Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun speaks at an event celebrating the 60th anniversary of Korean archery in Seoul on Friday. (Hyundai Motor Group)

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun on Friday reiterated the automaker’s unwavering support for Korean archery, emphasizing the need to find ways for archery to contribute to the society.

“In the mid to long term, (we) should put in effort to (bring archery) closer to the public and we must think about how archery can contribute to our society and act on it,” said Chung at an event held at Grand Walkerhill Seoul to commemorate the 60th anniversary of South Korean archery.

“Based on the principles of fairness and transparency, the Korean Archery Association will be at the forefront of innovation, receive trust and love from the people and serve an appropriate social role.”

As the main sponsor of the Korean Archery Association, Hyundai Motor Group plans to continuously provide support so that Korean archery can be loved by Koreans and keep shining on the global stage.

To this end, the Korean Archery Association is pushing for a project to include archery in physical education at school so that children and teenagers can familiarize themselves with archery from a young age. The project has been carried out at some middle schools in certain regions since last year, and is expected to expand to elementary schools nationwide starting in 2024.

Hyundai Motor has maintained the longest-running sponsorship for a single sport in Korea. Hyundai Motor Group Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-koo, father of the current chief, laid the foundation for Korean archery’s rise to the best in the world after he became the chairman of the KAA in 1985. Executive Chair Chung took the baton to become the chairman of the KAA in 2005.

Starting with the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games, Korean archers have earned a total of 40 gold medals, 22 silver medals and 17 bronze medals at international competitions, including achieving the records of winning nine Olympics gold medals in a row by the women’s archery team and becoming the first athlete to win three gold medals at the Summer Olympics.