The Korea Sports Council (President Yoo Seung-min) and the French National Sports Institute (INSEP) renewed their memorandum of understanding on 1st to strengthen training exchanges for the national team and cooperation in sports science.
The signing ceremony took place at 11 a.m. in the administration center meeting room of the Jincheon National Training Center, attended by Kim Taek-soo, head of the training center, and Fabien Canu, president of INSEP. This agreement was renewed as the period of the existing agreement signed in 2022 expired, with plans to further expand training exchanges for national athletes based on past achievements.
With the cooperation of INSEP, the Korea Sports Council conducted pre-adaptation training at the French National Sports Institute from 2023 to 2024 in preparation for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. In particular, INSEP provided various support, including renting taekwondo mats during the pre-competition training camp, enabling our athletes to train in a familiar environment.
As a result, the team won its first Olympic medal in women's modern pentathlon and secured two gold medals and one bronze medal in taekwondo, restoring the pride of the home country. This agreement is expected to make a significant contribution to enhancing the performance of the national athletes of both countries based on such successes.
Fabien Canu, president of INSEP and a former member of the French judo national team who participated in the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics, attended the signing ceremony. He noted, "It is a refreshing experience to visit Korea again while thinking of the Seoul Olympics I participated in as an athlete," and said, "I will actively support the agreement to ensure that athletes from both countries can interact more actively and enhance their skills."
Kim Taek-soo, head of the training center, stated, "By collaborating with INSEP, we can provide athletes with the optimal training environment and improve their performance," adding, "I hope that the sports exchange between our countries continues to develop."
With the renewal of this memorandum of understanding, South Korea and France plan to strengthen strategic training support in preparation for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
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