By Kim Hyelin and Yoon Sojung
Video = Taekwondowon's official YouTube channel 

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Sept. 4 released on its social media network a video to mark the 14th annual Taekwondo Day.

The video was jointly produced by the ministry, Taekwondo Promotion Foundation, Kukkiwon World Taekwondo Headquarters, World Taekwondo, Korea Taekwondo Association and Taekwondo Association for the Disabled.

In the video titled "Taekwondo, We Are All Champions!" Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hwang Hee and the heads of the five taekwondo organizations delivered a message of comfort and hope to the public and taekwondo circles suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The video also introduces the 12 people who received the culture minister's award for their contributions to the martial art's development.

Taekwondo Day was officially designated in 2008 with the enactment of the Act on the Promotion of Taekwondo and Creation of Taekwondo Parks. The date of Sept. 4 commemorates the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) adoption of taekwondo as an official event in the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics at the IOC's general assembly on Sept. 4, 1994.

Meanwhile, the U.S. state of California also held an event on Sept. 4 to mark Taekwondo Day. The Korean Cultural Center in Los Angeles at a ceremony awarded a ministry plaque of appreciation to California Sen. Dave Min, whose role helped the state officially designate Sept. 4 as Taekwondo Day.

kimhyelin211@korea.kr