Taekwondo gets long term support from LG<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Taekwondo Association (TI) has
\naccepted a commitment of long-term support from South Korean-
\nbased LG Electronics Indonesia to further develop the Korean
\nmartial art form of taekwondo here.<\/p>\n
\"Taekwondo is a very popular martial art form in Korea and has
\nreceived international recognition. It is our responsibility to
\ndevelop greater awareness of it,\" the company's president In Ki-
\nkim said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"This year, LG is sponsoring the taekwondo national
\nchampionships for the second time in order to boost the martial
\nart form here. We have made a long-term commitment to developing
\nand promoting taekwondo for five years under a memorandum of
\nunderstanding with TI,\" he added, without stating the actual
\namount of the support.<\/p>\n
In was speaking at a press conference in the leadup to the
\nnational championships which will be held from Thursday to Sunday
\nat the Bung Karno indoor tennis stadium in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He said the company would concentrate on developing taekwondo
\nin Indonesia but will not rule out the possibility of assisting
\nother sports.<\/p>\n
\"LG also cares about the development of other sports but we
\nmust first study the events to be sponsored,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"For the time being, though, we are concentrating on
\nsupporting taekwondo here,\" added In.<\/p>\n
Also present at the press conference were TI chairman Suharto
\nand organizing committee chairman Hardy Wijaya.<\/p>\n
\"The organizing committee has registered 321 participants from
\n24 chapters to participate in the event. There are 137 male
\ntaekwondoins, 98 female taekwondoins and 86 officials,\" Hardy
\ntold the conference.<\/p>\n
\"Participants at the first championship held in 1999 consisted
\nof 167 male and 106 female taekwondoins and 87 officials,<\/p>\n
\"This year our chapters from East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), West
\nNusa Tenggara (NTB) and Central Sulawesi cannot send their
\ntaekwondoins,\" Hardy continued.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Suharto said the national championships was one of
\nthe benchmarks used to select the Indonesian squad for the Kuala
\nLumpur Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in September.<\/p>\n
\"Those who perform well in this event have a greater chance of
\njoining the training program. We will also select taekwondoins
\nwith good results in various international events,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"We expect to have 32 fighters in the training center before
\nbeing squeezed into the core team of 16 fighters,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Regarding Indonesia's chances in the SEA Games, Suharto said
\nTI would concentrate on the lighter weight division instead of
\nthe heavier ones.<\/p>\n
\"We will concentrate on the fin, fly, bantam and feather
\nweight division by preparing our young athletes. The competition
\n(in these division) is also not as tight as in the heavier
\ndivision,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"There is more competition in the heavy division. Besides, our
\nathletes are getting older and we do not yet have young
\ncompetitors in the light, welter, middle and heavy weight
\ndivision,<\/p>\n
\"After the SEA Games, we will continue to groom taekwondoins
\nwith good results for the Pusan 2002 Asian Games. Therefore, the
\nselection process and training program will continue.\" (nvn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/taekwondo-gets-long-term-support-from-lg-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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