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The South Korean central city of Daejeon has been selected to host the 2029 Invictus Games, becoming the first Asian city to stage the international sporting event for injured service members, according to the country's veterans ministry.
The Invictus Games Foundation in Britain chose Daejeon, located about 140 kilometers south of Seoul, over Aalborg in Denmark and San Diego in the United States, the ministry said.
Coverage Comparison
Two reports from Yonhap News — English, the South Korean wire service, carried the announcement on July 20. Both reported the selection of Daejeon and the foundation's decision, with one report providing additional details about the bidding process, expected participation, and the government's efforts to secure the bid.
The first report, a brief announcement, confirmed Daejeon's selection and noted that the 2029 edition marks the first time the games will be held in Asia. The second report, updated with further details, elaborated on the foundation's unanimous vote and its assessment of South Korea's preparedness.
Key Claims
According to Yonhap, the veterans ministry stated that the board of trustees of the Invictus Games Foundation had unanimously voted to host the 2029 games in Daejeon, citing the city's preparedness under a shared goal of recovery and rehabilitation of wounded service members.
The foundation reportedly "highly assessed South Korea's level of preparedness throughout the bidding process, from the on-site inspection of the venue in February and the submission of its application in May, to the bidding presentation in London in June," the ministry said.
The ministry also said the foundation expected that South Korea's hosting of the games as the first Asian country, along with its cultural power, would help attract more Asian nations' participation in the competition in the future.
The Invictus Games, founded by Britain's Prince Harry in 2014, is an international sports competition for wounded, injured and sick service members. The games have so far been held only in North America, Europe and Australia, according to the report.
The 2029 games are expected to bring together some 3,000 people, including 550 athletes from 26 countries and around 1,100 family members, the ministry said.
South Korea made all-out efforts to secure the bid, with Veterans Minister Kwon Oh-eul traveling to London last month to deliver bidding presentations to showcase South Korea's capabilities and its willingness to host the games, the report added.
A file photo provided by the veterans ministry showed officials from the Invictus Games Foundation inspecting facilities in Daejeon on Feb. 25, 2026, when the city was shortlisted as a candidate host city.