September 2025

The City of Seoul will welcome the World Union of Olympic Cities and host the smart cities & sport summit in October 2025. The Union warmly thanks you for welcoming its Members and the participants of the summit. What message would you like to share with the Members of the Union?

We are truly delighted to welcome the members of the World Union of Olympic Cities to Seoul this October. Since Seoul joined the Union in 2019, this marks the first year we will have the honor of inviting fellow member cities. We look forward to continuing in Seoul the same energy of vitality and solidarity that we experienced at the Union’s Annual Meeting 2022, which took place in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The Olympic Games are more than just a sporting event, they serve as a turning point that reshapes a city’s identity and future vision. For Seoul, the 1988 Olympic Games were a catalyst for building a wide range of new sports facilities such as the Jamsil Sports Complex, Olympic Park, and various gymnasiums. At the same time, the city’s infrastructure was significantly enhanced with the expansion of the subway system, improved road conditions, and the modernization of broadcasting and telecommunications.
However, we firmly believe that the true value of the Olympics lies in their legacy. The Seoul Olympics instilled confidence and pride in our citizens by providing them with an invaluable global experience, while also bringing Korean society closer to the world. This social and cultural legacy has grown more powerful with time, ultimately contributing to the remarkable rise of K-Culture and K-Sports that now captures worldwide attention. What began as a small spark during the Olympics has grown into a great flame, reshaping the identity and future vision of our city.
The World Union of Olympic Cities has created a unique platform where Olympic host cities can share their experiences and wisdom, exploring together how sports can drive urban development and improve the quality of life for citizens. We very much hope that this year’s annual gathering will again provide an opportunity for us to exchange insights, confront challenges, and develop creative solutions that will help all of our cities move forward together.
Lastly, we warmly invite you to enjoy the charms of Seoul, a city where tradition and modernity coexist in harmony, and to return home with wonderful memories of your time here.

Seoul hosted the memorable 1988 Summer Olympic Games, and the legacy of these Games is thriving, both in terms of Olympic spirit and operating venues. How has the City built upon its Olympic history to promote sport & physical activity?

The City of Seoul is committed to preserving and utilizing its Olympic assets so that the Olympic spirit continues to thrive in the daily lives of our citizens.
Major venues such as the Jamsil Main Stadium, Olympic Park, and indoor arenas are not relics of the past, but open stages that still connect our citizens with the world. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people gather here—not only for international sporting festivals like the Seoul International Marathon, which brings together tens of thousands of runners, but also for K-pop concerts, community sports festivals, and community arts events where culture, sports, and the arts coexist. In particular, these facilities serve as living spaces for everyday sports and culture, allowing young people and citizens to enjoy athletic activities while experiencing the performances of world-class artists and athletes in the very same venues.
Furthermore, these facilities provide a strong foundation for hosting diverse international sporting events as they are built to international standards and have management know-how. Leveraging these strengths, Seoul continues to expand its presence on the global stage. In 2025, the city will host a number of major competitions, including the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, the Seoul International Marathon, the Climbing World Championships, international tennis tournaments, and the Cheerleading World Cup, welcoming athletes and fans from across the globe.
Above all, Seoul is promoting the Jamsil MICE Project to ensure that the Olympic legacy is passed on to future generations. This urban regeneration initiative aims to transform the Jamsil Sports Complex, which was the main venue of the 1988 Olympics, into a multi-functional complex that integrates sports facilities with culture, accommodation, and business. Just as the 1988 Olympics propelled Seoul’s leap forward, this project will create a new legacy for the generations to come.
We firmly believe that the Olympic legacy must not remain as a past achievement, but rather serve as a driving force that connects yesterday, today, and tomorrow. By nurturing both the tangible assets of our stadiums and the intangible spirit of the Games, Seoul will continue to grow into a healthier, more connected, and more future-oriented city.

In the City of Seoul, nature is very present. How does the City combine nature with sports practice and the promotion of physical activity?

Seoul is one of the world’s unique global metropolises where people can enjoy nature right in the heart of the city. The Hangang River, the most beloved outdoor space and a true symbol of Seoul, offers countless opportunities for recreation, while mountains such as Bukhansan, Gwanaksan, and Namsan stand close to the city center, allowing citizens to enjoy sports and leisure in nature at any time.
The city actively leverages these natural assets to promote public health and physical activity. Since 2024, Seoul has been hosting the “My Pace Hangang River Triathlon.” Unlike traditional competitions, this festival is free from rankings or record-keeping, and instead encourages participants of all ages and skill levels to simply enjoy swimming, cycling, and running along the Hangang River. In its first year, it attracted 270,000 participants, and this year, participation grew to 630,000, with a significant rise in international visitors. Even non-participants can enjoy water sports experiences and fitness programs, making the festival a celebration of the value of “sports for all” against the backdrop of Seoul’s iconic river.
Making the most of Seoul’s proximity to mountains, the Seoul Hiking Tourism Center provides equipment rentals and guided programs, enabling both residents and visitors from abroad to easily experience the city’s natural landscapes. In 2023, more than 40,000 people took part, including 17,000 foreigners, with over 98% reporting high satisfaction. It stands as a leading example of combining nature, tourism, and physical activity.
Seoul also promotes daily health management through initiatives such as the “Wrist Doctor 9988” program, the Namsan Walking Donation Challenge, and the Seoul Trail Completion Mission. Seasonal programs, too, have become popular traditions—for example, the “7979 Running Crew” (named after the Korean number wordplay, because ‘7-9’ (chil-gu) sounds like ‘chingu,’ the Korean word for ‘friend’) involved over 5,000 participants across 30 weeks, while the Seoul Plaza Ice Rink drew 170,000 visitors last winter. These programs provide opportunities for citizens of all ages to enjoy nature and sports as part of everyday life.
In this way, Seoul transforms the spaces where nature and city meet into places that offer healthier lifestyles for citizens and unique experiences for visitors. Looking ahead, Seoul will continue to advance its distinctive “Nature–Sports–Health” model, growing as a city where people can embrace nature and physical activity at the very heart of an urban metropolis.

In terms of best practices, inspiration and new ideas, what would you like the Union’s Members to return home with after their stay in Seoul?

Even within the spatial and environmental constraints of a megacity with a population of 9.3 million, Seoul is advancing new urban sports policies to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of city spaces. A prime example is the “FUN Station” project, which transforms subway stations from mere transportation hubs into community spaces for culture, leisure, and community sports.
For instance, the Runner Station—equipped with changing rooms and lockers—serves as a base for running crews and citizen runners, and has already recorded more than 90,000 cumulative users, demonstrating its popularity. The Fit Station offers personalized group training sessions for up to 30 people, along with free shower facilities, enabling office workers and young people to exercise near the Hangang River or Seoul Forest and then seamlessly return to their daily routines. In addition, the Smart Move Station is a digital health complex that utilizes AI and IoT to measure and analyze personal health data, provide customized exercise programs, and even offer immersive VR and metaverse-based experiences.
Seoul’s innovation extends beyond physical space to personalized, daily health management. A leading example is the “Wrist Doctor 9988” initiative, an innovative healthcare platform that links smartwatches with a mobile app to track steps, heart rate, and diet. Participants earn points for practicing healthy habits, which can then be used like cash at clinics, pharmacies, and convenience stores. Over two million people, which is about one in four Seoul citizens, are already participating and making it a cornerstone in fostering healthier everyday lifestyles.
At the upcoming annual gathering of the Union, this October, we invite you to experience firsthand Seoul’s creativity in reimagining urban spaces and its innovations in daily health management. We hope that your experiences in Seoul will inspire policies and visions in your own cities and lead to greater cooperation and shared progress among us all.