Laos, Korea cooperate in taekwondo for 25th SEA Games
Vice President and Secretary General of the Asian Taekwondo Union , Mr Kyu Seok Lee paid a visit to Minister to the Prime Minister's Office and President of the Lao National Sports Committee, Dr Phouthong Seng-Akhom on Monday.
During the visit, the two sides discussed cooperation efforts between the committee and union for the 25th SEA Games which will be held in Vientiane at the end of this year.
Dr Phouthong said the Lao national taekwondo team is confident of winning gold medals at the games.
The Lao Taekwondo Federation has sent five males and two females to train in the kyorugi (fighting) style in South Korea from August to October, under the guidance of coach Mr Jin Jung Woo.
Three males and females are also training in South Korea in the poom sa (artistic) style.
Dr Phouthong said the Lao fighters are improving under the instruction of South Korean trainers.
He said Mr Kyu Seok Lee was invited to visit the Taekwonodo Training Centre in Vientiane and see what assistance can be provided.
The Booyoung Company, from South Korea , granted US$300,000 (about 2.7 billion kip) in July 2007 to the committee to finance the construction of the centre.
Dr Phouthong said the centre is very important to Laos and demonstrates the close ties between the two nations.
The committee will be responsible for managing the centre once it is complete and the Lao national taekwondo team will train at the venue in the lead-up to the games.
Construction work on the centre is now finished with just detailed work such as painting to be completed. The facility should be ready for use by the end of September.
The Lao national taekwondo team won one silver and five bronze medals at the 24th SEA Games in Thailand in 2007.
By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong