A forum was held on the morning of the 24th at the National Assembly in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, to discuss the inclusion of handball in the Sports Toto system. The event was hosted by Lee Jae-won, a member of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee from the Democratic Party. Experts participated in discussions on how handball, a sport with a rich tradition in Korea, can overcome its status as a less popular sport and evolve into a self-sustaining sports industry model. The forum highlighted significant sponsorship activities by the SK Group, which has contributed over 150 billion KRW (about 130 million USD) over the past 20 years to expand the sport, including building dedicated handball venues.

During the forum, it was noted that the Handball H League, which is the highest level of adult competition, experienced a remarkable increase in attendance and revenue, with ticket sales surging by 175% within two years of its launch. Kim Dae-hee, a professor at Pukyong National University, emphasized the necessity of including amateur sports like handball in the Sports Toto system to stabilize leagues and mitigate adverse effects resulting from a cap on the number of events in existing Sports Toto categories. Furthermore, Jang Kye-won, a lawmaker who has a background in handball, underscored that Sports Toto should aim at public sports promotion, enabling sports with growth potential to develop, thus fostering a supportive ecosystem for athletes and coaches.

Leadership at the forum also included key figures from the Democratic Party, such as Kim Gyo-hung, the chair of the Culture and Sports Committee, and other assembly members, highlighting broad political support for the initiative. The discussion pointed to a growing recognition of handball's importance in Korea’s sports landscape and a collective call for necessary reforms to ensure its sustainability and success in the future.