Reporter Yang Jong-gooJoo Gwang-deok (63), mayor of Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, likes sports. From an early age, he enjoyed soccer and foot volleyball, and as an adult he took up skiing, snowboarding, water skiing, and horseback riding. Having fallen in love with tennis since 10 years ago, he has been giving elementary school students free tennis lessons after becoming mayor last year. Mayor Joo said, “If he experiences tennis from an early age, which emphasizes manners and rules, he can live physically and mentally healthy.”
“After failing to win re-election in the 19th National Assembly election in April 2012, I was very disappointed. I suddenly had nothing to do, so I had to do something, but tennis caught my eye. At the time, I had given up golf, which was a clear single score. I was evaluated as good at sports, but tennis wasn’t easy.”
I hit a ball hit by an acquaintance on an empty tennis court during the day. He also took private lessons. A year later, Shin Choong-sik, former president of the Korea Tennis Promotion Association, a former talent, and Joo Won-hong, then president of the Korea Tennis Association, president of the Korea Tennis Association for the Disabled, said, “I can’t do it at this age. Play good golf or play” I heard. He was only 53 at the time. Mayor Joo said, “There is an error.” Although he was ‘Terrin (Tennis + Children)’, he had the opportunity to play tennis while taking lessons from the pros, serving meals to the masters and buying chicken and beer. He said, “In tennis, when there is a difference in level, masters do not play against each other. If you improve your skills, you have to play with the masters.” Mayor Zhu took lessons twice as often as others and continued to increase his chances of playing with masters.
“After being elected as the 20th member of the National Assembly, around 2017, when there was a national amateur tennis tournament in Mok-dong, Seoul, I played an exhibition game. At that time, former chairman Shin Choong-sik and chairman Joo Won-hong said, “Mr. Congressman, now it’s tennis.” It’s amazing.’”
After two or three games of tennis, my body and mind felt lighter. When the body is healthy, the mind is also clear. He said, “I can’t shake off his mental stress just by working and studying. Exercise is essential,” he said. Mayor Joo said, “My family couldn’t understand when they saw me changing clothes and going to play tennis after work, saying, ‘Oh, I’m tired.’ I think I need to rest when I’m tired, but I have to sweat profusely to get rid of fatigue and stress.”
Starting this year, Mayor Joo is running free classes for 115 5th and 6th grade elementary school students who want to learn tennis on seven courts in Namyangju. It is a special program that utilizes public facilities and is being conducted with the talent donations of 34 citizens. The mayor of the state also serves as a lecturer. He said, “I felt the positive effect of tennis myself. Children are also valuable citizens and assets of Namyangju. I hope that children who are tired of studying can pioneer a healthy future by playing tennis.” Although there are many scientific results showing that exercise creates and activates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a brain neurotransmitter, and helps you become healthy and study well, this policy was implemented out of regret at the reality that students in Korea are forced to study only. He said, “It is regrettable that the Korean education system has deprived students of their right to exercise.”
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These days, Mayor Joo is considering opening free tennis classes for housewives as well. He said, “After hearing about children’s tennis classes, housewives also asked for a chance. This is a good phenomenon. Isn’t the family healthy when the housewives are healthy?”
Mayor Joo also started playing badminton this year. It is to exercise together with citizens and listen to their reactions to the city administration. He said, “There are 30 clubs under the Namyangju Badminton Association. I go back to the club twice a month to play badminton and listen to complaints.” I didn’t learn badminton separately. He laughed, saying, “I apply tennis motions to play, and my club members evaluate me as a high level.”
Earlier this month, Mayor Joo teamed up with city council chairman Kim Hyeon-taek to play badminton doubles with citizen singers Jin Seong and Yoon Tae-gyu. Mayor Joo said, “The power of sports is that the mayor and the chairman of the city council can play badminton with the citizens. I take care of my health through sports and learn how to live together.”
Reporter Yang Jong-gu [email protected]
