President Park Geun-hye, on her four-state visit to the Middle East, attended a taekwondo demonstration on March 7 in Doha, Qatar, the final stop on her tour.
The demonstration, titled Bisang (비상, 飛上), meaning “soaring,” was put on by a group of young taekwondo practitioners from Qatar, in cooperation with the Kukkiwon, the sport's official governing body. It was part of a special event that focused on exchanges in the arts, sports and traditions between Korea and Qatar. The title implied the hope that the two countries would, “march together and soar together,” organizers said.
Qatar has a high interest in the martial art, as evidenced by the number of local practitioners, which amounts to more than 3,000. On March 5, the Arab nation played host to the first Qatar International Taekwondo Open, the first taekwondo competition in the country. It attracted practitioners from more than 30 countries from around the world, coming together to compete with one another.
The event also featured musicians from both countries. The fusion gugak team Coreyah was from Korea and there was also a group of traditional performers from Qatar, as well. They collaborated together, with each group playing traditional musical instruments from its own country.
The Seoul-based b-boy dance troupe Jinjo Crew, too, showed off its world-class dance moves.
“It was such a good time to rediscover the traditions and charms of taekwondo,” said President Park in her remarks after the show. “It was a kind of fusion show using martial arts and traditional music, as young taekwondo practitioners, musicians and artists from both countries mingled together.”
“Hopefully, the international taekwondo competition underway in Qatar will bring together the whole world, as well as the Qatari people,” the president added. “I also hope that the two countries will further expand bilateral exchanges, not only in martial arts, but in more areas, including sports and other arts & traditions, as well.”
She then expressed her hope that Korean businesses’ would be able to participate in the construction of infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup, to be held in the country. “Korea hosted the 2002 World Cup. We hope to share our experience with Qatar to make the upcoming soccer event a success.”
By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Cheong Wa Dae
jiae5853@korea.kr
President Park Geun-hye (front, left) delivers words of encouragement to a Korea-Qatar taekwondo team in Doha, Qatar, on March 7. Next to the president is Qatari Minister of Culture, Arts & Heritage Hamad Bin Abdulaziz al-Kuwari.
President Park Geun-hye (right) encourages each of the young Qatari taekwondo practitioners after they gave a taekwondo demonstration in Doha, Qatar, on March 7.
The demonstration, titled Bisang (비상, 飛上), meaning “soaring,” was put on by a group of young taekwondo practitioners from Qatar, in cooperation with the Kukkiwon, the sport's official governing body. It was part of a special event that focused on exchanges in the arts, sports and traditions between Korea and Qatar. The title implied the hope that the two countries would, “march together and soar together,” organizers said.
Qatar has a high interest in the martial art, as evidenced by the number of local practitioners, which amounts to more than 3,000. On March 5, the Arab nation played host to the first Qatar International Taekwondo Open, the first taekwondo competition in the country. It attracted practitioners from more than 30 countries from around the world, coming together to compete with one another.
The Kukkiwon's taekwondo demonstration team performs with a group of young Qatari practitioners in Doha, Qatar, on March 7.
The event also featured musicians from both countries. The fusion gugak team Coreyah was from Korea and there was also a group of traditional performers from Qatar, as well. They collaborated together, with each group playing traditional musical instruments from its own country.
The Seoul-based b-boy dance troupe Jinjo Crew, too, showed off its world-class dance moves.
Musicians from Korea and Qatar play in a joint performance, each musician playing a traditional musical instrument from his or her own country, in Doha, Qatar, on March 7.
“It was such a good time to rediscover the traditions and charms of taekwondo,” said President Park in her remarks after the show. “It was a kind of fusion show using martial arts and traditional music, as young taekwondo practitioners, musicians and artists from both countries mingled together.”
“Hopefully, the international taekwondo competition underway in Qatar will bring together the whole world, as well as the Qatari people,” the president added. “I also hope that the two countries will further expand bilateral exchanges, not only in martial arts, but in more areas, including sports and other arts & traditions, as well.”
She then expressed her hope that Korean businesses’ would be able to participate in the construction of infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup, to be held in the country. “Korea hosted the 2002 World Cup. We hope to share our experience with Qatar to make the upcoming soccer event a success.”
By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Cheong Wa Dae
jiae5853@korea.kr
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