World Taekwondo, GCS International to Hold Walkathon on 'Island of World Peace' ofJeju

World Taekwondo (WT) andGCS International, a Korea-based, UN-recognized NGO, will bejointlyholding the 2018JejuWorld Peace Walkathon onJeju, the"Island ofWorldPeace," on July 17, 2018.

Under the slogan "Peace is More Precious than Triumph," the charity walking event willlast2 hours from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.It will consist of a 30-minute opening ceremony at theJeju Seaside Art Center;a1-hour,2.3km seaside walk from the Art Center tothe famous tourist attraction ofYongduam Rock; and a 30-minute group photo sessionthere.

Organized by theJeju Taekwondo Association, the GCS KoreaJejuJungang Club, and the 2018Jeju Korea Open International Taekwondo Championships Organizing Committee,the eventwill take placeone day before theopening of the2018Jeju Korea Open tournament – offeringparticipating athletes and officials the opportunity to take part.

The opening ceremony will feature a taekwondo demonstration bysenior citizens.

The ceremony is expected to drawChungwonChoue, president of WT; LeeKyu-seok, a WT vice president and president of the Asian Taekwondo Union; Choi Chang-shin, president of the Korea Taekwondo Association; MoonSeong-kyu, president of theJeju Taekwondo Association and president of the 2018JejuKorea Open International Taekwondo Championships Organizing Committee; Jung Kook-hyun,thenewly appointed secretary general of the Taekwondo Promotion Foundation; Kim In-seon, a member of the WT Council; andLazizKhasanov,thenewlyelected president of the Uzbekistan TaekwondoAssociation.Other WT member association presidents are also anticipated.

Also attending will be Shim Ho-myung, president of GCS International Korea Chapter; Shin Jin-ho, president of the GCS KoreaJejuJungang Club; Huh Jong, vice president of GCS International; andHanSeung-yeon, a member of the GCS International board of trustees.

The aim of thewalkathon is to raise funds, which will be disbursed toorphans,reformatory inmates and victims of natural disasters in developing countries. Walkers are requested to pay aparticipationfee of 10,000 Korean won (U.S.$10) toward this cause, though this is optional.

Those who wish to join the walkathon can sign upbetween 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. both at registration booths at theJeju Seaside Art Center and in the lobby of theJeju Oriental Hotel, the headquarters hotel of the Korea Open.

"Jejuwasdesignated asthe ‘Island ofWorldPeace’ in 2005 and we will reinforce this brand by holding a walkathon to benefit disadvantaged and vulnerable people overseas," saidWT PresidentChungwonChoue. "The timing synchronizes with theJejuKorea Open, reinforcing the message that taekwondo is a combat sport, which aims not at victory or defeat, but at building international fellowship and solidarity."

Choue added that he plans to make the walkathon an annual one – with the next one most likely on Sept. 21, 2019, the UN "International Day of Peace." GCS International promoted the establishment of the "UN International Day of Peace" in 1981.

To fulfill its social responsibility, WT is actively carrying out taekwondo support programs to "empower the powerless" - refugees, orphans,reformatory inmates and victims of natural disasters in developing countries.

Since 2016, WT has run its in-house "Taekwondo Cares" program and in the same year, WT helped establish the Taekwondo Humanitarian Foundation (THF) an independent international NGO in Lausanne, Switzerland. These bodies are now undertaking humanitarian projects in Jordan, Nepal, Turkey and Rwanda, and plan to expand programs to Cambodia, Djibouti, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia and elsewhere.

GCS Internationalwasestablished in 1979 withthree major focuses: goodwill, cooperation and service-contribution. It strives to achieve these by promoting healthy societies, better living, preservation of nature, restoration of human dignity, and promotion of world peace.

With some 40 national chapters, GCS International acquired a special consultative status from the UN Economic Social Council in 1997.In 2016, GCS International signed a memorandum of understanding with WT and the THF to help facilitate taekwondo-based humanitarian projects around the world.

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