- From May 8 to 11, the International Sports Press Association Congress will be held in Korea for the fourth time.

 - Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism will promote the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympics, the World EXPO 2030 Busan, etc.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister PARK Bo Gyoon, MCST), together with the Korea Sports Press Union (KSPU), will hold the 85th International Sports Press Association (AIPS, Association Internationale De La Presse Sportive) Congress at the Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel from May 8 (Mon) to 11 (Thur).

The AIPS Congress is the “Olympics of sports journalists” that boasts the largest scale among sports media events in the world. About 220 sports journalists from 150 countries will participate in this year’s congress to discuss current issues in the international sports world and the rapidly changing media environment.

Minister PARK Bo Gyoon of MCST said, “Following last year’s general assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), South Korea continues to host global sporting events, becoming the center of international sporting events that sports journalists most want to visit. We will continue to strategically attract international events to enhance our sports diplomacy and strive to strengthen Korea’s status in the international sports world.”

The AIPS was created with the goal of strengthening cooperation among international sports journalists during the 1924 Paris Olympics. It currently has more than 9,500 members from 153 countries. The KSPU also joined it in 1973.

Originally, the 2023 AIPS Congress was scheduled to be held in Greta, Greece, but Greece declared its abandonment because of national circumstances, and Korea jumped into hosting the Congress at the urgent request of the AIPS in August last year. Korea has been selected as the host country for the 2023 AIPS Congress. It has previously hosted the congress three times, in 1987 (50th Congress) before the 1988 Summer Olympics (Seoul 1988), in 2011 (74th Congress), and in 2017 (80th Congress) before the 2018 Winter Olympics (PyeongChang 2018). As such, it will be the fourth time for the country to host the congress.  Korea received high scores for its excellent sports infrastructure and experience in hosting previous congresses.

At this Congress, Gianni Merlo from Italy, who has been leading the AIPS for 18 years, will be in attendance, as well as Leonz Eder from Switzerland, who is serving as acting president of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), and RYU Seung Min, a former Olympic gold medalist in table tennis and current member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). These international figures in the sports industry will come together to promote a message of solidarity through sports.

On the first day of the congress, May 8 (Monday), the AIPS Executive Committee Meeting and the Asia Congress will be held. Meanwhile, on May 9 (Tuesday), after the continental federation meetings, the official opening ceremony of the AIPS Congress will take place. The Second Vice Minister of MCST, CHO Yong Man, will attend the opening ceremony to welcome sports journalists from around the world and actively promote upcoming events in Korea, such as the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympics and the World EXPO 2030 Busan.

At the AIPS Sports Media Awards that follows, about 30 reporters will receive media awards in 10 categories, including Photography Sports Action, Writing Best Column, Video Documentary, and Best Young Reporter. On May 10 (Wed) and 11 (Thur), the Congress of the AIPS will be held, and all schedules will be concluded with a farewell luncheon for the participants.