As Director of the ITF and a key figure in the development of the inaugural World Games in Korea, could you share your overall experience and what it meant for you to be present at the Motherland of Taekwon-Do?
I was one of the main advocates for hosting the First ITF World Games in Seoul, Korea, for several crucial reasons. Firstly, Korea being the homeland of Taekwon-Do, the opportunity to host such an event at the Olympic Park Handball Stadium in Seoul was a unique chance to promote ITF in South Korea. During our initial trip to Korea with GM José Maidana to organize the World Games, we connected with the Korea Taekwon-Do Association (KTA). This led to the idea of sharing the stadium between ITF and WT, presenting a joint demonstration at the opening ceremony. This not only enhanced visibility but also facilitated interaction with WT leadership. Moreover, hosting the tournament in the heart of Asia provided a fantastic sporting opportunity for competitors from Europe, the Americas, and Australasia to compete with countries like Kazakhstan, Thailand, Singapore, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Japan, China, Malaysia, India, Korea, among others. These nations have been growing structurally with new leadership and a high level of competitiveness, especially when traveling to Championships held in America or Europe. Korea generated enormous expectations from the moment we announced the event, further amplified by the presence of Master Choi, who contributed to the organization of the World Games months before.
The organization was led by Professor Sean Yu, President of ITF Korea, along with a large group of collaborators who efficiently executed the event. While there is always room for improvement, it’s essential to highlight their commendable efforts. The Games had everything Korea uniquely offers: the mystique, excellent scenography, ambiance, cutting-edge technology, and high sportsmanship in an impressive stadium nestled in the heart of Seoul. Overseeing the competition, as usual in international events, was GM José Maidana, ITF Director of Umpires, GM Trevor Nicholls managing administrative aspects, and myself in the General Direction. Special recognition goes to Masters Fernando Perez, Michael Muleta, Suzan Crochet, Gordon Jue, and others who contributed throughout the event.
From a technical sports perspective, it’s crucial to note that Korea secured the top spot in the overall points tally. In the Youth Dan categories, Kyrgyzstan emerged victorious, while Argentina dominantly claimed the Adult Dan categories. Notably, Kyrgyzstan’s Youth Male Team outperformed Argentina in the team final. An important highlight was the participation of the Republic Democratic of the Congo (Central Africa) for the first time, showcasing exceptional physical condition despite lacking experience.
Based on this experience, ITF aims to vigorously promote Asian countries, hosting upcoming official sports events on the continent.
Personally, organizing the inaugural World Games in Seoul was a success for various reasons. Visiting the birthplace of Taekwon-Do is always a fascinating experience, and there is much to learn in Korea. It’s an incredible country historically, artistically, culturally, aesthetically, and architecturally. The ancient architecture harmoniously blends with nature, alongside futuristic mega-constructions and technological advancements, making it a unique space. Korea’s industrial development has been rapid, surprising even the Koreans themselves, experiencing one of the world’s most significant economic transformations in just 50 years. Everything functions seamlessly in Korea, and everyone knows they are number one in many aspects, enjoying immense global popularity. The international appeal, driven by Korean audiovisuals (K-dramas), worldwide fame in music (K-pop), and top-notch Korean beauty products and treatments (K-beauty), has significantly boosted tourism in recent years. Companies like Samsung, Hyundai, Kia, and LG, among others, continuously produce for the global market. Korea leads in digital technology and is the world’s largest producer of semiconductors. Additionally, its industry is one of the most robotized globally, not only due to the abundance of robots in industrialized productive tasks but also because of robotics legislation that allows them to incentivize public policies for technology development. Korea invests heavily in its market, exports, internationalizes its products and stays one step ahead.
However, whether believable or not, the first Korean product to enter the world was Taekwon-Do ITF, which General Choi Hong Hi introduced globally as a martial art, a sport, and a philosophy of life. It’s incredible to think that Korea’s first product launched worldwide contains part of its history, customs, and culture, and was initially taught in the Korean language. This served as an anchor through which millions interested in Eastern philosophies began to look at Korea and, in many cases, to practice Taekwon-Do. Practicing Taekwon-Do is synonymous with starting to learn and live in Korea—it is Korea.
Why doesn’t Korea officially recognize ITF? Well, in the world, but particularly in Korea, there is considerable confusion. Many people think that WT Taekwon-Do belongs to South Korea and ITF Taekwon-Do belongs to North Korea—nothing could be further from the truth. Two phenomena in the ’80s transformed Taekwon-Do globally: the WTF was recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), a necessary step for WT Taekwon-Do to become an Olympic sport. This led President Park Chung Hee’s regime to focus on Taekwon-Do and the Olympics to use sports to improve South Korea’s dictatorial government’s international image. Simultaneously, General Choi Hong Hi, entirely disappointed and disoriented by the news that Taekwon-Do was recognized by the IOC and that only WT was considered, without alternatives, took ITF Taekwon-Do to North Korea to maintain its identity (considering North Korea as the last country where ITF Taekwon-Do entered). In many countries like Argentina, Taekwon-Do arrived in 1967, while in North Korea, it entered in the ’80s, making it the last country where ITF Taekwon-Do was introduced. They may claim to have their version, but they should never arrogate ITF Taekwon-Do.