Inline Festival Races Through Saemangeum... Gunsan Marathon Draws Crowds

A Total of 11 Categories Including 42km, 21km, and 11km Races
National Team Selection Points Counted Starting This Year

The inline race along the Saemangeum Seawall wrapped up amid enthusiastic participation from athletes and inline skating enthusiasts from across the country.

According to Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province on June 7, the 10th Gunsan Inline Marathon was held with great success around the Saemangeum Seawall in Gunsan on the same day. The event was hosted by the Korea Roller Sports Federation and organized by the Jeonbuk Roller Sports Federation.

The 10th Gunsan Inline Marathon, held on the 7th at the Saemangeum Seawall area in Jeonbuk, concluded successfully with enthusiastic participation from inline skaters and enthusiasts nationwide. Photo by Jeonbuk Provincial Government

Professional athletes and enthusiasts from all over the country competed against the backdrop of the Saemangeum coastal scenery. In particular, since national team selection points were awarded starting this year, the event drew heightened attention from the athletes.

The most competitive category, the 42km Open division, saw 107 men and 87 women take part, delivering a high-level race. The participants raced along the long straight course of the Saemangeum Seawall, vying for record times.

This year’s event featured a total of 11 categories, including the 42km, 21km, and 11km races. Participants enjoyed the thrills of inline sports while experiencing the expansive views of the Saemangeum Seawall, known as the longest seawall in the world.

At the venue, various hands-on programs and side events were prepared for families and visitors. The organizers deployed medical teams and safety personnel, implemented traffic controls, and managed on-site safety to prevent accidents.

Since the mid-2000s, the Gunsan Inline Marathon has grown into a nationwide event by utilizing the wide and flat roads of the Saemangeum Seawall. In recent years, it has established itself as a major regional festival, attracting sports tourism demand alongside the increasing popularity of sports for all. Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province expects this event will not only invigorate the inline sports scene but also promote Saemangeum’s tourism resources and the region’s brand nationwide.

Kim Mijeong, Director of the Saemangeum Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Bureau of Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province, said, “The event concluded safely thanks to the interest of participants and spectators,” adding, “We will continue to invigorate the region by linking Saemangeum’s tourism resources with a variety of sports content and events.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.