100TH NATIONAL SPORTS FESTIVAL

[Anchor Lead]

The 100th National Sports Festival is only a week away. Festival torches were lit from all over the country and one event held on Dokdo Islets in particular had a special meaning.

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Dokdo is the first place where you can see the sunrise in Korea. At sunrise the sun's rays are collected by a parabolic mirror. Smoke emanates from the torch and soon a flame is lit.

[Soundbite] "It's almost lit. It's lit!"

The first torch bearer is a guard who protects Dokdo. Dokdo guards run around the islet before delivering the torch to the dock.

[Soundbite] HEO WON-SEOK(DOKDO GUARD CAPTAIN) : "I wish that Dokdo can be protected forever and that our hope can drive Korea's growth."

This flame will soon join other flames once it's toured the nation. Around the same time, flames are lit at Marado Island in the southernmost part of Korea and Imjingak near the border. Previously, a torch was lit at Manisan Mountain on Ganghwado Island. All these flames will join other torches touring the nation at Seoul Plaza this Sunday and there, it will burn as one single flame. This flame will shine brightly at the National Sports Festival scheduled to kick off on October 4th.

[Soundbite] KIM SAENG-HWAN(SEOUL CITY COUNCIL) : "The flames signify people's resolve to make the National Sports Festival a success."

In order to make the 100th National Sports Festival more meaningful, the city of Seoul has decided to preserve this flame forever along with the flame from the 1988 Summer Olympic Games. The 100th National Sports Festival will be the largest one in history with some 30,000 athletes from 17 local cities and provinces and 18 overseas locations competing in 47 events.