South Korea Launches National Polo Development Programme
The Korea Equestrian Federation announces a five-year polo development roadmap backed by government sport investment, targeting a national team debut at the 2030 Asian Games.
South Korea has entered the global polo arena in earnest, with the Korea Equestrian Federation (KEF) announcing a five-year National Polo Development Programme backed by a KRW 8.5 billion (approximately USD 6.3 million) government commitment through the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism.\n\nThe programme, launched at a ceremony in Seoul attended by representatives from the FIP, Argentina, and Australia, targets a series of measurable milestones: 200 licensed polo players by 2028, three active polo clubs by 2027, and an ambitious target of fielding a national team at the 2030 Asian Games — where polo is expected to return as a demonstration sport.\n\nKorea's entry into polo is strategically built on two existing advantages: a strong equestrian infrastructure from its competitive show jumping and eventing scenes, and a significant concentration of high-net-worth individuals in Seoul and Busan with international lifestyle exposure. The Korean government has identified polo as a priority premium sport for export — presenting Korean hospitality and lifestyle to international business visitors.\n\nThe first licensed polo instructor in Korea — Jae-won Park, trained at the Cowdray Park Polo Club in England — returned to Seoul in January to begin a structured coaching curriculum at the new Gyeonggi Polo Club near Icheon, which hosted Korea's first official chukkas in October 2025.\n\nFIP Secretary General Patrick Valois noted Korea's development as one of the most structured national polo launches he had seen. "They have treated this the way they treat any Olympic sport ambition — with a national plan, government funding, infrastructure investment, and a long-term timeline. That is unusual in polo and very encouraging."