The 98th National Sports Festival has begun a weeklong run in North Chungcheong Province.
 
The country’s largest annual comprehensive sports competition will be held through next Thursday across the province, including its main cities of Chungju and Cheongju.
 
The festival’s opening ceremony was held at the Chungju Stadium on Friday, which will also serve as the venue for its closing ceremony.
 
Athletes representing 17 provinces and major cities will compete in 46 events along with some one-thousand-100 ethnic Korean athletes from 18 countries.
 
Around 25-thousand athletes and their coaching and assisting staff are participating in the festival.