Busan, South Gyeongsang, and South Jeolla Collaborate to Host 2023 Yacht Race

Busan, South Korea – The city of Busan announced that it would co-host the "Korea Southern Coast Cup 2023," an international yacht race, from July 13th to 16th, in collaboration with the provinces of South Gyeongsang and South Jeolla.

Celebrating its fourth year, the "Korea Southern Coast Cup" is the longest cruiser yacht race in South Korea, connecting Busan, Tongyeong in South Gyeongsang, and Yeosu in South Jeolla. The three regions collaboratively host this event, aiming to promote a prosperous marine leisure tourism belt along the south coast and expand the base for marine leisure.

This year's competition is expected to be exhilarating against the backdrop of the stunning natural landscapes of Namhae (the South Sea). Around 300 athletes from five countries are anticipated to participate in the race.

The opening ceremony will be held at the Nurimaru APEC House in Busan on July 13th at 6 pm, with athletes and important guests attending to declare the opening of the event and showcase performances.

The race, which will stretch from Busan to Yeosu, passing through Tongyeong, will start the day after the opening ceremony on July 14th. Associated events for the public to experience will take place in each province. The overall schedule concludes with an awards ceremony and closing event at Yeosu's Ungcheon circular marina on July 16th.

For the athletes, the race is split into two sections: from Busan to Tongyeong on July 14th, and from Tongyeong to Yeosu on July 16th. As these are long distances, a rest day has been scheduled on July 15th in Tongyeong, complete with additional events for the athletes to enjoy.

In Busan, sideline events will be conducted at The Bay 101 yacht boarding deck from noon to 7 pm on both the 13th and 14th. At a marine waste upcycling event, citizens and tourists can experience making wireless earphone cases and rings using old sails.

Mayor Park Hyeong-joon of Busan shared his enthusiasm for the competition, saying, "The charm of this event lies in the exceptional athletes from both home and abroad challenging their limits against the backdrop of the beautiful natural landscape of the south coast." He added that Busan, South Gyeongsang, and South Jeolla will continue to cooperate to make the South Coast a world-class marine leisure hub.

Furthermore, Mayor Park emphasized, "Our city is making every effort to bring the 2030 World Expo to Busan to pave the way for shared prosperity across the entire southern region." He asked for much interest and support from the citizens of the South Coast region to help the South Coast play a leading role in balanced regional development through the successful hosting of the 2033 Busan World Expo.