President of Korea Baduk Federation
Lee Jaeyun
The world baduk players’ grand festival, Korea Prime Minister Cup (KPMC) Baduk Championship, I am truly happy with the host of 16th KPMC.
Starting from 2006, KPMC has been developing year by year. With the title of “World Amateur Baduk Champion”, it has now become such a meaningful competition in terms of Baduk’s globalization, propagation, and development.
Baduk is a mind sport that facilitates brain training, consideration, patience, emotional cultivation, and amicable personal relationship. Also, it shows the life journey, so baduk reveals one’s personality and generosity which helps developing one’s character.
From this 16th KPMC, I hope that the educational positive impact of baduk can be spread out, as well as building a new perspective and value on baduk.
But it is still a shame that the competition is held online due to the covid19 pandemic. On the other hand, I believe it’s fortunate to be able to hold the competition online thanks to the baduk’s distinct characteristics. I really hope that this year’s 16th KPMC can play a significant role in bringing the world baduk fans together as well as facilitating baduk’s globalization, propagation, and development.
I look forward to seeing the Representative players’ enthusiasm as well as their fair play. Hopefully, they can promote friendship and make good memories as well.
To wrap up, I appreciate all of the organizers of this year’s 16th KPMC as well as the prime minister “Kim Boo-kyum”.
Thank you.
President of Korean Sport & Olympic Committee
Lee Kee Heung
Hello beloved world Baduk players, nice to meet you.
At first, I truly congratulate on hosting 16th KPMC Baduk Championship, and welcome aboard, all of the representative players participating in this tournament.
With the expand of sports area, besides the traditional sports that require mainly physical power, “mind sports” which require brain power to win the games are becoming popular worldwide. Baduk is creating a new area of sports, unlike the past where it was just limited to the game and play.
Especially, East Asia’s traditional mind sports “Baduk” has benefits of improving brain’s power, expanding the social relationship, acting as a healthy hobby, etc. I expect more of Baduk’s expand and improvement.
Korea Prime Minister Cup (KPMC) Baduk Competition is the only domestic Amateur World Baduk Championship, starting from the 1st 2006 KPMC, the world best players from more than 60 countries in the continents such as Asia, Americas, Europe, etc. are participating in KPMCs.
Although Covid19 pandemic’s outbreak keeps going on, it is fortunate to host the championship online, thanks to Baduk’s distinct characteristics. I expect Baduk to step up more overcoming the danger of pandemic.
I kindly ask 16th KPMC participants to have a fair and clean attitude for every game, striving for the best. I hope that the online Baduk watchers enjoy seeing the games and create meaningful memories.
Once again, I wish for the 16th KPMC’s successful opening, and I truly appreciate the president of Korea Baduk Federation (KBF) “Lee Jae Yoon” as well as the related people of the 16th KPMC for their sincere efforts.
I wish all the participants’ good luck, and stay healthy.
Thank you.
President of Korea Baduk Association
Chae-Jung LIM
Hello everyone, this is the president of Korea Baduk Association “Lim Chae-Jung”.
I truly congratulate on hosting the 16th KPMC World Baduk Championship.
Since the first 2006 KPMC, it has been developing progressively every year. KPMC also has a role of ‘chance maker’ to excavate great players as well as producing such a valuable title “World Amateur Baduk Champion”
KPMC’s precious reputation has already been proven that the Korean winners of this competition “Kang Chang-bae, Lee Sangheon, Han Seungjoo, Park Jae Geun, Wi Tae-woong, and the second place winners Yoo Byung-Yong and Kim Hee-soo” have succesfully become professional Baduk players.
So far, Korea and China have won the title 7 times per each, proving their strength in Baduk. However, due to the development and improvement of AI, I believe the countries besides East Asia are growing enough to compete with East Asian players. Looking at the recent Amateur Baduk Championship “WAGC”, there were no straight winners, and it was surprising to see the minorities’ noticeable improvement.
It’s a shame that the competition is held online due to covid 19 pandemic, but I still believe it’s fortunate to be able to continue the competition.
64 Representative players from many different countries will be having the matches in their home countries, so I believe they can participate in the competition with the best condition. However, problems can occur at anytime. There are problems such as time difference, but KPMC was already held online last year, so I believe this year’s KPMC will be held nicely without any particular issues.
I wish all the best to the Representative players of 16th KPMC.
To wrap up, I appreciate all of the involved people’s effort for hosting 16th KPMC as well as the prime minister “Kim Boo-kyum”.
Thank you.
Gangneung’s Mayor
Kim-Hangeun
There’s a saying that “baduk is like our life”. Just like putting a baduk stone one by one on the go board, we make up our whole life by accumulating single days. Because of that, there are many baduk terms such as trick, an evil hand, and self-fillment in our language.
Baduk’s history is not quite clear, but as the historians assume it until the Chinese ancient times, it can be referred that baduk is in a deep touch with the citizens in Northeast Asia.
In Asia, chess is receiving attention as the public mind sport, and the interest of baduk keeps increasing in Europe. It has become quite natural that unknown pro baduk players participate in well-known world pro baduk championships.
I truly congratulate on hosting the 16th KPMC. Korea Prime Minister Cup (KPMC) Baduk Championship has a reputation that it is the only amateur world baduk competition, as well as being continued for 15 years. I want to show my sincere appreciation for the effort of hosting the 16th KPMC to the president of Korea Baduk Federation Lee-Jaeyoon, the president of Asian Go Federation Shin-Sangchul, and the organizers.
Baduk Kiwons were common to be seen in the past, but they disappeared a lot through the changes of generation. However, Baduk is getting attention with e-sports as a mind sport nowadays. It is drawing the children and parents’ attention because baduk is helpful for improving the child’s creativity, concentration level, and general brain training.
Although many things are restricted due to covid19 pandemic, I am sure that the online world baduk championship will allow the participants as well as the viewers of the matches to have fun and happiness. I expect that this global world baduk festival will provide rest of mind.
I wish good luck to every 64 Representative player from 64 different countries. Although the competition is held online like last year due to covid19 pandemic, please enjoy the global festival that mixes with east and west.
Thank you.
Governor of Gangwon Province
Choi Moon-soon
Congratulations for hosting the 16th KPMC World Baduk Championship.
It’s a big shame that I cannot see you all at the venue of this year’s KPMC “Gangneung” due to covid19. On the other hand, it is fortunate that the competition is held online instead, and I truly welcome every participant of the 16th KPMC.
I want to show a deep sincere appreciation to the president of Korea Baduk Federation Lee-Jaeyoon as well as the organizers of the 16th KPMC for the effort of notifying the Korea and Korea Baduk’s competence to the world, hosting the 16th KPMC in such a difficult condition.
I expect that Korea and the other 63 countries’ players can become “one” with the baduk spirit in this 16th KPMC World Baduk Competition. I hope that all of the Representative players can reveal their abilities for the most.
Once again, I truly congratulate on hosting the 16th KPMC World Baduk Championship, and I also wish for a successful end of this year’s KPMC with many people’s support.
Thank you.
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