The 2026 Chuncheon Korea Open International Taekwondo Championships opened Saturday at the Songam Sports Town Air Dome in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province.
The five-day competition drew more than 4,000 athletes and officials from 71 countries, making it the largest edition in the event's history.
The Korea Open features a range of disciplines, including WT G2-rated kyorugi and poomsae, G1 virtual taekwondo, and open kyorugi and poomsae, with top-ranked competitors from around the world vying for ranking points and titles.
On the opening day, rain drove participants waiting outside into the Air Dome, and the simultaneous influx of competing athletes and performance spectators created congestion and safety concerns. The Chuncheon Leisure Taekwondo Organizing Committee temporarily moved athletes and spectators outside while conducting a safety inspection of the venue.
Prioritizing the safety of athletes and spectators, organizers rescheduled morning bouts to the afternoon and scaled back the opening ceremony, cutting performances and protocol proceedings.
Chuncheon is cementing its standing as an international taekwondo hub throughout July, hosting the Korea Open on the heels of the recently concluded World Taekwondo Culture Festival. The city has strengthened venue safety management and medical support, and is running a tourism shuttle bus connecting major attractions and the historic city center to improve convenience for participants and visitors.
Following the Korea Open, Chuncheon plans to host the World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships in September. The city is also pushing ahead with plans to build a World Taekwondo (WT) headquarters, accelerating its drive to become a global taekwondo center encompassing international competition, education, exchange and administrative functions.
The Chuncheon Korea Open International Taekwondo Championships launched in 2000 as South Korea's first international open taekwondo competition and has continued through this year. Over the decades, athletes from around the world have gathered in Chuncheon to compete and forge friendships through the sport.
The opening ceremony was attended by WT President Cho Chung-won, Asian Taekwondo Union (ATU) President Kim Sang-jin, Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA) President Yang Jin-bang, and a host of domestic and international taekwondo officials and athletes.
Yuk Dong-han, chairman of the Chuncheon Leisure and Taekwondo Organizing Committee, said the Korea Open is "a precious asset our city has nurtured over 26 years," adding that he would work to make Chuncheon "a global taekwondo hub where international competition, education, training and exchange continue year-round, and ensure the tournament's success translates into benefits for the local economy and tourism.".
abc@heraldcorp.com
