Yun Ung-suk elected new president of Kukkiwon in the 2025 elections

Seoul, South Korea – At a critical moment for the institutional future of Taekwondo, Kukkiwon elected its new president. On September 19, Yun Ung-suk, former director of the Kukkiwon Training Center, was elected as the 18th president of the organization after winning a close vote held online using the K-Voting system. His official term will begin on October 7, 2025, and run until October 6, 2028.

Election results Of the total 2,314 eligible voters, 1,561 submitted their votes, representing a turnout of 67.46%. The results were as follows:

Yun Ung-suk (former director of the Kukkiwon Training Center) – 737 votes (47.21%)
Ahn Yong-kyu (former president of the Korea National Sport University) – 544 votes (34.85%)
Ahn Yong-kyu (former president of the Korea National Sport University) – 544 votes (34.85%)
Nam Seung-hyun (former director of the Kukkiwon Demonstration Team) – 280 votes (17.94%)

With this victory, Yun will assume leadership of an institution facing major challenges, both in internal management and in its international projection.

Profile of the new president

Born in Gwangju in 1951, Yun Ung-suk graduated from Gwangju National Teachers College and worked as a teacher before devoting more than 40 years to running his own dojang.

His career includes important roles such as president of the Technical Committee of the Korean Taekwondo Association (KTA), vice president of the KTA, and director of the Kukkiwon Training Center. This experience, which combines grassroots work with central administrative management, is considered one of his main assets for his presidency.

Promises and management priorities

During the campaign, Yun clearly defined his vision: “The crisis of the dojangs is the crisis of Kukkiwon.” Within this framework, he presented a plan based on six key tasks and 24 strategies, including:

Revitalization of the dojangs.
Improvement of masters working conditions.
Administrative reform.
Strengthening the international network.
Modernization of training at the Training Center.
Expansion of Taekwondo values globally.

Statements after his victory

In his acceptance speech, Yun emphasized that his triumph was not personal, but collective:

“This result is not my victory, but the fruit of the efforts of all grassroots leaders and the global Taekwondo family. I promise to deliver on what I said: a united Kukkiwon, where dojangs, masters, and students can feel proud.”

He also emphasized his commitment to action over words:

“I have always promised to respond with facts, not speeches. I will make Kukkiwon a trusted institution in the field and in the world. ‘If the masters prosper, the dojangs prosper; and if the dojangs prosper, Kukkiwon prospers.’ That is my conviction, and I will prove it.”

Immediate challenges

The new administration will have to address urgent issues both domestically and internationally:

In South Korea: the renegotiation of the tests delegation agreement with the KTA, and the review of the sub-delegation set-up with provincial associations.
Globally: the relationship with key federations such as the United States and China, as well as the evaluation of international offices opened by the previous administration.

The biggest challenge will be to rebuild the trust of the global taekwondo community, ensuring institutional transparency, and project strong global leadership at a time when Kukkiwon is under scrutiny by the international community.

A term with the option of continuity

Yun Ung-suk’s term will last for three years, until October 2028. According to Kukkiwon’s statutes, he will be eligible to run for a second term, which would allow him to remain at the leadership of Taekwondo’s most emblematic institution for up to six years.