On 27th of June, they had a meeting with Mr. Won Suk Oh, the Secretary General of IeSF, and received brief introduction about IeSF and current esports scene in the World including Asia and Korea. Then, on the following day, 28th of June, Mr. Byung Hun Jun, the President of IeSF, received a state visit from Mr. Nicolae Banicioiu, the Minister of Youth and Sports of Romania as well as Mr. Mihai-Bogdan DIACONU, the member of Romanian Parliament at his office in the National Assembly building in Korea. Mr. Calin Fabia, the Romanian Ambassador to Korea, and Mr. Silviu Stroie, the President of Romanian e-Sports Association, also joined the meeting.
Such meeting imparts huge significance to both IeSF and e-Sports field. It interprets that IeSF have established strong network with the Romanian government to obtain support for development and promotion of e-sports in European region. Furthermore, Mr. Marius Viser, the President of Sport Accord newly elected on last May, is the former President of Romania Judo Federation as well as International Judo Federation, and is also sharing very close relationship with the Minister, Mr. Nicolae Baniciou.
Mr. Jun, the President of IeSF, especially asked the Minister, “IeSF will finalize the Sport Accord membership application procedure right after the 4th Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games is over. Since the newly elected President of Sport Accord is originated from Romania, I would like to ask for the full support of Romanian government and the Ministry of Youth and Sports for IeSF’s membership approval. Furthermore, since the IeSF 2013 World Championship is being hosted in Romania which possesses the world most enthusiastic e-sports fans, we expect to extend the relationship and exchange between Korea and Romania with e-sports.
The Minister, Mr. Banicioiu answered for his request, “Among 20 million of Romanian population, the number of people who enjoy and are interested in e-sports is over 2million. It interprets that Romanians are no less enthusiastic to e-sports than Koreas are. The main purpose of my visiting to Korea this time is to learn more about the system of Korean e-sports as well as looking into the structure of e-sports being in mega sports event through this 4th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games. Also, I am sharing very close relationship with Mr. Marius Viser, the new President of Sport Accord. We will fully support IeSF for the successful affiliation to the Sport Accord.”
Furthermore, both Mr. Jun and the Minister agreed on mutual cooperation for e-sports to be slected as an official sport discipline within European Games, of which inaugural event will be hled in Azerbaijan in 2015. IeSF also conducted mutual exchange with officials from Asian NOCs as well as others from several sports governing bodies during the period of 4th Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games as well as hosting IeSF 2013 Asian Conference in order to prepare the foundation of globalization and sportwise of e-sports.
