Seoul: The Korean Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (KAHPERD) announced Tuesday it will hold an academic conference this week in commemoration of the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics. The 37th International Sport Science Congress will begin its three-day run Thursday at Seoul Olympic Parktel, with Korea National Sport University set to host presentations on Friday and Saturday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the conference, titled “Olympic Legacy and the Horizon Beyond: From 1988 to 2036,” will explore the legacies of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the first Olympic Games to take place in South Korea, while also looking ahead to the country’s bid to host the 2036 Summer Games.
KAHPERD President Choi Kwan-yong emphasized the historical impact of the Seoul Olympic Games, describing them as a milestone that allowed South Korea to make a significant mark on the world stage through sports. The conference aims to continue this legacy by developing a new sports ecosystem that integrates academics with policies, and technologies with practice.
The first day of the conference will include a keynote address by University of Edinburgh professor Jung-Woo Lee, focusing on “The Olympics and the Dynamics of World Politics: 2022, 2024 and 2036.” This will be followed by presentations from other notable speakers, including Gangyan Si of the Hong Kong Sport Institute and Yuji Ishizaka of Nara Women’s University in Japan. Discussion topics will include technological convergence, sports governance, the social value of youth sports, and urban sports strategies.
The final two days will feature over 100 presentations covering sports’ response to climate change, building sustainable Olympic operations, and creating an inclusive sports environment. More than 800 sports scholars, sports science experts, policymakers, and international sports organization officials from Korea and abroad are expected to participate in the conference.
The event is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation.