Category: Sports

Korean Overseas Sports Communities: A Political Force to Reckon With

Korean Overseas Sports Communities: A Political Force to Reckon With

A large sports stadium

The global diaspora plays a significant role in shaping not only the cultural landscape but also the political discourse of their home countries. Korean overseas sports communities, in particular, have proven to be a formidable force that impacts politics in various ways. Within these communities, individuals often engage in diverse activities, including discussions about the socio-political issues back in South Korea, and sometimes even explore entertainment avenues such as the thriving baccarat gameplay (baccarat site detailed review here to further their engagement with their homeland’s culture and economy.

This article delves into the intricate relationship between Korean sports communities abroad and their influence on political matters in South Korea.

Korean Expatriates and the Love for Sports

Koreans have a deep-rooted passion for sports, and this fervor extends well beyond their homeland. Korean expatriates, whether first-generation immigrants or members of the wider diaspora, often maintain a strong connection to their Korean identity through sports. This connection becomes a crucial catalyst for the influence they exert on South Korean politics.

Political Mobilization through Sports

Korean overseas sports communities provide a platform for political mobilization. For instance, these communities actively engage in discussions and debates surrounding sports events, especially those involving South Korea. They use social media, online forums, and local events to share their opinions and influence public discourse back home.

Nationalism and Identity

The support and enthusiasm displayed by Korean expatriates during international sports events can be a significant source of national pride. This collective feeling of patriotism bolsters the country’s image on the global stage and influences political decisions related to international sports diplomacy.

 

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Political Fundraising and Advocacy

Korean overseas sports communities are also known for their political fundraising efforts. They contribute financially to South Korean political candidates and causes that align with their interests. This financial support can sway the course of political campaigns, making these communities an influential lobbying force.

Sports Diplomacy

Sports diplomacy has become a crucial component of international relations. Korean overseas sports communities engage in sports diplomacy by fostering connections and promoting goodwill between South Korea and their host countries. These connections often extend to political matters, further enhancing the influence of the diaspora.

Challenges and Criticisms

Despite their significant contributions, Korean overseas sports communities are not immune to criticism. Some argue that their political influence might not always align with the best interests of South Korea. It is essential to recognize that these communities, like any other, are diverse and contain a range of opinions.

Conclusion

Korean overseas sports communities are more than just groups of passionate fans. They are a dynamic force that significantly impacts the political landscape of South Korea. Their ability to mobilize, fundraise, and engage in sports diplomacy makes them a considerable influence on political matters. As South Korea continues to strengthen its relationships with its diaspora, the role of Korean overseas sports communities in politics is likely to evolve and expand.

Politics is Football While Football is Certainly Not Politics

Politics is Football While Football is Certainly Not Politics

Soccer ball in a soccer field

 

The World Cup is still thundering on as you can read the news all over hesgoals.

Football results are relatively simple. 2-0, 3-5. In politics, things are more complex. For example, party A gets 44 percent of the vote, party B gets 42.8 percent, and then there are almost always the other parties, which do not occur in football.

It is often said that football has nothing to do with politics – or at least, shouldn’t. That is already difficult to maintain when you look at the enormous commercial importance involved in professional football, but sometimes it is literally not true. In 1978, I remember, the World Cup was played in Argentina by dictator Jorge Videla. Freek de Jonge shouted: Blood on the Pole. I believe there was exactly one Dutch professional footballer who listened to it.

But more important than the pious plea that football has nothing to do with politics is this observation: politics is not football.

“If we politicize everything, there is a threat of a tribal struggle, a struggle of everyone against everyone. Then there is no longer any question of living together.”

Or is it? Monday, June 25, was the day Erdoğan and his AK Party won the election with some 53 percent of the vote. The secular, socially democratic CHP under Ince, an opponent of Erdoğan, amassed some 31 percent. With the support of the extreme nationalist action party MHP, Erdoğan is assured of a majority and can implement his dream presidential system.

In an orderly state governed by the rule of law, the winner of the elections is not just the boss; there is always a significant minority that also needs to be heard. In this sense, Erdoğan is more of a footballer than a politician: the winner takes all. The losing party, the minority, is the loser in this case and there is no such thing as a second place – any more than in a football match.

 

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In politics, unlike football, it is not only about game technique, control, and team spirit; in politics, disposition plays the greatest role. What is just, what is right, what is closest to the good life? Fundamental contradictions become visible here. That is why it is so important that after the elections all participating parties recognize the result because the civil war is lurking. In politics there are winners, but there should be no victors. The majority plus one does not equal 1-0.

From Turkey to the United States, where Trump is stretching the line between winning and conquering by the day. Trump’s spokeswoman, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, for whom I don’t feel overwhelming sympathy despite her last name, was recently turned down at a restaurant. She had gone with her company to Lexington, Virginia, a town about 300 kilometers from Washington D.C. There would be eaten in the restaurant the Red Hen – ‘in de Rooie Haan’, think of the former VARA radio program. But the owner refused to serve her.

After all, hadn’t this Sanders talked about separating parents and children at the Mexican border on radio and television? Didn’t this woman know how to provide an alibi for all of Trump’s policies? Yes, Sanders is Trump’s spokesman, it’s her job. But Sanders didn’t come that night to give a speech or hand out flyers. She came to eat.

Now, as the owner, you can refuse certain customers. No one has to let a man in with a machine gun in his hand. You can judge your customer on behavior, especially if that ‘can lead to unrest’. But it’s a thin rope: In the 50s, African Americans led to unrest in all-white restaurants, not because of what they did but because of what they were.

The refusal to admit spokesman Sanders is celebrated by the anti-Trump movement as an “act of resistance.” But I don’t think it’s a victory, at most a pyrrhic victory, a sham success. Because if we start politicizing everything, including a visit to a restaurant, then there is a threat of a tribal struggle, a struggle of everyone against everyone. Then there is no longer a question of living together, but of a meeting of hooligans.

Ultra Athlete Aims For An Incredible World Record

Ultra Athlete Aims For An Incredible World Record

Dirk Leonhardt, ultra triathlete aims for an incredible world record. With this cause, politicians inclined in sports (especially triathlon) supports the ultra triathlete, Leonhardt.

With an ultra triathlon over a total of almost 7,000 kilometers, extreme athlete Dirk Leonhardt from Bruchköbel is aiming for a place in the Guinness Book of Records. There should only be breaks if necessary. His family set the deadline for when he had to finish and took on measures to ensure safety.

Dirk Leonhardt is a triathlete. More specifically: ultra triathlete. A little bit of swimming here, a little bit of cycling there, and then a leisurely lap at the end – that’s no longer enough for the extreme athlete from Bruchköbel. For him, it must be very long distances. And he wants to prove that from Thursday with an ambitious and for many unbelievable world record attempts.

Leonhardt’s plan: an ultra-triathlon over 200 kilometers of swimming, 5,400 kilometers of cycling, and 1,320 kilometers of running. In total, this is approximately 30 times an Ironman long-distance, which usually involves swimming 3.8 kilometers, cycling 180 kilometers, and running a marathon. If Leonhardt survives these hardships, a place in the Guinness Book of Records beckons him.

Dirk Leonhardt: “It’s a little crazy”

“I don’t know why I’m doing this myself,” the father said in an hr3 conversation. “My determination is the want to get through the barrier of pain. It’s a little crazy, but I wouldn’t call it insane.”

For Leonhardt, his “a little crazy” endeavor begins on Thursday morning at 7 a.m. In a bathing lake near Biblis, he does the swimming course between sunrise and sunset. He only takes breaks for meals and going to the toilet – and for safety reasons during the dark, which should make it easier to find time for the breaks. Leonhardt wants to be finished with 200 kilometers after seven days.

15 days for 5,400 bike kilometers

But that will only be the beginning. Depending on the time at which he gets out of the water, the ultra triathlete wants to start the first round of cycling. This will later lead him from his home in Bruchköbel via Aschaffenburg and Frankfurt back to Bruchköbel. Leonhardt wants to drive this 100-kilometer route, which is limited to the Rhein-Main area because of Corona, four times a day. It will therefore probably take 15 days for the total 5,400 kilometers.

And then it continues. With running. Only when the 38-year-old has completed the classic marathon distance a whopping 31.5 times over 42.195 kilometers is his world record official. If everything goes well, that too will take another two weeks. Incidentally, there is no official time limit for Leonhardt. In theory, he could take more time than the intended 37 days, sometimes a little slower and sometimes a little faster.

For kids who are looking to diving into the world of triathlon, apart from training and keeping your body fit, they would also need the right gears such as the best triathlon watch to keep them going.

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