VANK has launched a campaign encouraging people in Korea and abroad to share their personal experiences with Taekwondo and promote the martial art’s history and cultural value to the world, as discussions continue over its proposed inscription on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
VANK announced on Nov. 11, 2026, the launch of its “We Are All Global Taekwondo Ambassadors” campaign, which invites citizens to post their Taekwondo stories on social media using the hashtag “#TaekwondoFromKorea.” The initiative aims to broaden international awareness of Taekwondo’s Korean origins and its training traditions, rather than allowing current discussions over UNESCO inscription to focus solely on which of the two Koreas should be recognized first.
The campaign follows a Nov. 5 recommendation by the Evaluation Body of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage to inscribe North Korea’s nomination, titled “Traditional Martial Arts of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea—Taekwondo,” on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The final decision is scheduled to be made at the committee’s 21st session in Xiamen, China, from Nov. 30 to Dec. 5, 2026.
Korea also submitted a nomination in March under the title “Taekwondo: The Culture of Training in Korean Dojang Communities.” With both Koreas pursuing UNESCO recognition for Taekwondo, the issue has drawn attention to the martial art’s history, development and cultural identity.
VANK said its campaign seeks to move beyond the debate over inscription and encourage people to share the history and spirit of Taekwondo, which originated in Korea and has become a global martial art.
Sharing Personal Stories to Promote Taekwondo Worldwide
Participation is simple: people are encouraged to post personal memories of Taekwondo on social media, such as their first day at a local dojang, the moment they earned a new belt, lessons learned from an instructor or the experience of training with others. They are also invited to share VANK’s campaign poster with friends and acquaintances overseas.
The poster features two athletes wearing blue and red protective gear sparring, alongside the campaign title, “We Are All Global Taekwondo Ambassadors,” and the slogan, “Show the World Your Taekwondo.”
Rather than focusing solely on competitions and spectacular demonstrations, VANK hopes to highlight the everyday experiences of practitioners and show how Taekwondo has become part of people’s lives around the world.
The organization also points to the continued use of Korean language and etiquette in Taekwondo training and competitions overseas. World Taekwondo, headquartered in Seoul, has members from approximately 210 countries and regions, and the sport has been an official Olympic event since the 2000 Sydney Games.
At competitions around the world, referees use Korean commands such as “Chareot” (Attention), “Gyeongrye” (Salute) and “Sijak” (Start), while practitioners at dojangs overseas learn techniques and follow instructions using Korean terminology. VANK says the martial art has spread internationally alongside elements of Korean language, etiquette and training culture.
Building on Earlier Global Promotion Efforts
The campaign builds on VANK’s previous efforts to promote Taekwondo internationally. In January 2023, the organization launched a global website titled “Taekwondo, the Martial Art for Everyone,” introducing the martial art’s history, values and connections to Korean culture. It also produced and distributed 8,000 Korean- and English-language Taekwondo world maps overseas.
Park Gi-tae, Director of VANK, said efforts to secure UNESCO recognition for Taekwondo involve both the government and the Taekwondo community. He urged the public to help ensure that the inscription process becomes an opportunity to promote the martial art’s values of etiquette and discipline, rather than a dispute over which side came first.
Hwang In-seon, a VANK youth researcher who led the campaign, said Taekwondo’s value should not be measured solely by which country first secures its inscription on an international heritage list. She noted that practitioners at dojangs around the world continue to train using Korean commands and encouraged anyone with experience of Taekwondo to share their stories.
VANK plans to promote the campaign through its official social media channels and release additional content on Taekwondo’s history and training culture, including English-language materials to encourage participation by practitioners overseas. It also plans to use its participatory platforms, including “AI Legislator” (peoplevision.one) and “AI International Organization” (earthvision.one), to encourage citizens to propose policies for promoting Taekwondo abroad and share their views on international issues.