Farewell and Inauguration Ceremony for the 17th and 18th Presidents of Kukkiwon Held with Great Success_
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by Kukkiwon
FAREWELL AND INAUGURATION CEREMONY FOR THE 17TH AND 18TH PRESIDENTS OF KUKKIWON HELD WITH GREAT SUCCESS
Held at 11:00 a.m. on November 6 at Kukkiwon’s main training hall with more than 500 attendees. President Yun Ung-suk emphasizes the importance of building “One Team” with executives and staff
KUKKIWON
The “Farewell and Inauguration Ceremony for the 17th and 18th Presidents of Kukkiwon” (hereinafter, the Ceremony) was held with great success.
Held at 11:00 a.m. on November 6 at Kukkiwon’s main training hall, the Ceremony was attended by more than 500 people including Yang Jin-bang, President of the Korea Taekwondo Association; Kim Jung-heon, Chairman of the Taekwondo Promotion Foundation; Kim Sang-jin, President of the Asian Taekwondo Union; Kim Sang-ik, President of the Korea Para-Taekwondo Association; Lee Seung-wan, Chairman of the Kukkiwon Elders’ Council; Oh Joo-yeol, Director of the Kukkiwon Florida Branch (USA); Lee Hee-sup, Director of the Texas Branch (USA); Lee Cheol-woo, Director of the Illinois Branch (USA); Jung Dae-sung, Director of the New Jersey Branch (USA); Oh Jin-keun, President of the Taekwondo Association of New Zealand; and Kim Hyung-jae, member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council as well as many figures from the Taekwondo and sports communities, academia and media. They gathered to give farewell to the former President Lee Dong-sup and celebrate the inauguration of President Yun Ung-suk.
KUKKIWON
The Ceremony started with the opening declaration followed by the national ceremony, introduction of distinguished guests, farewell speech, presentation of appreciation plaques, presentation of appointment plaques, inauguration speech, congratulatory remarks, celebratory performance, commemorative photo session, and closing declaration.
Former President Lee Dong-sup, who served as Kukkiwon President since 2021, said in his farewell speech, “I sincerely thank all Taekwondo family members who have come from afar to celebrate today’s ceremony. All of us here must unite to support President Yun Ung-suk. During my time as president, there is one dream I was unable to accomplish, the construction of the second Kukkiwon building. I will continue to discuss this important goal with President Yun and give my utmost support from outside the organization for Kukkiwon.”
KUKK
On this day, President Yun presented plaques of appreciation to former President Lee Dong-sup and the retiring board members who attended, in recognition of their dedication to the development of Taekwondo and Kukkiwon. He also awarded appointment plaques to the newly appointed board members whose terms began on October 17, 2025.
In his inauguration speech, President Yun said, “I extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who trusted me and entrusted me with this great responsibility. Taekwondo on the global stage is no longer just a martial art. It must be a culture that embodies the values of peace and coexistence, and a path of character development for all humanity. Kukkiwon must be reborn at the center of this transformation. I will redefine Kukkiwon by focusing on two pillars: promotion test and training.”
President Yun also said, “The transformation of Kukkiwon cannot be achieved by the president’s will alone. Kukkiwon will only be strong when all its members work as One Team. Acknowledging good deeds with rewards and bad deeds with punishments, I will create an organizational culture where no one falls into complacency and every member can fully demonstrate their capabilities. I will make Kukkiwon a place where work is truly enjoyable. As President of Kukkiwon, I will take steps forward steadfastly and determined, faithfully fulfilling Kukkiwon’s mission for a brighter future of Taekwondo.”
KUKKIWON
Yang Jin-bang, President of the Korea Taekwondo Association; Kim Jung-heon, Chairman of the Taekwondo Promotion Foundation; Seo Jeong-kang, Secretary-General of World Taekwondo on behalf of WT President Choue Chung-won; and Kim Sang-jin, President of the Asian Taekwondo Union, delivered congratulatory speeches, expressing appreciation for former President Lee’s service and expectations for President Yun’s leadership. Kim Kwan-young, Governor of Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province, also sent a congratulatory video message.
KUKKIWON
The celebratory performance by the Kukkiwon Taekwondo Demonstration Team featured basic Taekwondo movements and high-level techniques and received a huge applause.
Meanwhile, under the promise of 18th President Yun Ung-suk, Kukkiwon plans to focus on six major initiatives - support for dojangs, fostering a “one-team” culture among executives and staff, innovation in education, the transformation of the World Taekwondo Hanmadang, reform of the promotion testing system, and global expansion strategies.
