| A volleyball team doing winter training at an indoor gym in Gangjin, Jeollanam-do. (provided by Gangjin-gun) |
Jeonnam Province is emerging as a major base for nationwide winter training, thanks to its mild winter climate and stable training conditions.
The average winter temperature is 2.6°C, which is 2.2°C higher than the national average, and the low risk of training interruption due to low snow cover is considered a strength. The fact that accessibility to the metropolitan area and the Yeongnam and Honam regions has improved due to the expansion of the KTX and highway networks is also increasing the competitiveness of attracting the city.
According to Jeonnam Province, athletes from various sports, including soccer, baseball, track and field, and badminton, are training in each city and county in the province during the 2025-2026 winter training period.
Each city and county has basic infrastructure such as a sports complex, artificial turf field, and indoor gymnasium, and provides customized support linking lodging, meals, and transportation. We are working to increase the length of stay and return visit rate by reducing training center rental fees, providing local love gift certificates, and linking tourism programs.
Gangjin-gun is strengthening its foundation as a long-term training camp with the goal of attracting 38,000 people per year and 200 teams in 6 sports, including soccer, volleyball, bowling, and badminton. Mokpo City has attracted 35 teams in 4 sports, including track and field, soccer, and baseball, and 11,000 people per year by linking winter training and stove league, and additional visits are scheduled until February.
With the completion of Haenam Sports Park and Old School Gymnasium, Haenam-gun has increased the number of winter training camps, and is planning to host 12 sports and 41,000 people per year. Gurye-gun also attracted approximately 16,700 athletes focusing on four sports, including soccer, taekwondo, and wrestling.
Attracting field training is also having a positive impact on the local economy. From September 2024 to August 2025, Jeonnam attracted 64 sports, 2,854 teams, and 916,000 people per year, resulting in a ripple effect on the local economy worth about 94.3 billion won. Among these, 350,000 people visited during the winter training period alone, recording an effect of 36 billion won.
Jeonnam Province is making every effort to attract field training by holding field training briefing sessions and fam tours to contribute to increasing the living population and revitalizing the local economy. In order to build optimal sports infrastructure, cities and counties with excellent attracting performance in the previous year are selected every year and incentives for sports facility renovation are also provided.
Lee Byeong-kwon, head of the Jeollanam-do Sports Industry Department, said, “Jeonnam-do is the optimal training ground with the three elements of climate, facilities, and support system,” and added, “We will continue to strengthen our status as a winter training mecca by creating an environment that satisfies the athletes and coaches.”
Kim Jun-won, Money Today Broadcasting MTN reporter
