On Tuesday, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was awarded a ninth-degree black belt, the highest distinction in taekwondo, by Chungwon Choue, president of World Taekwondo (WT), during his visit to Astana.
The WT president arrived in Kazakhstan to attend the Kazakhstan Open 2025, an international G-1 ranking tournament taking place from August 14-16. More than 750 athletes from 22 countries will compete in three age categories: cadets, juniors, and adults.
On the eve of the tournament, Tokayev presented Choue with the Order of Dostyk, Second Class, in recognition of his contribution to the global development of taekwondo. In return, Choue awarded the Kazakh leader the ninth-degree black belt, symbolizing the highest level of skill and knowledge in the sport.
Tokayev said Choue’s visit was a significant event for Kazakhstan’s sporting community and reaffirmed World Taekwondo’s readiness to support the discipline’s growth in the country. Hosting major international competitions in Astana, he noted, will create new opportunities for Kazakhstani athletes and strengthen the national federation’s position.
Earlier, Choue met with Gennady Golovkin, President of the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan, to discuss the future of taekwondo in the country. The WT president announced that e-Taekwondo will be added to the Youth Olympic Games and continental championships from 2026. Kazakhstan has already secured the right to host the Grand Prix Final in 2026 and is preparing a bid for the 2027 World Championships.
As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Taekwondo has been part of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games program and has featured in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games since 2000.
