Yang Jin-bang, the President of the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA), officially announced his candidacy for the presidency of the Asian Taekwondo Union (ATU) last week during a gathering with the leaders of 17 regional federations in Daejeon, where he garnered their backing.
Yang’s candidacy carries considerable significance. Should he be elected ATU president, he will need to resign from his role as KTA president within one month. In such a scenario, his tenure as KTA’s leader will end in October, resulting in a new election for the KTA leadership.
A major challenge for Yang will be to achieve unity with other possible Korean candidates for the ATU presidency, such as Kim Sang-jin and Jung Kook-hyun.
Yang’s expressed goal in seeking the ATU presidency is to lay the groundwork for a successful attempt at the World Taekwondo (WT) presidency in four years, as WT’s current president Chungwon Choue plans to seek a final term in 2025.
Even with support from regional KTA leaders, Yang encounters domestic criticism regarding his choice to pursue the ATU leadership shortly after accepting the KTA presidency.
At present, Yang is actively campaigning by engaging with national association presidents, influential figures, and executive committee members within the ATU to secure their support.
Concerning his ambitions, Yang highlighted the necessity of contemplating the future of Taekwondo and ensuring South Korea’s dominance in the global sport in the upcoming years. He recognized the challenges of unifying domestic candidates for the ATU role, mentioning that it should evolve naturally.
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Ehatasamul Alom is an esteemed Taekwondo 3rd Dan Black Belt with over 12 years of experience in this dynamic martial art. Born in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, Ehatasamul’s journey with Taekwondo began at the tender age of seven. His passion led him to compete at national and international levels, where he has bagged numerous awards and honors. He is also a member of the Taekwondo National Referee Panel.
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