Seoul will help Bishkek set up a fitness assessment centre

A city centre modelled on Seoul Fitness 9988 is being set up in Bishkek, where residents will be able to have their fitness levels assessed and receive personalised recommendations on physical activity. The Korean side will provide Bishkek with operational guidelines and equipment, and will assist in training specialists.

The project was discussed at a meeting between Bishkek’s Deputy Mayor, Rakhat Musaeva, and a delegation from the Seoul government led by Park Chang-hyun, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department. The visit marked the next stage in the practical preparation of the facility. Representatives from both cities visited the site selected for the project and discussed its preparation and the organisation of future work.

Seoul Fitness 9988 is no ordinary gym. In Seoul, such centres are used to assess a person’s physical condition; specialists measure indicators of strength, endurance, flexibility and other physical qualities, after which they advise visitors based on the results and recommend a suitable exercise programme. The city also uses repeat measurements to track changes in physical fitness.

According to the Seoul City Government, there are currently 19 such centres operating in the city, and the network is set to be expanded to 52 facilities, including sites with automated physical fitness assessment systems.

For Bishkek, the project involves the transfer of Korean expertise in organising such a system – from standards for assessing physical fitness and analysing results to advising visitors and training staff. Once launched, the Kyrgyz side is expected to manage the centre’s ongoing operations independently.

However, it is not yet clear from the published materials whether Bishkek will receive the entire digital ecosystem currently in operation in Seoul. There, Seoul Fitness 9988 is integrated with the city’s Wrist Doctor 9988 programme; via an app, residents can book appointments for measurements, monitor their health indicators and earn points for participating in physical activity programmes.

Bishkek was given the opportunity to launch the centre after being selected as part of the 2026 Seoul ODA Challenge Programme – an official development assistance programme through which Seoul shares its own municipal practices and technologies with other cities.

According to the South Korean side, the programme provides funding of up to 400 million won, or approximately $270,000, per project. This is the programme’s maximum budget. However, the exact amount allocated specifically to Bishkek has not been specified. The implementation of projects in this area is scheduled for the second half of 2026.

Bishkek is among the cities selected to implement Seoul’s urban solutions. In the materials provided by the South Korean side, the project for the Kyrgyz capital falls under the ‘Seoul Fitness Centre’ initiative.

The city council reported that during the current visit, the parties have already moved on to practical matters — preparing the selected site, coordinating between relevant departments and training future specialists.

The exact location of the centre, its opening date and the final cost of the project have not yet been announced.