Choue has several visiting professor honors at elite Chinese universities and was the former president of Kyung Hee University in South Korea.
"In many countries, taekwondo is the second biggest sport after soccer," Choue said. "The best part of the sport is it teaches the philosophies of respect to senior people, loyalty to the nation and self-discipline."
The World Taekwondo Federation President Chungwon Choue became the first international federation chief to carry the flame on its route to Beijing. The relay was held in Lijiang, Yunnan, on June 10. [Xinhua] |
"Parents send their kids to do the sport because of this. Westerners also like Oriental sports."
In the 1960s, taekwondo masters traveled from South Korea to many developing countries to teach its national martial art. After the establishment of the WTF in 1973, it became an official sport of the Asian Games and then the Olympics at Sydney 2000.
A total of 64 countries and regions will compete for taekwondo honors this summer, an increase from both the Athens and Sydney Games. There will also be 29 referees from 29 countries and regions, at the Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium.
"I expect 25 countries and regions to win medals at the Beijing Games," Choue said. "What kind of sport can offer that?"
In China, taekwondo has become extremely popular, after the success of Chinese taekwondo athletes at previous Games. About 8 million school children in Sichuan and Henan (home to the Shaolin Temple, the shrine for wushu) practice the art.
For the first time a separate wushu tournament will be held in Beijing during the Olympics. China's wushu officials have been working to make it part of the Olympic program as a demonstration sport.
But with IOC's plan to size down the Games, wushu needs to build its popularity worldwide first, Choue said.
The IOC has voted out baseball and softball from the London Games program, but the two, along with other sports including golf, rugby, squash, karate and roller sports, are aiming at entering the 2016 Olympics.
Before then, however, China must decide on how many wushu genres will be advocated.
"Popularity, that's the first thing. It takes time. If wushu is introduced to more than 150 countries, why not?" Choue said.
