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Choue receives Order of Friendship from Uzbek president

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By Choi Won-suk
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World Taekwondo President Choue Chung-won, left, receives Uzbekistan’s Order of Friendship from President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Wednesday. Courtesy of Uzbekistan Presidential Office

World Taekwondo President Choue Chung-won, left, receives Uzbekistan’s Order of Friendship from President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Wednesday. Courtesy of Uzbekistan Presidential Office

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 35,000, and that Uzbek athletes have won gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, second from left, meets with World Taekwondo President Choue Chung-won, right, at the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Wednesday. Courtesy of Uzbekistan Presidential Office

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, second from left, meets with World Taekwondo President Choue Chung-won, right, at the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Wednesday. Courtesy of Uzbekistan Presidential Office

They discussed expanding cooperation through additional training opportunities for athletes and referees by regularly bringing major international events to Uzbekistan.

During the meeting, World Taekwondo presented Mirziyoyev with the World Taekwondo Order of Honour, making him the first head of state to receive the new award. Choue also offered a taekwondo statue as a gift.

The junior championships run in Tashkent through April 17.