Handball Development Foundation Launched

Leading figures in politics, business, law and academia have banded together to promote handball.

They held a ceremony yesterday to establish a foundation in southern Seoul to seek the development of handball, an unusual move by the private sector to promote a certain sport.

Park Ki-heung, CEO of Hanyu L&S, took the initiative to set up the foundation. A graduate of former handball powerhouse Dongseong High School in Seoul, he urged his friends to support the sport.

Preeminent figures serving as foundation sponsors include ruling Grand National Party lawmaker Chung Jin-suk; former Vice Defense Minister Hwang Kyu-shik; former head of the Seoul Supreme Prosecutors’ Office Park Yeong-soo; and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kim Jong-hwan.

Goh Heung-gil, chairman of the National Assembly’s culture, sports and tourism, broadcasting and telecommunications committee, is the foundation’s adviser and Hanyu CEO Park president.

Actress Kim Jung-eun is the foundation’s promotional ambassador. She starred in the 2007 movie "Forever the Moment" about the Korean women`s handball team that won the silver medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics.

With a goal of raising 10 billion won (7.4 million U.S. dollars), the foundation will spend one billion won every year to promote handball through public fundraisers and production of handball products, movies and TV dramas.

The foundation has secured 25 percent of its target funds. It will send young players overseas for training, financially assist newly created teams at elementary schools, and support retired players.

wing@donga.com