Drone Soccer World Cup will transform Jeonju into 'one-of-a-kind' destination, says mayor

People

Published: 18 Jul. 2024, 17:06 Updated: 18 Jul. 2024, 17:08

Drone Soccer World Cup will transform Jeonju into 'one-of-a-kind' destination, says mayor

Jeonju Mayor Woo Beom-ki holds a drone soccer ball during an interview with the JoongAng Sunday at his office in Wansan District, Jeonju, North Jeolla, on June 27. [JEONJU CITY GOVERNMENT]

Jeonju Mayor Woo Beom-ki says that the 2025 Drone Soccer World Cup, set to be held in Jeonju, North Jeolla, will drastically transform the largely traditional city into a one-of-a-kind destination in Korea.

“Locals and foreigners think of Jeonju as the country's most Korean city,” Woo said in a recent interview with the JoongAng Sunday, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily.

“The city will become a uniquely attractive place when history, culture and tradition combine with futuristic technologies like drone soccer.”

The following are some excerpts edited for clarity.

Q. How is the preparation for the Jeonju Drone Soccer World Cup?

A. We officially announced the hosting of the Drone Soccer World Cup in Jeonju at CES 2024 in January. Construction of the drone sports complex center, a dedicated stadium for the event, has begun and will be completed around February next year. The international drone soccer tournament held in Incheon in May as a pre-World Cup event also ended successfully.

How was drone soccer received at CES?

I didn't expect it to be that popular, so I was very surprised. Although it's the world’s largest expo, CES generally has a somewhat static vibe. But the motor sounds, dazzling lights and dynamic scenes of drone balls flying around drew about 30,000 spectators to the drone soccer pitch. I heard that over 70 foreign media outlets also reported about drone soccer.

Has its success at CES heightened expectations for the Drone Soccer World Cup?

The demonstration game drew attention, and because the promotion booth was well organized, we received warm hospitality at CES. We also made some achievements, like signing contracts to export youth drone balls to the United States and Canada. Now, all we have left is to prepare well and host a spectacular World Cup.

What will Jeonju gain from the Drone Soccer World Cup?

It will be a very important opportunity to show that Jeonju, known as a traditional city, can also become a futuristic and high-tech industrial city. Drone soccer captivates anyone who watches it. It is also spreading rapidly, particularly among young people who are skilled with their hands. The Drone Soccer World Cup would bring significant benefits in boosting industry, tourism and jobs in Jeonju and promoting the city.

Why has Jeonju become the mecca of drone soccer?

It seems we had foresight. We identified the potential for drones to be integrated into sports beyond just being tools for transportation or filming. Because we anticipated this trend and prepared in advance, we created game rules and official match balls, making Jeonju the birthplace of drone soccer. We will continue to actively invest in research to integrate drones into other kinds of sports.

BY JEONG YOUNG-JAE, CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]