BANGKOK, Thailand (Feb. 01, 2023) - The World Taekwondo Council today met for the first time this year in Bangkok Thailand in a hybrid format to discuss a number of key matters including selecting Chuncheon, Korea and Hong Kong, China as the hosts of the 2024 World Taekwondo Junior Championships and 2024 World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships respectively.

 

Chuncheon was awarded the 2024 World Taekwondo Junior Championships following a vote between the Korean city, Hong Kong and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the second time that the World Taekwondo Junior Championships, which started in Barcelona, ​​Spain in 1996, will be held in Korea after it was first held in the country 20 years ago in Suncheon in 2004. For the 2024 World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships, Hong Kong was the sole candidate and selected unanimously.  It will be the first time Hong Kong has hosted the World Poomsae Championships which began in 2006.

 

World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue said:

 

“We are delighted to confirm Chuncheon and Hong Kong as the hosts of next year’s World Junior and Poomsae Championships. We have no doubt that they will organise fantastic events and provide an excellent environment for the athletes to compete at their very best. Awarding these two events is further evidence of the strength of taekwondo and the global interest in hosting our Championships. It comes as we mark our 50^th anniversary and celebrate how from humble beginnings we have prospered and grown to 212 Member National Associations making World Taekwondo one of the world’s largest International Federations.”

 

The Council meeting began with a moment’s silence for the passing of former World Taekwondo Vice President Phillip Coles and former Chair of the World Taekwondo Committee Eui-min Ko. Mr. Ko.

 

Following the statements from the IOC with regard to the status of athletes from Russia and Belarus, the Council expressed its full support for the IOC’s position to respect the rights of all athletes without any discrimination, which is in line with the mission of World Taekwondo. World Taekwondo will continue to discuss with the IOC the reintegration of athletes to Taekwondo competitions, including qualification pathways to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. World Taekwondo believes that sport can and should be used to reconcile and heal, rather than to separate.

 

During the meeting, the Council also approved the inauguration of World Cup Taekwondo Team Championships in Korea this year as well as Chuncheon’s bid to organise the 2023 World Taekwondo Beach Championships, Octagon Diamond Game, and Demonstration Team Championships as a Cultural Festival.

 

The Council also welcomed two new members Ms. Nikita Glasnovic and Mr. Stephen Lambdin who are the co-chairs of the Athletes Committee whose term will be until Baku General Assembly. There were also reports on this year’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, Best Athletes of the past Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the LA 28 qualification system, as well as Para taekwondo’s inclusion in the LA 28 Paralympic Games.

 

The next Council meeting will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan on May 28 on the occasion of the World Championships.