(LEAD) Yonhap hosts annual badminton tournament for multicultural families

All News 17:39 November 27, 2021

(ATTN: REWRITES throughout; CHANGES photos)

GOYANG, South Korea, Nov. 27 (Yonhap) -- An annual badminton tournament for multicultural families, hosted by Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's No. 1 newswire service, was held Saturday, with some 300 players and their families participating from across the country.

The 2021 National Multicultural Family Badminton Tournament took place at Goyang Gym in the city of Goyang, just north of Seoul. This year's tournament was co-hosted with the Goyang City Sports Council.

Only fully vaccinated people or those with negative PCR test results for COVID-19 were allowed to participate in the event. Participants were also required to wear masks during matches.

Players compete during the 2021 National Multicultural Family Badminton Tournament at Goyang Gym in Goyang, just north of Seoul, on Nov. 27, 2021. (Yonhap)

Yonhap has hosted the event since 2010 to promote harmony among families of diverse national and cultural backgrounds in an increasingly diversifying society.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Goyang city government, the Korean Institute for Healthy Family and Yonhap News Television sponsored this year's event.

Vice Gender Equality Minister Kim Kyoung-seon said in congratulatory remarks that the government will make more policy efforts to meet rising demand for governmental support for marriage immigrants and their school age children.

Yonhap News CEO Seong Ghi-hong gave a welcome address, saying that he was pleased to host the event that gathered about 300 multicultural family members and promising to hold a bigger event next year.