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What's Next?

Will Taekwondo be kicked out of the Olympic Games? January 25, 2004. Hwan-Soo Zang (zangpabo@donga.com)

As the International Olympic Council has decided to suspend Kim Un-yong, the vice president of IOC, who is under investigation for suspicion of corruption, Taekwondo faces a brand-new crisis as it attempts to maintain its status as an official sport in the Olympic Games," Los Angeles Times reported on January 25. It is expected the disciplinary measure imposed on Kim Un-yong will probably influence the seat of Taekwondo in the Olympic Games.

Taekwondo, the most prevalent form of martial arts in the world, was qualified as an official sport in the Sydney Olympics, accounting for eight gold medals in four weight classes. Previously, it was selected as an exhibition event in the Atlanta Olympics.

For the 2008 Beijing Olympics, however, China has actively lobbied Olympic officials to promote its national martial art, Wushu, as an official sport of the Olympic Games, in place of Taekwondo. In addition, Japan has also persuaded the IOC members to kick Taekwondo out from the Olympic Games, in order to make its martial arts, Karate, an official sport.

Whether or not Taekwondo is to remain in the Olympic Games will be judged at the conference of IOC, which is scheduled to be held this August. If Taekwondo is expelled from the Olympic Games, the objectivity of Korea, poised to achieve a number 10 medal ranking in the Athens Olympic Games, will come into question.

On the other hand, United States Olympic Council will decide whether or not to expel the Unites States Taekwondo Association, due to its unclear accounting practices and unreasonable devotion to Korea.

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