sports

Former Taekwon-Do star becomes competent coach

Sa Ok Jin, a coach of the Ryongaksan Taekwon-Do Team, was selected as one of top ten coaches of the DPRK for the second time after 2021.

Once, she was a Taekwon-Do star who was well known in the international arena.

She cut a conspicuous figure at national competitions to attract the attention of experts and fans. And then she achieved marked successes in the international events including the Taekwon-Do World Championships from the 13th to the 16^th round.

During her playing career she won two individual technical prizes and over 30 medals including 23 golds and became winner of Kim Il Sung Youth Honour Prize and People’s Athlete.

After graduating from Korea University of Physical Education with honours, she worked as a Taekwon-Do coach and attained as immense successes as she had done as a player.

The players in her charge were very successful in several rounds of the Taekwon-Do World Championships to become People’s Athletes, Merited Athletes, two-time world champions and world champions.   

In particular, she coached senior women players of the DPRK team to success in all the eight weight categories of the women's individual sparring event at the 22nd Taekwon-Do World Championships. It was an unprecedented success in the history of the world championships.

Able coach

Pak Chol Jun is a boxing coach of the Kumgangsan Sports Team.

Known as an able coach in the country’s boxing circles, he has so far been selected as one of top ten coaches of the DPRK six times.

After finishing his playing career and becoming a coach, he set it as his invariable goal to win gold medals and put his heart and soul to achieve it.

His efforts served as the stairs and stepping stones to the winner’s podium.

His players achieved proud successes in the international tournaments.

Coached by him, Pang Chol Mi became a world champion. She won the women’s 52kg title at the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships 2025 to be crowned world champion again.

With strenuous efforts

Choe Hyong Chol, marathon coach of the Amnokgang Sports Club, was born to a farmer’s family.

He was very good at running from his childhood and began to run marathon.

During his playing career at the Amnokgang Sports Club, he won national competitions several times and finished in the top three at international games.

As a coach he worked hard for nearly 30 years to achieve remarkable successes in marathon.

Like marathon runners running a long distance, his efforts were very strenuous and such efforts led him to a series of successes.

Several of his players notched up notable successes at international competitions. Han Il Ryong won first place in the men’s marathon at the 20th Asian Marathon Championships held in March last year by renewing the record of the Asian Marathon Championships and received a gold medal in the men’s 5 000m race at the Chinese Taipei Athletics Open 2025 held in June.

Choe Hyong Chol, Merited Athlete, has so far been selected as one of top ten coaches of the DPRK three times.