The Korea Sepak Takraw Association announced that it will pursue the expansion of sports diplomacy and practical exchanges between South Korea and Japan through joint training for the national sepak takraw teams from April 27 to May 2 in Japan.
This joint training is expected to serve as an important opportunity to enhance cooperation between South Korea and Japan, following the invitation training held in South Korea in 2023, as the two countries' teams will train together, improve their skills, and contribute to the promotion of friendship through sports.
The South Korean national sepak takraw team will depart for Japan on April 22 via Cheongju International Airport and will engage in joint training with the Japanese national sepak takraw team. Alongside improving their practical skills, they will strengthen collaboration and friendship between the two teams and conduct a special program by visiting elementary schools in Japan to demonstrate sepak takraw and interact with local students. Through this, they plan to convey the appeal of sepak takraw directly and contribute to expanding sports exchanges between the two countries in a more diverse way.
Kim Young-jin, president of the Korea Sepak Takraw Association, said, "This joint training is a valuable opportunity to build sustainable friendship and trust between the two countries through sepak takraw, going beyond simple technical exchanges. I would especially like to express my deep gratitude to the Japan Sepak Takraw Association for actively cooperating to make this training possible."
He added, "The upcoming 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will be a stage to become the center of Asian sports and a golden opportunity for sepak takraw to gain greater attention, so I hope this joint training will be the first step toward that stage and a starting point that signals the leap of sepak takraw in East Asia."
The Korea Sepak Takraw Association plans to actively promote international exchanges and focus on expanding the base of the sepak takraw category and strengthening the competitiveness of the national team.
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