(LEAD) Two Koreas united in taekwondo demonstration in Seoul

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SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) – South Korean and North Korean taekwondo teams jointly demonstrated the traditional martial art in Seoul on Monday as part of a celebration for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

A group of nearly 70 taekwondo athletes from both sides took the stage at Seoul City Hall, following two previous sessions held in a pre-Olympics opening on Friday and in the eastern port city of Sokcho on Sunday, according to a pool report.

The performance began with the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) team led by the South unfolding a narrative of elaborate kicks with a twist of artistic elements accompanied by grand and cheerful music in the background.

A large banner that read "One World, One Taekwondo" descended from the top when they broke a pine board to the beat of a rock-version of the traditional Korean song "Arirang."

The North's team captivated the audience by demonstrating its skills by the book, showing off hand techniques and defensive tactics. They received an ovation and cheers from the audience as they smashed a 10-cm thick pine board with a single kick and broke 8-cm thick ones with bare hands, with powerful shouts of concentration that resonated across the hall.

Four female athletes from the North stood out as they flung down male partners attacking them from behind. They surprised the audience by smashing 10 pine boards in a row.

Taekwondo is a national sport for both Koreas, but the 70-year division between the two states following the 1950-53 Korean War has brought changes in techniques, game rules and other components. The South has developed taekwondo into more of a global sport for inclusion in the Olympics, whereas the North has maintained its traditional form in the realm of martial arts.

The performance was followed by coaches of the WTF and the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) representing the North. Choi Dong-seong, the WTF coach, held up a pine board for his ITF counterpart Song Nam-ho, who smashed it in the finale.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon delivered a congratulatory speech, calling for another joint sporting event to be held in each other's capital city.

Ri Yong-son, the ITF president, became emotional after the performance and told reporters, "It brings tears to my eyes ... After all the waiting and seeing it happen, it really makes me cry."

"The root of taekwondo is one. It just happens in moments as long as we have our hearts close to each other," he said. "We've stayed apart until now, and now we stand closer and we'll soon see the day."

The North Korean team plans to give another demonstration in a performance hall of the public broadcaster MBC on Wednesday before they head home via a land route the next day.

elly@yna.co.kr
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