Professional S. Korean sports teams and Miss Korea winners boycott training and beauty pageant in Japan amid trade row

스포츠 '보이콧 재팬' 일본 전지훈련 줄취소...미스코리아, 일본 주최 국제미인대회 보이콧Boycott movements against Japanese brands in Korea are now spreading to sports and culture.Korean sports teams have canceled their off-season training in Japan and national beauty pageant winners have decided not to participate in an international beauty pageant being held in the neighboring country.Lee Min-sun reports. The worsening situation between South Korea and Japan has spread to the sporting world.Seven out of ten South Korean professional basketball teams have called off scheduled off-season training in Japan.Eight women's pro basketball and volleyball teams have also canceled or plan to cancel training in Japan and are scouting out local places to train instead.Local sporting competitions are making similar moves.Gangneung city had previously invited teams from China and Japan to a friendship curling competition, but decided on Monday to pull financial support for the Japanese team.And the board of a basketball competition will make a decision on Wednesday on whether to revoke invitations to two Japanese teams for an event in late August.The official from the Women's Korean Basketball League explained that by principle politics and sports should be kept separate but the current relationship between the two countries is quite exceptional and they are trying to come up with a soft way to deliver their decision to Japan.In addition to that, South Korea's national beauties decided on Monday to boycott the Miss International beauty pageant taking place in Japan this October.It's one of four major international beauty pageants. Delegates participating in the events are required to take part in the promotion of Japanese brands and culture.It's the first time ever that South Korea has boycotted the event.Lee Min-sun Arirang News.