"Gunsan Saemangeum Intl Marathon stood high as one of the major three international marathons on the peninsular"
With the participation of Diplomatic Corps from the Seoul Diplomatic Corps., the 2017
Gunsan Saemangeum Intl Marathon stood high as one of the major three international
marathons on the peninsular.
Kenya marathoners proved once again that Kenya has been traditionally a marathon
power in the world, sweeping the first place, the third place & the fourth place
respectively among 12,000 marathoners who included general amateur citizens of course.
Deputy Gathoga Wanyoike Chege, Embassy of Kenya (second from left) shakes hands with Gunsan City mayor Moon Dong-shin (center) at the awarding ceremony. |
Deputy head mission Amb. Mr. Richard Gathoga Wanyoike Chege from the Embassy of
Kenya in Seoul who ran this year's Gunsan Saemangeum Marathon with his wife, was
all smile after hearing that his country's three marathoners won the first place, the
third place and the fourth place respectively in the 2017 Gunsan Saemangum Intl Marathon.
Participants including visiting diplomats were able to notice firstly changes in the
marathon courses according to the international standard from this year while the
former course was Saemangeum Seawall Causeway.
Diplomatic families participants pose before their start at the Wolmyeong Sports Complex. (From right, front row, Iraq deputy Ibrahim Khalil Ibrahim, Kenya deputy Chege couple, & NDNnews president Shin Hyun-doo) |
From Diplomatic Corps. of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps., participants included Egypt
deputy Mr. Diaa Hammad family, Iraq deputy Mr. Ibrahim Khalil Ibrahim, 3 US Embassy
families such as political section diplomat Mr. David Jea family, defense attache Mr.
Jody Robey couple & Ms. Julie Aguayo family, Spain Embassy trade officer Mr. Pedro
Olalla Giaever & his friends, Vietnam Embassy investment counsellor Mrs. Dinh Thi
Tam Hien's family, Ukraine Embassy attache Ms. Yavoslava Velyka family in addition to
several members from the NDNnews(www.ndnnews.co.kr) which participated in it as a media partner for the first time
this year.
Mr. Oleksandr Velykyi, husband of Ms. Yavoslava Velyka who serves as attache at the Ukraine Embassy, running 5 Km marathon course. |
Diplomats & their families from Seoul Diplomatic Corps. ran 5 km & 10 km respectively
while they feel the beautiful memory running & passing the modern cultural assets and
get enthusiastic cheering from the citizens during their running through downtown.
On the first day visit, diplomats & their families from the Seoul Diplomatic Corps.
visited Saemangeum Free Economic Zone Project Office, KRC(Korea Rural Community Corporation) to hear a briefing regarding Saemangeum
which emerges as a hub of the world's economy.
Female friend of commercial officer Mr. Pedro Olalla Giaever from the Embassy of Spain running 5 km course. |
Saemangeum is a huge national development project implemented on the west coast
of Korea. With high tech industries, convenient business environment and natural tourist
attractions Saemangeum is preparing to fly to the center of the world, KRC offcials said.
According to its space structure conception, Saemangeum pursues for future-oriented industrial complex, environmental-friendly industrial complex, and last but least multi-type industrial complex.
NDNnews president Mr. Shin Hyun-doo(far left) poses with three winners of Kenya marathoners along with Kenya deputy Chege couple from the Embassy of Kenya in Seoul. |
Saemangeum developer Korea Rural Community Corporation said that its target
industries are divided into three categories: • Part manufacturing industry: automobile
parts, machine part, shipbuilding equipment, etc. • High tech fusion industry: new material·nano fusion, bio·high value added food, RFT, etc. • Green growth technology industry: new renewable
energy (wind power, solar energy) etc.
Following their visit to Saemangeum, diplomats & families dropped by Gunsan Regional
Office of Oceans & Fisheries to see that with its 100 years history, it aims to become
the "Best Logistics-centered Port in the North East Asia, leading the west-sea era of the 21st century" through construction of state-of-the-art port facilities, fast, inexpensive and excellent services to transport cars, grains, logs
etc. to contribute to the regional economy and reduction in the transportation costs.
Diplomatic families hearing Saemangeum briefing. |
On the second day (April 9th, Sunday), diplomats & families attended the opening
ceremony of the 2017 Gunsan Saemangeum Intl Marathon which was held at the
Wolmyeong Sports Complex in the morning with the attendance of Gunsan City mayor
Moon Dong-shin, parliamentary assemblymen from Gunsan region & former woman marathoner
Yim Chunae etc. who won three gold marathon medals during the 1986 Seoul Asian Games.
Diplomatic familes dropping by Gunsan Modern History Museum as part of their Gunsan famtour programs. |
Competition courses of the 2017 Gunsan Saemangeum Intl Marathon were Wolmyeong
Sports complex-City hall way intersection-Lotte Cinema Four way intersection-Shamhakdong Five way intersection-Naehang Four way intersection-Kyongam Four way intersection, SK LPG gas station-Yeonan Four way intersection, Hagu Duck-Napo bridge-One Napo watergate-Napo
bridge-Hagu Duck-Yeonan Four way intersection-City hall-Wolmyeong Sports complex.
After having run their marathon through these courses, diplomats & families enjoyed
fish-catching experience as part of cultural programs, marathon massage & bibimbab.
Gunsan City mayor honorable Moon Dong-shin attending the opening ceremony of the 2017 Gunsan Saemangeum Intl Marathon to encourage marathoners around the world including amateur local citizen marathoners. |
As part of their famtour programs in the afternoon, diplomats & families visited
Gunsan Modern History Museum which shows former Gunsan, as a trade port in the
past and a center of marine distribution, and displays modern cultural heritage, in
addition to former Gunsan Customs Main Building which was constructed with the
fund of Korean Empire in 1908 and is a one-story building of western style, and is one of the 3 western classical architectures,
which exists in the country along with Seoul Railway Station and the Bank of Korea.