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| Photo = Courtesy of the Korea Sports Association |
The Korea Sports Association (President Yoo Seung-min) staged the 72nd Korea Sports Association Sports Awards at 2 p.m. on the 13th at the Taereung Training Center's Champion House. The ceremony recognized individuals and organizations that made significant contributions to the development and promotion of sports in Korea during 2025.
The awards spanned eight categories — Competition, Coaching, Officiating, Community Sports, School Sports, Meritorious Service, Research and Sports Values — and the committee selected 93 individuals and five organizations across those fields.
The ceremony's top prize went to Kim Won-ho, who captured 11 BWF World Tour titles in a single season, including the men's doubles crown at the 2025 Paris World Badminton Championships. He received a commemorative plaque and a pure-gold medal (5-don — about 18.75 g, 0.66 oz) as part of the award.
Top winners in each category included: in Competition, shooter Ban Hyo-jin and cyclist Choi Tae-ho; in Coaching, weightlifting coach Lee Se-won and judo coach Jeong Seong-sook; in Officiating, judo referee Kim Eun-hee; in Community Sports, athlete Cha Doo-yeon of the Busan Roller Sports Federation; in School Sports, Oncheon Elementary School teacher Oh Jong-hwan; in Meritorious Service, Kim Kwang-tae, vice chairman of the Daejeon Modern Pentathlon Federation, and Lee Choong-hwan, vice chairman of the Korea Sepak Takraw Association; in Research, Professor Kim Seok-gyu of Dongguk University; and in Sports Values, Park Kang-gyu, president of the Seoul Curling Federation. Each received a plaque and a traditional bangjja brass tea cup set. The committee also presented Excellence Awards to 21 individuals and three organizations, and Encouragement Awards to 60 individuals and two organizations; all recipients were given plaques and prizes.
The ceremony also included awards tied to the 107th National Winter Sports Festival, held Feb. 25–28 in Gangwon Province. Gyeonggi finished first overall, Seoul was second and Gangwon third. The festival's Most Valuable Player honor went to Kim So-hee (alpine skiing).
Special appreciation plaques were presented to singer Sean for promoting a culture of giving through marathon initiatives and encouraging healthy participation in sport; actor Don Lee for helping revitalize and popularize K‑boxing and introducing the sport's appeal to a broader audience; and boxing coach Park Si-heon, who drew attention by returning the 1988 Seoul Olympic gold medal to Roy Jones Jr., a gesture that elevated Korea's sporting profile.
President Yoo Seung-min thanked everyone who quietly carried out their roles across Korean sport, saying he sincerely appreciates all those who helped Korea's sports shine. He added that the Korea Sports Association will continue to develop the Sports Awards into a top source of pride and honor for the nation's sports community.
Since establishing the Korea Sports Association Sports Awards in 1955, the association has held the ceremony annually to boost morale and pride among sportspeople, and it said it will keep working to lead the development of Korean sports and promote a healthy sports culture.
[Sports Today reporter Lee Sang-pil sports@stoo.com]
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