Korea to become Asia’s first Invictus Games host in 2029

Korea will become the first Asian nation to host the Invictus Games in 2029, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs said Monday.

The Invictus Games is an international multisport event for wounded, injured and sick service members and veterans.

The Invictus Games Foundation in Britain unanimously chose Daejeon as the host city for the ninth Invictus Games, scheduled for October 2029, through its board decision.

Daejeon is home to the National Cemetery and a Korea Veterans Health Service's hospital. 

“We were deeply impressed by Daejeon's vision, the commitment of its partners and the ambition to create a lasting legacy that extends far beyond the closing ceremony,” Lord Allen, chair of the Invictus Games Foundation, said in a press release on Sunday. 

The Korean government submitted its application to host the Invictus Games last year.

“The government will work to ensure that the Games serve as a platform for the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans from around the world, as well as for solidarity and unity,” Veterans Minister Kwon Oh-eul said.

Since its inaugural edition in London in 2014, the Invictus Games have been held only in Western nations, including the United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia.

BY SHIN HYE-YEON [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]