Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
ROK Army women paratroopers win top honor at world championship
A member of the Korean Army Special Warfare Command women’s team participates in the World Military Parachuting Championship at Umm Al-Shokhot Airfield in Doha, Qatar, Nov. 14 (local time). Courtesy of ROK Army
By Lee Hyo-jin
Korea’s Special Warfare Command women’s parachute team drew global attention by clinching first place at the World Military Parachuting Championship, the Army said.
The annual championship hosted by the International Military Sports Council was held from Nov. 13 to 23 at Umm Al-Shokhot Airfield in Doha, Qatar. It brought together participants from 28 countries and featured three main categories: formation skydiving, style competitions and accuracy landing.
According to the Army on Tuesday, the Korean women’s team secured gold in the overall rankings, followed by China and France in second and third place. The team included Staff Sgts. Lee Ji-seon, Lee Jin-young, Park Yi-seul, Lee Hyun-ji and Joo Yoon-seok, as well as Sgt. Kim Kyung-seo.
They performed exceptionally well in formation skydiving, an event in which four jumpers exit the aircraft from approximately 11,000 feet and complete a 35-second freefall while attempting to form five preselected formations. A fifth team member, the camera flyer, descends alongside them to record the sequence for the judges.
In this category, the Korean women’s team maintained a strong lead from the first round, finishing with 144 points — ahead of Morocco with 116 points and Brazil with 74.
"Building on last year’s experience, I was able to focus fully on this year’s competition. Our teamwork and the support from our unit helped us achieve the overall victory. We’ll continue to train hard for next year," said Kim, the youngest member of the team.
The men’s team, composed of Staff Sgts. Kim Jin-hong, Kim Yeon-ju, Lee Jung-sun, Kim Joo-yeop and Kang Tae-sol, also competed in all three categories and finished seventh overall, demonstrating promising potential for next year’s championship.
"It was challenging since it was my first time competing, but the parachute training we’ve undergone helped me handle the pressure. I want to thank my teammates and unit members who trusted and supported me," Kim Joo-yeop said.
The participants were selected through the Special Warfare Command’s internal screening process earlier this year. Most are veteran paratroopers who have each completed more than 1,000 parachute jumps.
In the lead-up to the competition, the team underwent intensive training while continuing their operational duties. The Army said it plans to strengthen on-site training to further enhance its paratroopers’ combat readiness and expand combined exercises with domestic and foreign special forces.