Mitteilung von AFVD vom 21.07.2008

IFC Präsident Nakamura besucht Korea

Cheerleading in Korea is generally believed to be supporting activity related with the professional sports games. However when it comes to cheerleading, in USA where the cheerleading is originated, is generally regarded as a popular sports game itself. Even in Japan, the situation is not so different from the one in USA since cheerleading in these countries is no longer a simple supporting cheer-up dancing activity or ground pleasure performed by girls. There are special competitions of cheerleading itself which are held regularly on nation-wide scale, not to mention a number of cheerleading clubs which are actively promoting sports cheerleading with the assistance from the Government.

On July 14, Mr. Yu In-Chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism has received a courtesy call from Mr.Nakamura Setsuo, the president of IFC (International Federation of Cheerleading) At the meeting which was also attended by Simon Graver, the director of International Affairs of the IFC, Ms.Lee Sunhwa, the president of KCA (Korea Cheerleading Association), Minister Yu, with keen interest, has listened to introduction about sports cheerleading, rather a new concept here in Korea from Mr.Nakamura who has visited Korea this time at the invitation of KCA.

During the meeting which lasted for 40 minutes or so, Mr.Nakamura stressed that above than anything else, the general awareness about the cheerleading should be changed from supporting activity to sports and he also recommended that the Korean Government take necessary measures to enhance the public awareness of sports cheerleading in terms of policy action such as hosting of international sports cheer competition in Korea, etc.

Mr. Nakamura is the very person that has been playing of pivotal role to promote a sports cheerleading. It is now 21years since he first established FJCA (Federation of Japanese Cheerleading Association). He has been running IFC for the recent 10 years since he founded it based on Tokyo, Japan.

In a meeting with Minister Yu, while he was stressing the governmental support for cheerleading, he also mentioned the necessity of parliamentary back up based on the case of Japanese of Parliamentarians League for Promoting Cheerleading’ which has been founded back in 2003 headed by Mr. Abe, who was later selected as the prime minister of Japan. He finalized the meeting by saying “I hope that Korea, along with Japan, will take the initiative to lead the sport cheerleading in the Asian continent, on the paths toward repositioning of the Asia to the center of international sports cheerleading in further.
At the moment here in Korea, the number of cheerleaders are believed around 10,000 mostly from 100-odds schools including the middle schools, high schools and universities. Nevertheless, the infrastructure for promoting sports cheerleading remains insufficient. Under this circumstance, it is not too late that the KCA is trying to promote sports cheerleading here in Korea. They are currently preparing for the invitational performance of cheerleading for the grand opening of TREK 2008 event to be held in Pusan in this September with the participation by IOC (International Olympic Committee) members as well. KCA officials also reveal that they are considering dispatching a national cheerleading team to the international cheerleading competition in November this year to be held in St. Petersburg in Russia. On top of that, they are believed to be positive to host the Asian Cheerleading Competition through close cooperation with AFC (Asian Federation of Cheerleading) which is also headed now by Mr. Nakamura.