Sports minister invites South Korean counterpart to Iran

TEHRAN- During a meeting with South Korean Ambassador Kim Junpyo in Tehran, Minister of Sports Ahmad Donyamali invited his South Korean counterpart to Iran to update the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries.

According to a report by Vatan Sport Agency, citing the news portal of the Ministry of Sports and Youth, South Korean Ambassador Kim Junpyo met with Ahmad Donyamali on the evening of June 30 to discuss sports relations and interactions between the two nations.

Donyamali, noting that Iran places special emphasis on utilizing the capacities of East Asian countries, stated: “We believe we must develop our relations, particularly with prominent East Asian nations such as South Korea. In this regard, the Ministry of Sports and Youth announces its readiness to expand ties with South Korea in the fields of sports and youth.”

He proposed updating the sports MOU between the two countries and added: “Iran and South Korea signed a sports memorandum of understanding years ago, but it has not been very operational. We are interested in updating this cooperation document and making the necessary amendments so that both sides can better benefit from each other’s potential and capabilities.”

In this connection, the Minister of Sports and Youth formally invited his South Korean counterpart to visit Iran and asked the ambassador to convey this message to him.

Donyamali also addressed the presence of Korean coaches in Iran’s national sports teams and emphasized: “We have had good experiences with Korean coaches in the national archery and volleyball teams. We would like to continue utilizing this capacity. Specifically, in a sport like taekwondo, which originates from South Korea, we can have strong cooperation.”

The meeting between Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth and the South Korean ambassador in Tehran took place as Kim Junpyo expressed hope that he could increase the level of interactions between the two countries.

In response to the presence of Korean coaches in Iran’s national teams, Kim Junpyo explained: “During the two years I have been in Iran, I have tried to revive the Ambassador’s Cup taekwondo tournament and pave the way for the participation of both Iran and South Korea in international competitions. I will also strive to expand cooperation in other sports disciplines.”