Lee Cheon-woo named advisor to Seoul Assembly-Press Research Society

Lee Cheon-woo, chairman of the Council of Sports Organization Heads at the Seoul Metropolitan Sports Council, has been named an advisor to the Seoul Assembly-Press Research Society.

The society held its launch ceremony and first policy discussion Thursday at the first conference room of the Seoul Metropolitan Council members' office building. Lee received his advisory appointment certificate there. Founding Chairman Byun Jae-woon, Honorary Chairman Oh Joong-suk, Seoul Metropolitan Council members, journalists, experts from various fields and officials from related institutions attended the event.

The society is a private policy platform launched to channel public opinion into Seoul's city administration and council work. It also aims to strengthen policy communication among the council, the press and civil society. It plans to hold policy discussions on major issues facing Seoul, alongside research, polling, evaluations of council activities and the identification of best practices.

As advisor, Lee will draw on the experience and expertise he has built up in Seoul's sports scene. He will advise on issues such as promoting lifestyle sports, developing elite athletes, expanding sports facilities and improving how sports organizations are run.

Drawing on his experience strengthening cooperation among member sports organizations under the Seoul Metropolitan Sports Council, he has helped jointly resolve issues specific to each sport. He will serve as a bridge, working to ensure the sports scene's needs are reflected in the policies and budgets of the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Metropolitan Council.

Lee, who also heads the Seoul Judo Association, has been working to build a lifecycle-based athlete development system. It links the discovery of youth athletes, their growth into elite competitors and their career paths after retirement. He is also pushing to connect schools, sports organizations and local sports facilities to create a virtuous cycle in which elite and lifestyle sports grow together.

The society said Lee's involvement is expected to strengthen the field expertise behind its sports policy research. It plans to hold discussions involving athletes, coaches, players and citizens across different sports to examine gaps between existing regimes and conditions on the ground. It also aims to come up with workable improvement measures.

Among the key tasks under review are discovering and supporting youth athletes, improving conditions for coaches and expanding career and job opportunities for retired athletes. Other priorities include improving access to public sports facilities and strengthening support for sports science. The society is also looking at ways to expand community-based lifestyle sports environments so that all citizens can enjoy sports in their daily lives.

"For Seoul's sports sector to develop, we need to build a foundation where not just certain sports or elite athletes but youth, amateur enthusiasts, coaches and retired athletes can all grow together," Lee said. "I will help ensure that the policies needed on the ground are faithfully reflected in Seoul's city administration and council activities."

"Sports organizations need to be able to discuss shared challenges facing Seoul's sports sector, beyond their own individual issues," he added, saying he "will actively participate so that the research society becomes a genuine channel of policy communication linking the council, the press and the sports scene."