The 2002 Asian Games, officially known as the XIV Asian Games and Busan 2002 (부산2002), were held in Busan, South Korea from September 29 to October 14, 2002.
Busan is the second city in South Korea, after Seoul in 1986, to host the Games. A total of 419 events in 38 sports were contested by 7,711 athletes from 44 countries. The Games were also co-hosted by four neighboring cities: Ulsan, Changwon, Masan, and Yangsan. The Games emblem was the Sea of Japan’s blue waves in the shape of Taegeuk, symbolizing Busan and Korea, expressing development and unity of the Asian people.
The Games mascot was a seagull, the city bird of Busan, named “Duria”, a combination of ‘Durative’ and ‘Asia,’ meaning “You and Me Together” or “Everlasting Asia” in Korean, expressing the Games ideal: to promote harmony, friendship and prosperity among Asian countries.
