Milan: The national Olympic committee announced Friday it has reached deals to set up a hospitality house and catering centers for its athletes during the 2026 Winter Games in Italy.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) has confirmed that its Korea House will be established inside Villa Necchi Campiglio, a historic house museum in Milan owned by the nonprofit Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI), or the National Trust of Italy.
The KSOC first launched Korea House during the 2004 Athens Olympics, initially serving as an office for KSOC staff to support athletes and host press conferences for South Korean medalists. For the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, the KSOC expanded Korea House into a cultural complex, featuring exhibitions, hands-on experience events, and performances to promote Korean culture, with contributions from 15 private and public institutions.
KSOC President Ryu Seung-min visited Milan this week to finalize the agreement with David Usai, director general of the FAI. They also explored strategies to ensure effective operation of Korea House during the Olympics, as reported by the KSOC.
Additionally, the KSOC plans to establish kitchens to provide Korean meals for its Olympic athletes at Notess Eventi, a restaurant in Milan, and Hotel Techa, both located near the athletes' village in the host city. The committee has been offering Korean culinary options to its athletes in Olympic host cities since the 2008 Beijing Summer Games.
Ryu also toured other venue clusters across Italy and engaged in discussions with Alejandro Blanco Bravo, president of the Spanish Olympic Committee, about potential bilateral sports exchange programs.