Rugby was first introduced to Korea in 1920’s during Japan’s colonial rule over the peninsula and has grown rapidly until
Korea won two gold medals at Asian Games in 1998 and 2002 respectively. Depsite the history and achievement of the sport,
rugby in Korea failed to shift interest to the next generation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze internal and
external environment and policies of rugby to provide basic information for developing a development plan in the future. To
do so, this study reviewed related literature and governing bodies’ policies of the sport in Asia and the world. Moreover,
international expert interviews and SWOT analysis were conducted. Korean rugby’s strength and opportunities were “strong
national team performance,” “benefits of Elite Sports System,” “Korean conglomerates sponsoring rugby in other countries,”
and “inclusion of Sevens rugby in Olympics.” On the other hand, its weakness and external threats were “negative perception
of the sport in the society,” “lack of staffing in the right place,” “limits of Elite Sports System,” and “inconsistent policy
between grassroots programs and outcomes of international stages..” Implications of this study were discussed for the future
directions of the policy for rugby in Korea.