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(Muan = Break News) Reporter Haksu Lee = Jeollanam-do is heating up with sports fever even amidst the bitter cold wave. The mild climate, the nation’s best sports infrastructure, and the local government’s systematic support policy create synergy, establishing it as a ‘holy place for winter training’ where athletes from all over the country constantly visit.
According to South Jeolla Province, athletes from various sports, including soccer, baseball, track and field, and badminton, are sweating hard in each city and county in the province for the 2025-2026 winter training period.
The biggest secret to Jeonnam’s popularity as a winter training destination is its ‘climate environment’. The average winter temperature in Jeonnam is 2.6°C, which is 2.2°C higher than the national average (0.4°C). The small amount of snowfall also reduces the risk of training interruption due to heavy snow, which is a big attraction for outdoor sports leaders. In addition, the fact that accessibility to the metropolitan area and the Yeongnam-Honam region has been dramatically improved through the expansion of the KTX and highway networks has also increased the competitiveness of attracting the city.
Perfection was also achieved in terms of hardware. Each city and county is fully equipped with a sports complex and all-weather indoor training facility, a high-quality artificial turf field, and a state-of-the-art weight training center. In terms of software, it is encouraging ‘re-visits’ beyond simple visits through one-stop services connecting accommodation, meals, and transportation, discounts on training center rental fees, and local tourism link programs.
Major cities and counties in Jeollanam-do are targeting athletes with differentiated strategies.
Gangjin-gun promotes itself as a ‘long-term stay mecca’. Based on solid infrastructure, including a soccer-specific stadium and a multi-purpose indoor gymnasium, local love gift certificates are awarded in proportion to the length of stay and number of people. This season, over 200 teams in 6 sports and 38,000 people are expected to stay for an average of 9 days, revitalizing the region.
This year, Haenam-gun is launching the ‘Haenam Spo-tour’, which combines ‘sports and tourism’. With the recent completion of Haenam Sports Park and Old School Gymnasium, capacity has been greatly improved, and the ‘Winter Training Rehabilitation Center’, staffed by five professional trainers, is operated free of charge to help players prevent injuries and manage their condition. The goal is to attract 41,000 people per year, an increase of more than 10,000 from the previous year.
Mokpo City is attracting teams who want to maintain a sense of real-life competition by linking winter training and Stove League (practice games). Currently, 35 teams in 4 sports are training, and more than 14,000 people are expected to visit Mokpo by February by attracting additional sports such as hockey.
Gurye-gun hosted 73 teams (approximately 16,000 players) including soccer, taekwondo, and wrestling. When staying for more than 5 days, a strong point is the ‘close-knit service’, such as subsidizing part of the cost of stay with a local gift certificate and providing bottled water. In February, the ‘Gurye Nogodanbae Youth Soccer Festival’ will be held to provide a venue to check training performance.
Attracting field training is more than just a sporting event, it is acting as a key driver of the local economy. The lodging, food, and transportation expenses incurred by the athletes during their stay directly lead to increased sales for local small businesses. It is especially significant in that it creates a floating population during the winter, the off-season for tourism.
The numbers prove this. The size of the training camp hosted by Jeonnam from September 2024 to August 2025 is a total of 64 sports, 2,854 teams, and 916,000 people per year. The resulting regional economic ripple effect is estimated at approximately 94.3 billion won.
What is noteworthy is the growth rate. The economic effect, which was around 31.5 billion won in 2022, has nearly tripled vertically over the past three years. Among these, approximately 350,000 people visit during the pure winter period (November to February), creating economic added value of 36 billion won and playing a significant role as a support for the local economy.
Jeonnam Province is sparing no effort in providing all-round support to continue this trend. We are continuously holding field training briefing sessions and family tours to create new demand, while improving the quality of infrastructure by providing incentives for sports facility renovation to cities and counties with excellent attracting performance.
Choi Young-joo, head of Jeonnam Province’s Tourism and Sports Bureau, said, “Jeonnam prides itself on having the best training environment in Korea, complete with the three pillars of climate, facilities, and support. Going forward, we will further solidify the reputation of ‘Jeonnam’s training camp’ by creating an environment where players can focus solely on training.”
Below is the English article translated with ‘Google Translate’. [전문] no see. ‘Google Translate’ is working to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation. The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by ‘Google Translate’. ‘Google Translate’ is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the lish translation.
“Come to Jeonnam without worrying about the cold!”… Jeonnam Province Stands Out as a Winter Training Mecca
A mild 2.6°C climate and customized support system attract athletes from across the country – Annual regional economic impact of 94.3 billion won… Tripled in 3 years
(Muan=Break News) Reporter Lee Hak-soo = Jeonnam Province is surging with sports enthusiasm despite the bitter cold. The mild climate, top-tier sports infrastructure, and systematic support policies from local governments are creating a synergy, solidifying its position as a “winter training mecca,” attracting athletes from all over the country.
According to Jeonnam Province, teams from various sports, including soccer, baseball, track and field, and badminton, are settling in various cities and counties across the province for the 2025-2026 winter training period and are sweating it out.
The biggest secret to Jeonnam’s popularity as a winter training destination is undoubtedly its “climate.” The average winter temperature in Jeollanam-do is 2.6°C, 2.2°C higher than the national average (0.4°C). The low snowfall also reduces the risk of training interruptions due to heavy snow, making it a significant attraction for outdoor sports coaches. Furthermore, the expansion of the KTX and highway network has dramatically improved accessibility to the Seoul metropolitan area and the Yeongnam and Honam regions, further enhancing its competitiveness in hosting the Games.
The hardware has also been perfected. Each city and county is equipped with a comprehensive sports complex and all-weather indoor training facilities, high-quality artificial turf fields, and state-of-the-art weight training facilities. Software-wise, one-stop services, including accommodations, meals, and transportation, discounts on training facility rental fees, and local tourism programs, are designed to encourage repeat visits beyond simple visits.
Major cities and counties in Jeollanam-do are each employing differentiated strategies to attract athletes.
Gangjin County is positioning itself as a “long-term stay mecca.” Based on robust infrastructure, including a soccer-specific stadium and a multi-purpose indoor gymnasium, local gift certificates will be distributed based on the length of stay and the number of participants. This season, approximately 200 teams across six sports and 38,000 participants are expected to stay for an average of nine days, revitalizing the region.
Haenam County is launching its “Haenam Spo-tour,” a program combining sports and tourism, in earnest this year. With the recent completion of the Haenam Sports Park and the Gugyo Gymnasium, capacity has been significantly increased. A “Winter Training Rehabilitation Center,” staffed by five professional trainers, will be operated free of charge to help athletes prevent injuries and maintain their conditioning. The goal is to attract 41,000 participants, an increase of over 10,000 from the previous year.
Mokpo City is attracting teams seeking to maintain their competitive edge by linking winter training with a stove league (practice match)**. Currently, 35 teams across four sports are training, and by February, with additional sports like hockey, more than 14,000 people are expected to visit Mokpo.
Gurye County has hosted 73 teams (approximately 16,000 participants), including soccer, taekwondo, and wrestling. Its strength lies in its “close-knit service,” which includes a portion of the cost of stays in the form of local gift certificates and the provision of bottled water for stays of five days or more. In February, the “Gurye Nogodan Cup Youth Soccer Festival” will be held to provide a platform to evaluate the training results.
Hosting training camps is not just a sporting event; it serves as a key driver of the local economy. The accommodation, food, and transportation costs incurred by the teams during their stay directly translate into increased sales for local small businesses. This is particularly significant as it generates a floating population during the off-season winter.
The figures bear this out. From September 2024 to August 2025, Jeollanam-do will host a total of 64 sports, 2,854 teams, and approximately 916,000 participants. The resulting ripple effect on the local economy is estimated at approximately 94.3 billion won.
Notable is the growth. The economic impact, which stood at 31.5 billion won in 2022, has nearly tripled in just three years. During the winter season (November to February) alone, approximately 350,000 visitors visit the region, generating 36 billion won in added economic value, significantly supporting the local economy.
Jeollanam-do is providing comprehensive support to sustain this trend. It continues to host training briefing sessions and familiarization tours to generate new demand, while cities and counties with excellent hosting performances are receiving incentives for sports facility renovations to enhance the quality of their infrastructure.
Choi Young-joo, Director of the Tourism and Sports Bureau of South Jeolla Province, said, “Jeonnam is proud to have the best training environment in Korea, perfectly equipped with climate, facilities, and support.” He added, “We will continue to create an environment where athletes can focus solely on training, further solidifying the reputation of ‘Jeonnam is the best for training camps.'”
View original article:Break News JeonnamView original article:Break News Jeonnam
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