Jang Chang-sun, a national sports hero and pioneer of Korean wrestling, died Monday.
The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee said it would hold a state funeral in his honor, noting that Jang was named a National Sports Hero by the committee in 2014 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the development of sports in South Korea.
A memorial altar has been set up at the funeral hall of Inha University Hospital, Room 1. The funeral procession will depart Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., with burial at a family plot in Yangdo-myeon, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon.
Jang won a silver medal at the 1962 Jakarta Asian Games and another silver at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. At the 1966 World Wrestling Championships in Toledo, Ohio, he became the first South Korean athlete to win a gold medal at a world championship, marking a new milestone in the country's sports history.
That first world championship title by a South Korean athlete brought the nation immense pride and hope, and is widely regarded as a turning point that established South Korea's competitiveness on the world stage.
After retiring from competition, Jang served as a national team coach, executive director and vice president of the Korea Wrestling Federation, and head coach of Samsung Life's wrestling team, devoting himself to developing the next generation of athletes and advancing Korean sports. He played a particularly significant role in establishing an overseas training camp system, laying the operational groundwork for the Taereung National Training Center, and building the foundation for the athletic pension system. He also became the first gold medalist to serve as director of the Taereung National Training Center, leading the advancement of elite sports in South Korea. He further contributed to regional sports development as a member of the bid committee and an executive committee member of the organizing committee for the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.
In recognition of his contributions, Jang received presidential commendations in 1964 and 1994, the Korea Sports Award in 1965, the Order of Civil Merit Magnolia Medal in 1970, and the Order of Sports Merit Pegasus Medal in 1985. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame when he was named a National Sports Hero in 2014 for his contributions to the development of sports in South Korea.
Korean Sport & Olympic Committee President Yoo Seung-min expressed his condolences, calling Jang "the first world championship gold medalist from South Korea and a trailblazer who opened a new chapter in Korean sports history." He added, "We will long remember and carry forward the noble spirit and achievements of a man who devoted his entire life to his country and the advancement of sports, together with all athletes across South Korea."
yjc@heraldcorp.com
