Taekwondo gets long term support from LG

Taekwondo gets long term support from LG

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Taekwondo Association (TI) has
accepted a commitment of long-term support from South Korean-
based LG Electronics Indonesia to further develop the Korean
martial art form of taekwondo here.

"Taekwondo is a very popular martial art form in Korea and has
received international recognition. It is our responsibility to
develop greater awareness of it," the company's president In Ki-
kim said on Tuesday.

"This year, LG is sponsoring the taekwondo national
championships for the second time in order to boost the martial
art form here. We have made a long-term commitment to developing
and promoting taekwondo for five years under a memorandum of
understanding with TI," he added, without stating the actual
amount of the support.

In was speaking at a press conference in the leadup to the
national championships which will be held from Thursday to Sunday
at the Bung Karno indoor tennis stadium in Central Jakarta.

He said the company would concentrate on developing taekwondo
in Indonesia but will not rule out the possibility of assisting
other sports.

"LG also cares about the development of other sports but we
must first study the events to be sponsored," he said.

"For the time being, though, we are concentrating on
supporting taekwondo here," added In.

Also present at the press conference were TI chairman Suharto
and organizing committee chairman Hardy Wijaya.

"The organizing committee has registered 321 participants from
24 chapters to participate in the event. There are 137 male
taekwondoins, 98 female taekwondoins and 86 officials," Hardy
told the conference.

"Participants at the first championship held in 1999 consisted
of 167 male and 106 female taekwondoins and 87 officials,

"This year our chapters from East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), West
Nusa Tenggara (NTB) and Central Sulawesi cannot send their
taekwondoins," Hardy continued.

Meanwhile, Suharto said the national championships was one of
the benchmarks used to select the Indonesian squad for the Kuala
Lumpur Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in September.

"Those who perform well in this event have a greater chance of
joining the training program. We will also select taekwondoins
with good results in various international events," he said.

"We expect to have 32 fighters in the training center before
being squeezed into the core team of 16 fighters," he added.

Regarding Indonesia's chances in the SEA Games, Suharto said
TI would concentrate on the lighter weight division instead of
the heavier ones.

"We will concentrate on the fin, fly, bantam and feather
weight division by preparing our young athletes. The competition
(in these division) is also not as tight as in the heavier
division," he said.

"There is more competition in the heavy division. Besides, our
athletes are getting older and we do not yet have young
competitors in the light, welter, middle and heavy weight
division,

"After the SEA Games, we will continue to groom taekwondoins
with good results for the Pusan 2002 Asian Games. Therefore, the
selection process and training program will continue." (nvn)