More Than 4,200 Participants from 61 Countries Set for World Taekwondo Hanmadang 2026
The traditional Kukkiwon-organized festival will bring together practitioners from five continents from August 1–5, marking the event’s return to the global Taekwondo headquarters after a decade.
A total of 4,261 participants from 61 countries will take part in the 2026 World Taekwondo Hanmadang, scheduled for August 1–5 at Kukkiwon in Seoul, South Korea.
This year’s edition carries special significance, as it will be the first World Taekwondo Hanmadang held at Kukkiwon since 2016. Under the slogan “World Taekwondo Hanmadang, THE FIRST LIGHT,” the event will feature 15 disciplines and 170 individual, team and exhibition categories.
South Korea will field the largest delegation, with 2,986 participants. The remaining 1,275 competitors will come from across the world: 842 from Asia, 252 from Pan America, 127 from Europe, 34 from Oceania and 20 from Africa.
Among the international delegations, China will have the highest number of participants with 189, followed by Malaysia with 140.
Poomsae, Taekwondo Gymnastics and Breaking
Recognized Poomsae will be the most popular individual event, attracting 552 entries. Taekwondo Gymnastics will lead the team events with 911 participants.
The program will also introduce Team Breaking Poomsae as an exhibition event. Designed as a distinct discipline from traditional Poomsae competition, the new category has registered 152 participants for its debut.
The Hanmadang will also highlight Taekwondo’s broad generational reach. The youngest participant will be seven-year-old Kim Tae-won, a 1st Poom holder, while the oldest will be 80-year-old Lee Mun-ho, a 9th Dan holder—a 73-year age difference.
Special Operations at Kukkiwon
The Organizing Committee announced reinforced facility inspections and safety measures due to the age and limited capacity of the Kukkiwon venue.
Preparations also include finalizing the competition schedule, securing breaking materials and coordinating accommodation and transportation for overseas delegations.
The 2026 World Taekwondo Hanmadang will bring the global Taekwondo community back to Kukkiwon, with participating nations comprising 26 from Asia, 15 from Europe, eight from Pan America, eight from Africa and four from Oceania.
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