2(about 37 times the size of the Korean Peninsula). It has been known for its abundant mineral resources, including diamonds and uranium, as well as high potential for renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and biomass. Since establishing diplomatic relations with South Korea in 1990, Namibia has maintained a friendly relationship, and it has been advancing sports diplomacy cooperation with Jeonbuk State since May of this year.

Kim Jong-hoon, Vice Governor for Economic Affairs of Jeonbuk State, emphasized, “Through this sports diplomacy cooperation with the Namibian government and the youth soccer team, we have secured a foothold in Africa for attracting international sports events. Moving forward, we will make further efforts to raise Jeonbuk’s global standing and strengthen its global sports diplomacy network.”