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Choi Won-suk

Korea Times Photo Reporter

Choi Won-suk is a photojournalist at The Korea Times. Before joining the newspaper, he also worked as a photojournalist with AFP and St. Joseph News-Press in Missouri. He spent 13 years in the United States, graduating with a Bachelor of Journalism degree (Cum Laude) from the University of Missouri - Columbia and a Master of Arts in Photography from Ohio University - Athens. Over the past 11 years, Choi covered various news events such as presidential elections, the 2019 North Korea-United States Hanoi Summit and 2022 Qatar World Cup. But above all, Choi believes in local journalism and finds a lot of joy telling life stories of ordinary citizens in small neighborhoods.

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Sports

WT Performance Team and Ciao thrill Italian crowds

ROME — On the Spanish Steps and surrounding plazas, the World Taekwondo Performance Team and Italy’s Ciao peformace team turned athletic skill into a public spectacle, offering measured previews of the week’s competitions. Thousands gathered as athletes executed precise kicks, broke boards and performed synchronized patterns, demonstrating the speed and control that will be on display at the upcoming events. The demonstrations, staged Wednesday at the Spanish Steps and nearby Piazza di Spagna, aimed to build interest ahead of the World Para Taekwondo Grand Prix on Thursday and the World Taekwondo Grand Prix, scheduled for Friday to Sunday at Foro Italico. Ciao Team, the Italian Taekwondo Federation’s freestyle demonstration squad, added an extra layer of showmanship with acrobatic, highly choreographed routines that blurred the line between competition and performance. Their sequences, designed as much for spectacle as for precision, helped draw in passersby who might otherwise have overlooked the sport. Locals and tourists alike paused to watch, drawn by the contrast between Ro

Jun 4, 2026By Choi Won-suk
WT Performance Team and Ciao thrill Italian crowds
Sports

Pope Leo XIV awarded honorary 10th dan of taekwondo

VATICAN CITY — World Taekwondo President Choue Chung-won presented an honorary 10th dan certificate and "dobok" (athletes' uniform) to Pope Leo XIV during Wednesday’s General Audience, continuing the sport federation’s long-standing ties with the Vatican. Choue was accompanied by seven young refugee athletes from the Azraq and Za’atari camps in Jordan: Laour Fahed Alahmad, Marwa Ealawi Almahmoud Alshaeikh, Loujain Wesam Alrefaei, Sereen Mohammad Ghuzlan, Huda Khaled Alkhaled, Baraa Mohammad Aldamad and Remas Yaser Haji Ramadan. The refugees, all Syrian nationals, are between 7 and 14 years old. The meeting was Choue’s first with Pope Leo XIV since the pontiff’s election in May last year, underscoring World Taekwondo’s cooperation with the Vatican on sport development and humanitarian initiatives. The 10th dan is the highest rank in taekwondo; Choue praised the pope’s support for humanitarian causes and said the award reflected shared values of peace and human dignity. As Choue presented the dobok, he joked about the pope’s well-known enthusiasm for tennis and suggested

Jun 4, 2026By Choi Won-suk
Pope Leo XIV awarded honorary 10th dan of taekwondo
Sports

Rome welcomes taekwondo elite for Grand Prix

ROME — Hundreds of the world’s top taekwondo athletes are converging on Foro Italico, Italy’s historic sports complex, to compete in the Rome 2026 World Taekwondo and World Para Taekwondo Grand Prix this week. The event marks the Grand Prix’s return to the Italian capital following the 2023 Roma Taekwondo Grand Prix. The action opens Thursday with the Para Taekwondo Grand Prix, featuring 111 athletes from 29 countries. The World Taekwondo Grand Prix follows from Friday to Sunday, drawing a field of 255 competitors from 51 nations alongside the Taekwondo Refugee Team. World Para Taekwondo Grand Prix (June 4) The para tournament is contested exclusively in the K44 classification. In para taekwondo, the "K" stands for "kyorugi," or sparring, while the number 44 indicates athletes with upper limb impairments. This includes competitors with arm amputations or an equivalent loss of function. Action in the K44 division spans five men's weight categories (under 58, under 63, under 70, under 80 and over 80 kilograms) and five women's divisions (under 47, under 52, under 57, under 65 and o

Jun 2, 2026By Choi Won-suk
Rome welcomes taekwondo elite for Grand Prix
Darkroom

Hola! BTS in Mexico

RM speaks as Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum and other members of South Korean Kpop boy band BTS stand on a balcony of the National Palace ahead of a series of concerts on the BTS World Tour "Arirang" in Mexico City, May 6. Reuters-Yonhap

May 8, 2026By Choi Won-suk
Hola! BTS in Mexico
Sports

Kukkiwon sets stage for 2026 World Taekwondo Hanmadang

The World Taekwondo Headquarters, also known as Kukkiwon, has launched the organizing committee for the 2026 World Taekwondo Hanmadang, marking a key step in the preparations for the global event set for August. The committee held its inaugural meeting on Wednesday, with fewer than 80 days remaining before the competition. The event will run Aug. 1-5 at Kukkiwon in Seoul in cooperation with the Gangnam District Office. Organizers expect about 5,000 participants from 55 countries to compete in 15 disciplines across 143 divisions. Kukkiwon President Yoon Woong-seok and organizing officials attended the meeting, where the event’s master plan was unveiled under the slogan, “Kukkiwon, A New Dawn for the World Taekwondo Hanmadang.” The plan focuses on redefining the event’s identity, restoring its authority, improving budget efficiency and compensation systems, expanding participation, staging a landmark opening ceremony and securing corporate sponsorships. Han Hye-jin, a former Kukkiwon board member and CEO of Mookas PlayOn, will serve as acting chair of the organizing committee and s

May 7, 2026By Choi Won-suk
Kukkiwon sets stage for 2026 World Taekwondo Hanmadang
Darkroom

Labor Day: Workers worldwide deserve a better future

A worker cleans windows on the exterior of an office building in Mexico City, March 23. Reuters-Yonhap

Apr 24, 2026By Choi Won-suk
Labor Day: Workers worldwide deserve a better future
Photo News

PHOTOS Maestro Chung leads ‘Carmen’ at The Korea Times Spring Concert

Maestro Chung Myung-whun acknowledges the audience with the KBS Symphony Orchestra during The Korea Times Spring Concert at Lotte Concert Hall in Sopa District, Seoul, April 17, which presented Bizet’s opera “Carmen” in concert format. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Apr 18, 2026By Choi Won-suk
[PHOTOS] Maestro Chung leads ‘Carmen’ at The Korea Times Spring Concert
Sports

Young taekwondo athletes shine at championships

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — The Tashkent 2026 World Taekwondo Junior Championships wraps up tonight after six days of competition showcasing the talent, discipline and sportsmanship of nearly 1,000 young athletes from 115 nations. Held at the Olympic City Martial Arts Sports Complex, the event marks the 30th anniversary of the championships and is the first international tournament hosted at Uzbekistan’s newly built Olympic City. The competition blends high performance with cultural exchange, creating a memorable milestone for the sport and the host nation. Throughout the week, World Taekwondo President Choue Chung-won has called Uzbekistan “a reliable partner” and noted its growing impact on the global sports landscape. Matches during the championships reflect the spirit of fair play, with athletes showing mutual respect on and off the mats. Competitors bow before and after each bout, and many exchange warm handshakes and friendly smiles — some promising to meet again in future championships. Technical updates introduced this year, including revised scoring that awards six points f

Apr 17, 2026By Choi Won-suk
Young taekwondo athletes shine at championships
Sports

Choue receives Order of Friendship from Uzbek president

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — World Taekwondo President Choue Chung-won received Uzbekistan’s Order of Friendship, a high state honor that highlights his close ties with the Central Asian nation, in a ceremony presided over by the country's president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Wednesday. Choue received the honor during a courtesy visit to Mirziyoyev at the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace, where the Uzbek leader recognized his role in promoting taekwondo in the country and using sport to strengthen international friendship. The meeting took place during the Tashkent 2026 World Taekwondo Junior Championships, which saw a record number of participants and was the first international championships to be held at Olympic City, a new multi-sport complex in the capital. Choue noted that World Taekwondo is proud to bring a major junior event to Tashkent and has pointed to Olympic City as a venue capable of hosting future large-scale competitions. He also welcomed Uzbekistan’s investment in youth sport, highlighting that the number of taekwondo practitioners has more than doubled since 2022 to about 35,00

Apr 16, 2026By Choi Won-suk
Choue receives Order of Friendship from Uzbek president
Sports

Forum showcases sports’ role in social change

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — World Taekwondo held the second Olympism and Peace Forum at the National University of Uzbekistan in Tashkent on Monday, coinciding with the 2026 World Taekwondo Junior Championships. A total of 462 undergraduate and graduate students from the National University of Uzbekistan and the Uzbekistan State University of Physical Education and Sport took part in the forum, which carried the theme “Sport, Sustainability, and Economy.” The attendees represented a range of fields, including sport management, law and economics. Speakers included Dr. Husniddin Hojamkulov of Renaissance University of Education, World Taekwondo Deputy Secretary General Jerry Ling and Adidas Foundation Program Manager Marisa Schlenker. They discussed the role of sports in promoting peace, supporting economic innovation and aligning international events with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. World Taekwondo President Choue Chung-won delivered the keynote address, highlighting sports’ potential to strengthen humanitarian work and inclusive education. Choue referenced hi

Apr 14, 2026By Choi Won-suk
Forum showcases sports’ role in social change
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