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)