900 competitors participated in a Taekwondo tournament sponsored by Taekwondo master Jo Gi-seung
Consul general Moon Duk-ho participated…Player Eric Cho gets Three-peat despite an injury
It was a successful competition sponsored by Master Jo. About 900 competitors participated and the mayor of Lynnwood gave a demonstration by breaking a pine board.
To commemorate the Manse Demonstrations, a Korean national holiday that marks one of the first major demonstrations against Japanese occupation back in 1919 on March 1st, the master Jo Gi-seung held a Taekwondo competition at Edmonds-Woodway High School on March 7th. In total, 1,700 people, including players, families and supporters, showed up and the competition demonstrated the popularity of Taekwondo.
The Consul General Moon Duk-ho, the Mayor of Lynnwood Nicola Smith and the president of the Washington Taekwondo Association Choi Jae-suk were present at the competition.
Mayor Nicola Smith gave a demonstration, in a taekwondo uniform, by breaking a pine board and Master Jo awarded her an honorary black belt. Moreover, a taekwondo group comprised of elders sang in chorus the national anthem of South Korea.
Consul General Moon Duk-ho urged people to love Taekwondo in his congratulatory address, while booklets promoting Korea were distributed, offered by the Korean Tourism Organization.
Master Jo, an 8th degree black belt, said that “Every year 90% of Taekwondo competitors are non-Korean. I hope more Koreans will find love for Taekwondo.”
He emphasized that Taekwondo should be about developing mental and physical self-discipline regardless of age or gender, rather than elite Taekwondo which only focuses on the first place finisher.
Eric Cho from Bellevue won three consecutive games in spite of a leg injury.
