![Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choi Hwi-young (right) visits the K League 1 season opener and discusses ways to support the league’s continued growth. [Photo=Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/02/28/20260228192005429112.jpg)
The ministry said Choi attended the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 match between Incheon United and FC Seoul at Incheon Football Stadium on the 28th, encouraged players and heard on-site views from soccer officials on measures to support the sport’s continued development.
Before kickoff, Choi held a meeting with professional soccer officials, including a vice president of the Korea Professional Football League, the owner and CEO of Incheon United, and the CEO of FC Seoul. They exchanged views on improving the stadium experience for fans and strengthening development programs for professional and youth players.
Choi also urged the K League to actively join efforts to curb ticket scalping and promote fair access, following a revision to the National Sports Promotion Act that bans illegal purchases and resales of sports tickets. The revision was promulgated Feb. 27 and takes effect Aug. 28.
“Professional soccer has grown thanks to the efforts of the players on the field, the fans in the stands, and club and league officials who dedicate themselves behind the scenes,” Choi said. He added that professional soccer is a high value-added industry linking sports, leisure culture and tourism, and said the government would stay in close contact with the field and provide institutional and policy support so the K League can continue to grow.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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