KPC3337: The 13th World Firefighters Games Chungju 2018

The 13th World Firefighters Games Chungju 2018 will be held for eight days from September 10 – 17, 2018 at Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do. The World Firefighters Games is a place for strengthening the friendship and camaraderie of fireghters gathered from around the world, protecting the lives and property of citizens from fires and disasters.

The biannual international World Firefighters Games promotes friendly relations between current and retired firefighters from around the world by having them participate in sports and was started to strengthen friendship of firefighters’ families. Following the first games in 1990 in Auckland, New Zealand, the games have been held in the US, Australia, Canada, the Republic of South Africa, France, England, Hong Kong, Korea’s Daegu, and Sydney. This year it will be held in Chungju. This year’s Chungju games will be held at areas including Chungju Sports Complex, Hoam Gymnasium, and Tangeum Lake International Rowing Regatta.

This year’s games boast the biggest variety yet, with 75 events including not only the Toughest Firefighter Alive, Bodybuilding, Triathlon, Track & Field, Marathons, but also Korea’s traditional martial arts Taekwondo and the folk game of Korean Wrestling. The games will be a harmonious festival filled with emotions as over 6,000 current and retired firefighters, volunteer Fire Brigade members, and their families visit from over 50 countries around the world and share in experiences of burning passion and exhilarating victory.

The games’ emblem features the combination of a firefighter’s powerful silhouette and a dynamic globe, emphasizing that it is the Olympics of world firefighters, together with a flame enveloping one side of the globe, symbolizing the meaning of firefighting and their passion. The games’ mascots are called Young-i and Ung-i, carrying the meaning of taking responsibility for peoples’ safety as heroes. They are sporting the firefighting uniform along with helmet and boots, completing the image of a brave, yet friendly firefighter.

Korea Post is announcing its commemorative stamp to cheer on the successful opening of the World Firefighters Games Chungju 2018 and raise up the status of Korea’s firefighters. We hope to relay the passionate devotion of the world firefighters who sacrifice and volunteer themselves for citizens’ safety. We would like to express our deepest gratitude for that devotion.