Al Riyadi Team of Tyr, invited the Korean Battalion which is part of the United Nations Forces in Lebanon, for a football match, entitled is “For Peace’’. Regarding this occasion, a celebration was held on Sport Center playgrounds.
Under the patronage of Hassan Dbouk, the Mayor of Tyr, represented by Salah Sabraoui, his vice-president, the commander of the Korean battalion, the Colonel Sok Moo Koo, the head of the Lebanese Economic Union, Dr. Hassan Tajideen, Shawqi Atwi head of the team, and his deputy Dr. Mohammad Burji, and the captain of the team Jawad Safi al-Din, and the technical director Hisham Farran, in addition to the presence of the Korean Battalion officers, and the members of Tyr Municipality.
Koo:
The celebration began with the Lebanese and Korean anthems, after that Koo welcomed the players, saying: “We are pleased to have this activity today because it strengthens the friendship between the Korean Battalion and the civil society. This activity, and the players, say a lot about the good relations that unite the two countries, such as the special friendship and the mutual respect between Korea and Lebanon.
He ended his speech saying: “Korea will never forget how the Lebanese government and the Lebanese people provided assistance to the Korean people and stood by its side during the war in 1950.”
Adding, “Our presence here in Lebanon in UNIFIL is to support the Lebanese authority and to express our loyalty to this country, for that you stood by the Koreans in the past, “promising” more sporting activities in the near future, “thanking the Municipality of Tyr and the team leader and players hosting.
‎Sabrawi:
Mr. Sabrawi thanked the Korean government and the Korean people, especially the men of peace in UNIFEL, for their sacrifices and efforts to keep peace in Lebanon. He also said, “we will always try to seek after such activities for the exchange of cultures between Lebanon and Korea.”
‎Tajideen:
Dr. Tajideen praised the role of the Korean battalion, which has become a foothold, especially when it comes to keeping peace, and by supporting the local population in south through humanitarian, health and development benefits. Dr. Tajideen stressed: “we have solid ties, especially in sports and cultural levels,” adding: “we also cherish and appreciate these sincere brotherly relations under the peace banner.”
Atwi:
Moreover, Atwi also thanked the Korean colonel Koo, and the Korean battalion for accepting the invitation and for their role as peacekeepers in South Lebanon as well as their support.
After that, a football match was held between the two teams, ended by the winning of the Tyr team, scoring 5 goals, and the Koreans 2 goals. Safi Eddin 2, Mohammed Amin 1, Tarek Fran 1, Shadi Najdi, and Colonel Koo scored 2 goals for the Korean team.
At the end of the game, Tajideen, Sabraoui, and Atwi, presented to Colonel Koo a symbolic gift and a shield, who in turn gave similar gifts.
In addition, Tajideen and captain Safi al-Din imitated the players with sports medals.
Ended with a dinner and taking pictures.