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| World Taekwondo President Choue Chung-won raises his hand after getting reelected as the chief of the international governing body of the sport, Oct. 11. Courtesy of World Taekwondo |
By Hwang Dong-hee
World Taekwondo (WT) President Choue Chung-won was reelected as president for the four-year term from 2021 to 2025 at the virtual WT General Assembly, Oct. 11.
He was the sole candidate in his bid for a sixth term, receiving 129 out of 131 votes.
Choue has been at WT's helm since June 2004, when he replaced then President Kim Un-yong to complete Kim's remaining term. He was reelected in 2005 and won the following three elections in 2009, 2013 and 2017.
"It is a great honor to be reelected as president of WT and to lead our great sport forward. Over the past year and a half, we used the time to reset our operations. Now, it is time to restart... Now more than ever, we need to stand united," Choue said after the election.
Over the next four years, Choue plans to launch new events such as "WT Demonstration Team Championships" to further boost interest in taekwondo across the world and to make significant progress in advancing virtual programs.
He also hopes to introduce the mixed team event as a medal competition at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
A total of 17 WT council members from the five continental unions ― Asia, Europe, Pan America, Africa and Oceania ― were also elected. Maria Rosario Borello Castillo, from Guatemala, who received the most votes among the female candidates, was elevated vice president. Ali Sagirkaya, the incumbent auditor from Turkey, was voted in as the auditor.
Hwang Dong-hee is a Korea Times intern.
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