The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) will send a 136-member Korea delegation to the 2nd Korea-China-Japan youth winter sports exchange program, held in Hokkaido, Japan, from the 23rd to the 28th.

Team Korea competes in the 2nd Korea-China-Japan Youth Winter Sports Exchange Program. /Courtesy of Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC)

Through this exchange, youth athletes from the three countries will conduct joint training, friendly matches, and cultural tours in four sports: ▲skiing (alpine, cross-country) ▲skating (short track, speed skating) ▲ice hockey ▲curling.

The exchange is expected to be held in key Hokkaido areas including ▲Sapporo ▲Tomakomai ▲Asahikawa.

The Korea-China-Japan youth winter sports exchange is a sports exchange program designed to help each country's youth athletes gain international competition experience and enhance mutual understanding, and it marks its second year in 2026.

Alpine representative Im Ju-han (9th grade, Seoul Foreign School) said, "Through this exchange meet, I want to communicate with and learn from athletes who have grown up in different cultures."

From left, alpine skiers Choi Maru, Lim Juhan, and Kim Doyoon of the GSA team (Coach Cho Eun-hwa) pose during training ahead of the 2nd Korea-China-Japan Youth Winter Sports Exchange. /Courtesy of GSA

Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) President Ryu Seung-min said, "We hope this exchange will serve as a meaningful opportunity for youth athletes to gain experience on the international stage," adding, "We will continue to actively support student athletes so they can grow into future sports talent."

Earlier, the Korea delegation held a pre-departure briefing in Incheon on the 22nd and is scheduled to depart for Japan via Incheon International Airport on the 23rd to carry out the exchange itinerary.

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