The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 23rd that it will begin the 'Relay of Donations from South Korea's Sports Stars' in collaboration with the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation. This relay campaign aims to increase public interest in the National Sports Museum, scheduled to open in the second half of 2026, by having sports stars personally donate their collectibles.
The first runner is Jang Mi-ran, the first Olympic gold medalist in women's weightlifting from South Korea and the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. She will donate a total of 88 items from her time as an athlete. Major donated items include her first Olympic medal, the silver medal from the 2004 Athens Olympics, along with the gold medal from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the first Olympic gold medal in women's weightlifting in South Korea, and the bronze medal from the 2012 London Olympics, as well as all Olympic medals, Asian Games medals, and her sportswear imbued with passion, weightlifting belt, and weightlifting shoes.
The ministry hopes that this donation relay will widely inform the public about the purpose of building the National Sports Museum and provide opportunities to share moments of sports spirit, history, and emotion, beyond being just an exhibition space. The donation relay will continue until the opening of the National Sports Museum and is expected to include major figures in South Korean sports history, such as Olympic medalists.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation have also released content through their official YouTube channel to strengthen the promotion of the museum. The content introduces the National Sports Museum and reveals information about the museum's construction status and anecdotes related to the artifacts donated by Vice Minister Jang. It will also provide information on activities nearby, such as fitness certifications and art exhibitions.