Mungyeong Tennis: World Championships & Asian Games Success

At 5 pm on the 6th, a rare large-scale event was held at the Onnuri Sports Center in Mungyeong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do. This is the disbanding ceremony of the 9th Mungyeong Asia Soft Tennis (Tennis) Championships.

In the sports field, a dissolution ceremony is usually a gathering at the end of a large competition where participating players and officials gather to look back on past results and bid farewell.

However, the Mungyeong Jeonggu disbanding ceremony had an exciting festival-like atmosphere with over 250 participants filling the venue. It was a great success with the attendance of Mungyeong Mayor Shin Hyeon-guk, International Tennis Federation President and Korean Tennis Association President Jeong In-seon (Director of Yonsei iMistem Clinic), as well as tennis players and Mungyeong citizens. The ceremony consisted of a progress report, awards to those of merit, and a banquet. The stage was heated up by the guest singer’s performance.

I heard that Mungyeong City, in cooperation with the Korea Tennis Association, successfully held the Asian Championships at the Mungyeong Tennis Stadium for about a week from September 15th. At that time, over 300 athletes and coaches from 25 countries unanimously praised the thorough preparation and operation of the competition.

Mungyeong City began renovation and repair of the stadium early and replaced the ceiling of the dome stadium so that games can be played without any problems even in wind and rain. The stands and restrooms were improved to provide a comfortable environment for players and spectators. The badminton gym attached to the stadium was used as a waiting room for players, a cafeteria, press room, and referee room, and was well received for providing ample space.

Large LED electronic displays were installed throughout the stadium to capture the attention of the surrounding area with various contents such as real-time game videos, highlights, and Mungyeong City promotional materials.

The opening ceremony enthralled 4,000 spectators with performances by popular singers Park Gun, Mai Jin, and Hwang Min-ho, as well as the unique Cherry Girls’ Ryeo-hwa and Cy Burger. The event organizing committee, co-chaired by Mayor Shin Hyeon-guk and Chairman Jeong In-seon, received a positive response by delivering free water and bread in eco-bags to the audience. The opening ceremony included a spectacular fireworks display along with generous prizes.

It is reported that Mungyeong City invested more than 2 billion won in renovation of competition facilities, events, and hosting. Sports industry experts estimated that Mungyeong City received billions of won in benefits, including revitalization of the local economy due to visits by overseas athletes and local promotion through Channel A broadcasting. Mungyeong City also analyzed that there was a ripple effect on the local economy worth billions of won by attracting additional guests and boosting consumption during the tournament.

During the competition period, the number of tourists visiting Mungyeong increased, and crowds flocked to major tourist attractions such as Mungyeong Saejae. It served as an opportunity to promote Mungyeong Schisandra chinensis and ceramics throughout Asia.

Mayor Shin Hyeon-guk, who personally attended major events such as the opening ceremony, awards ceremony, and farewell banquet and left a strong impression with foreign language greetings, said with satisfaction, “The public and private sectors worked together to accomplish a great thing. We were able to promote Mungyeong, a friendly first-class city and sports city, to Asia.”

Cost savings were also achieved thanks to the tireless efforts of Jang Jeong-sik, the executive director of the Mungyeong City Tennis Association, and the responsible officer in charge of Mungyeong City Hall, who are famous for helping Mungyeong City’s tennis courts. It is said that even though the competition was successful, a surplus of 30 million won was generated, and a grand disbandment ceremony was held. This is truly an exemplary example of financial management.

A civil servant in charge of Mungyeong City gave meaning to the event, saying, “The opening ceremony drew a warm response from citizens. It was a competition that greatly contributed to civic unity.”

Vice President Jang Han-seop of the Korean Tennis Association, who served as the executive chairman of the competition, first became involved with tennis in 1977 and has been digging the same well for nearly 50 years. Vice Chairman Jang, who won the World Championships and received the Blue Dragon Medal, the highest rank of the Order of Sports Merit, said, “I have been guarding the tennis court for a long time, but I think this is the first time I have seen a meaningful event like this disbanding ceremony.”

Chairman Jeong In-seon said, “It was a time to report and encourage the successful completion of this year’s Asian Championships. In addition, it was a time to pray for the success of the World Championships two years later.” Vice Chairman Jang Han-seop also added meaning, saying, “The starting gun has sounded in preparation for the 2027 Mungyeong World Championships.”

There were also harsh comments. In-sik In, vice president of the Korean Tennis Association and former coach of Mungyeong City Hall, expressed his disappointment, saying, “I have nothing special to say due to the poor performance of the Korean team. Although it was an Asian tournament, I only think the event was held as well as a world tournament.” He pointed out the part where the Korean national team failed to win a single gold medal in 7 events and ended the competition with 4 silver medals and 4 bronze medals.

Now, Mungyeong’s eyes are on the World Championships in two years. The World Championships, which started in Hawaii, USA in 1975, is a competition hosted by the International Tennis Federation, which consists of 65 member countries. After the bid was decided last year after fierce competition with China and Taiwan, Mayor Shin Hyeon-guk expressed his ambition, saying, “We plan to thoroughly prepare for the event, including securing a budget and forming an organizing committee.”

The World Championships need to be more than twice the size of the Asian Championships. Expanding stadium infrastructure and improving transportation and accommodation facilities are also urgently needed. Active citizen participation is also essential.

It would be troubling for the World Championships to become a banquet for foreign players to win. Systematic investment appears to be urgently needed to strengthen the international competitiveness of the Korean national team. The Korean Tennis Association and Mungyeong City Hall must also break down the walls and enhance each other’s capabilities through close communication. Within an organization, the behavior of a particular person monopolizing work or being incommunicado, like a maverick, is considered a task that needs to be eliminated. The Korean Tennis Association’s executive branch is also announcing efforts to improve its constitution in the new year.

Mungyeong successfully completed the Asian Championships and began the countdown to the World Championships. Just as the saying goes that the road begins again where it ends, this dissolution ceremony was not just an ending, but a starting point toward the world and a signal that illuminates the future of Mungyeong.

Kim Jong-seok, Deputy Director of Channel A Sports Department (former Sports Department Manager of Dong-A Ilbo)

[기사제보 tennis@tennis.co.kr]

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