The Californer - Shincheonji Reaches World-Class Level At International Taekwondo Competition

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Shincheonji Taekwondo Team Commemorative Photo

Bae Do-won, SCJ Athlete performing poomsae

Jung Jun-Yong, SCJ Athlete performing poomsae

Lim Chang-hyun, SCJ Athlete performing poomsae

At the '2025 Park Jung-hee Cup International Open Taekwondo Championships,' every member of the team achieved 4 gold, 7 silver, and 14 bronze medals— this marks the second consecutive competition where all members won awards.

CANBERRA, Australia - Californer -- The Taekwondo team of Shincheonji Church of Jesus (Chairman Lee Man-hee) proved their skills again on the international stage as all team members won medals at the '2025 Park Jung-hee Cup International Open Taekwondo Championships.'

The Championships was hosted by the Park Jung-hee Cup Organizing Committee, and co-organized by the Gyeongbuk Taekwondo Association and Sangju City Taekwondo Association. From July 18 to 21 at the Sangju Indoor Gymnasium, more than 4,200 athletes from 18 countries came, including South Korea, the USA, and France. The tournament included various categories such as team demonstrations, breaking, poomsae (forms), kicking, and sparring, allowing a comprehensive evaluation of participants' abilities.

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On July 19, 25 athletes from Shincheonji's Taekwondo team competed in the individual-recognized 'poomsae' category, winning an impressive total of 4 gold medals, 7 silver medals, and 14 bronze medals—achieving the remarkable feat of having every team member place.

Gold medalist Lee Jun-wi said, "Although the training time was not sufficient, I tried to stay as focused as possible within the given time, and I'm thankful that the effort led to such great results."

Head coach Kim Deok-hoon stated, "As this was an international-level competition, it created a highly competitive environment. I'm proud that our athletes showcased their skills without wavering. Based on this experience, we will systematically prepare training programs and strategies so that we can participate with more athletes and improved performance next year."

In addition to this achievement at the Park Jung-hee Cup, the Shincheonji Taekwondo team also had all members win medals earlier this month at the '2025 Kim Un-yong Cup International Open Taekwondo Championships' held in Busan. At that event, 12 athletes participated, securing 2 first-place finishes, 4 second-place finishes, and 5 third-place finishes, continuing their record of consecutive wins in international competitions.

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Furthermore, at last year's '2024 Mungyeong World Taekwondo Hanmadang,' 5 out of 18 participating athletes from the team earned awards. The team continues to achieve excellent results in domestic and international competitions every year and has established itself as a representative team combining skill and stable management.

Shincheonji Church of Jesus actively fosters talent and promotes healthy community activities not only in faith but also in sports, culture, and arts. Moving forward, the church plans to continue contributing to society and encouraging healthy lifestyles through sports.