Taekwondo to offer aid to quake-hit Nepal
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World Taekwondo Federation President Choue Chung-won, left, poses with Nepalese Taekwondo Association Secretary General Deep Raj Gurung during the latter’s visit to the federation’s headquarters in central Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of World Taekwondo Federation
By Nam Hyun-woo
The World Taekwondo Federation’s (WTF) initiative for refugees around the world will take its first step as early as January, its president said Friday.
During Nepalese Taekwondo Association (NTA) Secretary General Deep Raj Gurung’s visit to the federation’s headquarters in Seoul, Tuesday, WTF President Choue Chung-won said the federation will dispatch instructors and doctors to Nepal as part of a pilot program of the federation’s nascent Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation. The teams will arrive and operate as early as January or February, according to the federation.
The foundation, which Choue officially announced at the United Nations headquarters in New York last month, is an organization designed to teach taekwondo and related skills to refugees and displaced people across the globe. During a conference in Seoul earlier this week, Choue declared that the fledgling initiative is “good to go” and will play a key role in development through sports.
In April, the mountainous country of Nepal was hit by two devastating earthquakes which became the deadliest disaster on record to hit the country. Followed by a string of aftershocks, the death toll reached around 8,500, surpassing that of a 1934 quake. Along with those killed, many more were traumatized and the country still remains in despair.
“This earthquake was a very devastating moment for us,” said Gurung. “People are suffering badly, living in camps as they are homeless; the government is trying to help, but there are so many.”
According to Gurung, who is an eighth-degree black belt holder, the quake not only damaged the physical infrastructure of the country but also seriously harmed the health of the Nepalese population. Gurung’s family is also suffering from the trauma of the disaster, residing largely on the ground floor of their home because of their fear of sleeping upstairs.
The earthquake has left countless physical and mental casualties in its wake, he noted. “They need rehabilitation programs.”
“If a humanitarian group goes and teaches taekwondo, it will be very good for moral support,” said Gurung.
As part of the country’s own effort, he said the NTA will open a national taekwondo training center next April and also plans to hold a poomsae championship event to prove that their national spirit has not been broken.
“Nepal is a mountainous country and we want to hold a symbolic event,” said Gurung. “This will symbolize that taekwondo people are strong and disciplined, with stamina, strength and power.”
Competitors, in partnership with invited Alpine athletes from around the world, will trek up to the site. There, the championship will take place against the mighty sweep of the Himalayas.
Nepal has been putting a lot of effort into promoting national health through taekwondo, planning to designate it a national sport.
In 2014, taekwondo was added to primary and secondary educational curricula as an optional subject. Parliament has now shortlisted three sports -- taekwondo, cricket and volleyball as a potential national sport. A decision is anticipated by the end of 2015.
“Sport gives many things,” Gurung said. “It gives us unity, it gives us discipline, and passion, and relations with other countries.”
“Taekwondo is a well-disciplined sport, it’s an individual sport, it’s a way of life, and is educational also. That is why we hope to do this,” he said.