Taekwondo reaches out to the world

Taekwondo athletes from across the globe gather in Korea for the World Taekwondo Hanmadang 2012, which kicks off just today.

This years 20th World Taekwondo Hanmadang Festival, organized by Kukkiwon, takes place under the theme of Unifying the World with Taekwondo from August 28 to 31.

Marking its 40th anniversary, Kukkiwon, also known as the World Taekwondo Headquarters, plans to make the festival more open and appealing to the general public and also hopes to reach out to more global audiences. Such firmly determined plans are well-revealed in the festival's subtitle, A proposal towards global citizens. Comparing the exhilaration and thrill of this years festival to receiving a proposal from ones beloved, Kukkiwon highlighted the festivals new attractions, saying that rule changes have added to the excitement of the competitions and the splendid performances will take your breath away.

Except for Breaking, an event attended by experts, a total of 2,867 contestants from 41 nations demonstrate their skills in various events of poomsae, kyukpa, self-defense techniques, and taekwondo aerobics. Among the total of nine events, a contestant is allowed to participate in just one event either individual division or group competition. Some of the rules have been changed to add new age groups of 40-49, 50-59, and over 60 for individual divisions, and the number of the participants for poomsae has been reduced to three for the group competition.

The idea of unifying the world with taekwondo hopefully be implemented by presenting substantive programs this year, said Kang Won-sik, the president of Kukkiwon. The World Taekwondo Hanmadang Festival has continued over the past 20 years

Kang Won-sik, the president of Kukkiwon (photo courtesy of Kukkiwon)since opening in 1992 to bring new attention to the martial art, and now taekwondo is getting recognized as where the top-ranking experts present their upscale techniques and skills. Since its inception, Kukkiwon has strived to inform the global audiences of the excellence of taekwondos effects on mental training and also provided them a chance to learn about the sport by including a visit to Kukkiwon in a tour package.

Previously in 2008, the World Taekwondo Hanmadang Festival took place at Anaheim Convention Center in California with an expectation that it hopefully served as an opportunity to introduce the sport to the global stage. The Festival Organizing Committee plans to step up their efforts to provide more convenience for the taekwondo contestants by establishing exclusive counters in Incheon International Airport to helping them with the registration process and distribution of ID cards and also providing extra services such as pick-up service from the airport and schedule management.

On the other hand, the taekwondo competition was reviewed as having provided more exciting and dynamic scenes with the newly adopted rules, electronic hogu (chest protector) and an instant Video Replay system during the London Olympic period. The 2012 London Olympic has earned taekwondo the title of World Sport, as enjoyed by more foreign countries. The nation that earned the largest number of medals was Spain, not Korea, collecting one gold and two silvers. In addition to Gabon in Africa achieving their first Olympic medal in taekwondo, English teenager Jade Jones from Wales rose to stardom after she appeared at the taekwondo competition.

The inclusion of taekwondo in the 2016 Brazil Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will be decided at Protocol of Buenos Aires by the 2013 International Olympic Committee.

Sourced from Korea.net

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Taekwondo athletes from across the globe gather in Korea for the World Taekwondo Hanmadang 2012, which kicks off just today.

This years 20th World Taekwondo Hanmadang Festival, organized by Kukkiwon, takes place under the theme of Unifying the World with Taekwondo from August 28 to 31.

Marking its 40th anniversary, Kukkiwon, also known as the World Taekwondo Headquarters, plans to make the festival more open and appealing to the general public and also hopes to reach out to more global audiences. Such firmly determined plans are well-revealed in the festival's subtitle, A proposal towards global citizens. Comparing the exhilaration and thrill of this years festival to receiving a proposal from ones beloved, Kukkiwon highlighted the festivals new attractions, saying that rule changes have added to the excitement of the competitions and the splendid performances will take your breath away.

Except for Breaking, an event attended by experts, a total of 2,867 contestants from 41 nations demonstrate their skills in various events of poomsae, kyukpa, self-defense techniques, and taekwondo aerobics. Among the total of nine events, a contestant is allowed to participate in just one event either individual division or group competition. Some of the rules have been changed to add new age groups of 40-49, 50-59, and over 60 for individual divisions, and the number of the participants for poomsae has been reduced to three for the group competition.

The idea of unifying the world with taekwondo hopefully be implemented by presenting substantive programs this year, said Kang Won-sik, the president of Kukkiwon. The World Taekwondo Hanmadang Festival has continued over the past 20 years

Kang Won-sik, the president of Kukkiwon (photo courtesy of Kukkiwon)since opening in 1992 to bring new attention to the martial art, and now taekwondo is getting recognized as where the top-ranking experts present their upscale techniques and skills. Since its inception, Kukkiwon has strived to inform the global audiences of the excellence of taekwondos effects on mental training and also provided them a chance to learn about the sport by including a visit to Kukkiwon in a tour package.

Previously in 2008, the World Taekwondo Hanmadang Festival took place at Anaheim Convention Center in California with an expectation that it hopefully served as an opportunity to introduce the sport to the global stage. The Festival Organizing Committee plans to step up their efforts to provide more convenience for the taekwondo contestants by establishing exclusive counters in Incheon International Airport to helping them with the registration process and distribution of ID cards and also providing extra services such as pick-up service from the airport and schedule management.

On the other hand, the taekwondo competition was reviewed as having provided more exciting and dynamic scenes with the newly adopted rules, electronic hogu (chest protector) and an instant Video Replay system during the London Olympic period. The 2012 London Olympic has earned taekwondo the title of World Sport, as enjoyed by more foreign countries. The nation that earned the largest number of medals was Spain, not Korea, collecting one gold and two silvers. In addition to Gabon in Africa achieving their first Olympic medal in taekwondo, English teenager Jade Jones from Wales rose to stardom after she appeared at the taekwondo competition.

The inclusion of taekwondo in the 2016 Brazil Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will be decided at Protocol of Buenos Aires by the 2013 International Olympic Committee.

Sourced from Korea.net