A dominant women's corporate basketball team beloved by residents of Seodaemun District, Seoul, suddenly faces a crisis of disbandment.
The Seodaemun District Office women's basketball team, led by coach Park Chan-sook, became a source of pride for residents shortly after its founding in 2023. Its results are also outstanding. The team won all four tournaments it entered in 2024. As Seoul's representative at last year's National Sports Festival, Seodaemun District Office won the women's basketball open division at the National Sports Festival for the second consecutive year.
The women's basketball team became a great source of pride for Seodaemun residents. After winning the National Sports Festival in 2024, the team was so popular that it held a car parade around Seodaemun. Supporters of the Seodaemun team, made up of Seodaemun residents, are so passionate that they traveled as a group to cheer as far away as Busan and Gimcheon.
Players with many stories who almost gave up basketball gathered at the Seodaemun District Office team. They trained hard under difficult conditions and connected with residents. In December last year, the team held volunteer activities at the pet-complex cultural space "Seodaemun Naepumae (愛) Center," earning a strong response. The players also held basketball clinics at schools in Seodaemun to teach students.
A team so loved by residents suddenly faces a disbandment crisis. Because members of the Democratic Party of Korea, who hold a majority in the Seodaemun District Council, cut the women's basketball team budget of 848 million won to zero for two consecutive years on the grounds that it "has nothing to do with people's livelihoods."
For the second year with an operating budget of zero, the team survived on Seoul city subsidies and sponsorships from external companies. Despite an uncertain future, the players dedicated themselves to training. As a result, they achieved two consecutive titles at the National Corporate Basketball Federation tournament and two consecutive National Sports Festival championships.
Even so, the team's situation worsened this year. A coach left the team because wages could not be paid. Two players also left, feeling insecure about the future. With the team facing disbandment, the players' careers were threatened.
Seodaemun District Mayor Lee Seong-heon expressed regret, saying, "The basketball team budget is zero again this year. We even cut funds to pay electricity and water at the training center. The district council cut the team's budget without any explanation. It's no different from telling the team to disband."
Autonomous districts with populations over 100,000 are legally required to operate one sports team. The purpose is to foster basic and nonpopular sports as prescribed by presidential decree. The Seodaemun District Office is a model case of operating a women's basketball team to improve sports welfare and develop community athletics.
There is a global principle that politics and sports should be separate. International sports bodies such as the International Olympic Committee and the International Federation of Association Football strictly adhere to this principle. The moment political logic intervenes, the purity of sports is destroyed. Korea is no exception.
Seodaemun District Mayor Lee Seong-heon reiterated the need to run the team, saying, "A survey of 1,000 residents showed 83% support operating the basketball team. Residents cheer for the team and feel pride in Seodaemun. Sports have the power to bring people together as one source of energy beyond party lines. The basketball team is also highly effective in promoting Seodaemun."
[OSEN]