Government-dispatched Taekwondo instructors (currently overseas-dispatched Taekwondo instructors) visited Kukkiwon to exchange ideas for the development of Taekwondo.

On March 6 at 11 a.m., Kukkiwon held a meeting in its VIP room, where Kukkiwon President Lee Dong-sup, Kim Young-tae (President of the Korea Government-Dispatched Taekwondo Instructors Association) and 13 government-dispatched Taekwondo instructors gathered to share their thoughts and align their goals for the development of Taekwondo.

The Government Taekwondo Instructor Overseas Dispatch Program was initially managed by the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (now the National Intelligence Service), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) from 1972 to 2008. Since 2009, Kukkiwon has taken over the program under the name "Taekwondo Instructor Overseas Dispatch Program.“

Government-dispatched Taekwondo instructors (now overseas-dispatched Taekwondo instructors) have played a crucial role in the globalization of Taekwondo, contributing not only to the promotion and expansion of the sport but also serving as civil diplomats who foster friendly relations and cultural exchanges between nations.

The government-dispatched instructors who visited Kukkiwon on this day include, Kim Young-tae (Côte d'Ivoire), Choi Ki-cheol (Ghana), Park Nam-hyun (Gabon), Park Jeong-won (Gabon), Kim Seung-ju (Egypt), Jeong Ki-young (Egypt), Kim Yong-gwang (Libya), Hong Eun-hoo (Tunisia), Kim Moo-cheon (Nigeria), Kwak Ki-ok (Ghana), Lee Byung-ho (Zimbabwe), Kang Shin-cheol (Iran), Jeon Sang-ho (Syria) and Kim Seon-gong (Burkina Faso).

In appreciation of their contribution to the promotion and development of Taekwondo, Kukkiwon President Lee Dong-sup presented the government-dispatched Taekwondo instructors with a plaque of recognition.

President Lee Dong-sup said, “Without the continuous sacrifices and hard work of the government-dispatched Taekwondo instructors, the Taekwondo we enjoy today would not exist. Your stories are the very history of Taekwondo. We will always be open to your valuable insights and use them as the foundation for innovation and development of Taekwondo.”

After having conversations in the VIP room, the government-dispatched Taekwondo instructors concluded their visit with a group photo session.

Meanwhile, Kukkiwon expanded its dispatch program last year by adding Cuba and Vietnam as new dispatch countries. Currently, Kukkiwon has dispatched a total of 54 Taekwondo instructors to 54 countries around the world including 20 countries in Asia, 13 in Europe, 12 in the Americas, 7 in Africa and 2 in Oceania.