On August 26, the Professora Helena Mafra Public School, located in Mogi das Cruzes (SP), hosted a belt promotion test as part of the “After-School Taekwondo Classes” program. The initiative is organized by the Korean Cultural Center in Brazil (CCCB), under the direction of Cheul Hong Kim, in partnership with the Taekwondo Promotion Foundation. Since 2024, the program has offered four weekly Taekwondo classes at the school as part of the international expansion project of the sport.

Taekwondo masters standing in front of sitting young taekwondo students.

A total of 39 students from the 3rd and 4th grades of elementary school took part in the exam. The evaluation board was composed of Master Yun Cheol Lim, dispatched instructor from Kukkiwon and coach of Brazil’s national poomsae team, and Master Marcelo Yamashita, also coach of the national poomsae team.

During the ceremony, CCCB Director Cheul Hong Kim highlighted the importance of the project: “Our goal is to continue training black belt students at this school, while also giving children from underprivileged areas, who often have limited access to cultural activities, the opportunity to learn about Korean culture through Taekwondo, building discipline and self-confidence”.