Busan is good

Busan City Welcomes the Relocation of OK Savings Bank Okman Volleyball Club to Busan

내용

The Busan Metropolitan Government (Mayor Park Heong-joon) has expressed great enthusiasm for the decision by OK Savings Bank Okman Volleyball Club (owned by Choi Yoon) to relocate its home base to Busan.

On the morning of June 24, the Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) officially approved the team’s move to Busan during its board of directors meeting. From the 2025–2026 season onward, the team will use the indoor gymnasium at Gangseo Sports Park as its new home stadium. This move will provide fans in the Yeongnam region the opportunity to watch men’s professional volleyball matches live for the first time.

OK Savings Bank Okman Volleyball Club, the youngest franchise to join the V-League in the 2013–2014 season, quickly rose as a competitive force by winning the championship for two consecutive seasons (2014–2015 and 2015–2016) and finishing as runners-up in the 2023–2024 championship finals.

This year, the team appointed Shin Young-chul as its fourth head coach and signed veteran player Jeon Kwang-in, who has been named to the V-League Men’s Best 7 four times. The team is considered a strong contender for the 2025–2026 championship.

The city anticipates that hosting the OK Savings Bank Okman Volleyball Club will significantly contribute to the development of youth volleyball, create new opportunities for spectators in western Busan, and promote the local economy through the attraction of a professional sports franchise.

Amid fierce competition among other municipalities to attract professional teams driven by the recent surge in pro sports popularity, the city of Busan achieved this success through systematic preparation and proactive support.

This relocation is expected to offer new hope to young volleyball prospects in Busan, who have often left for other regions in pursuit of professional careers. It will also be a significant gift to local volleyball fans who have faced challenges traveling to metropolitan areas to watch games.

Busan currently has 13 elementary, middle, and high school volleyball teams and over 200 amateur volleyball clubs, with more than 1,700 enthusiasts actively involved. The city, already passionate about volleyball, plans to utilize this infrastructure to boost the sport’s popularity locally and expand its reach.

In conjunction with the relocation, Busan will host various events and programs in collaboration with the professional team to stimulate public interest and invigorate professional sports. The city will also promote youth training programs, expand amateur participation, and improve facilities, thereby enhancing both elite and recreational sports.

With this relocation, Busan now joins Seoul, Incheon, and Suwon as the fourth city in Korea to host all four major professional sports franchises.

Busan is now home to:

• ●Professional baseball (Lotte Giants)

• ●Professional football (Busan IPark)

• ●Professional basketball (Busan KCC Egis, Busan BNK Sum)

• ●Professional volleyball (OK Savings Bank Okman Volleyball Club)

• ●
  

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “With the relocation of the OK Savings Bank Okman Volleyball Club, Busan has further solidified its reputation as a true 'sports paradise.' We will continue our efforts to strengthen the virtuous cycle of sports by fostering elite talent and enhancing recreational sports, ultimately improving the health and well-being of our citizens.”