Detail

`The 46th National Athletic Meet is due to be held at Kwangjoo, Cholla Nam province from 5th of coming October. Total of over 13,000 officers and players, representing eight provinces and two cities from the country, will participate in the event to compete their strength and techniques for the honor of their respective home provinces and cities. The event will be composed of twenty-six various items. The sports in this country was originated as early as in the days of Three States period when the purpose of athletic activity was mainly for training military personnel. At the time, as a sort of athletic office responsible for training young men in various military arts, offices called ``KUK-DANG`` during Kokuryo Dynasty and ``KUN-LANG`` during Silla Dynasty were established for the purpose. The athletic activities of Korean people in the old days were namely YOO-SOOL (Jufistu), archery, the art of fencing, football, horse riding While wrestling, swimming, rope togging, stone throwing, sleigh riding, kite flying, swing, seasaw etc were enjoyed by ordinary people for passtime or game. The national event which is held every year contributes greatly toward boosting public interest in sports and promote the physical standard of the people in general. This event also provides an excellent opportunity for the people gathered from all over the country to compete against each other with their strength and skills and at th same time promoting mutual understanding and friendship. It is in this line of reason that the event is so arranged to be held at different major city in the country every year, considering its valuable contribution toward promotion of sports as well as development of local community culture. In the interest of making the significance of the event widely known to the public, the Ministry of communications will issue a commemorative postage stamp on the occasion.`