The South Korean organizing committee of the upcoming Asian Games in Incheon and Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding signed a contract on Wednesday to sell the Asiad tickets and help promote the biggest sporting event in Asia.
The contract was signed in Beijing between Kwon Kyung-sang, secretary general of the Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee, and Zhang Jianfeng, vice president of Alibaba, whose consumer-to-consumer website Taobao claims a dominant market share in China.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"It is very meaningful for us to sign this contract with Taobao at a time when the Incheon Asian Games are less than 70 days away," Kwon told reporters at the signing ceremony.
Riding the wave of a growing popularity of Korean pop culture in China, Kwon said that South Korea hopes more Chinese people to visit the western port city of Incheon to enjoy the Asian Games.
The upcoming Asian Games, their 17th edition, will be held in Incheon from Sept. 19 through Oct. 4.
Nearly 13,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions will be competing in the games, according to the organizing committee's website. North Korea has announced a decision to send a delegation of athletes and cheerleaders to the Incheon Asiad.
North Korea sent cheering squads when its athletes competed in international sports meets in South Korea in 2002, 2003 and 2005. (Yonhap)
The contract was signed in Beijing between Kwon Kyung-sang, secretary general of the Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee, and Zhang Jianfeng, vice president of Alibaba, whose consumer-to-consumer website Taobao claims a dominant market share in China.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"It is very meaningful for us to sign this contract with Taobao at a time when the Incheon Asian Games are less than 70 days away," Kwon told reporters at the signing ceremony.
Riding the wave of a growing popularity of Korean pop culture in China, Kwon said that South Korea hopes more Chinese people to visit the western port city of Incheon to enjoy the Asian Games.
The upcoming Asian Games, their 17th edition, will be held in Incheon from Sept. 19 through Oct. 4.
Nearly 13,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions will be competing in the games, according to the organizing committee's website. North Korea has announced a decision to send a delegation of athletes and cheerleaders to the Incheon Asiad.
North Korea sent cheering squads when its athletes competed in international sports meets in South Korea in 2002, 2003 and 2005. (Yonhap)
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