Nationwide Martial Arts Masters Compete in Gimhae

2022 Guksul National Championship Held

The scene from the 2019 National Guksul Championship.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] This year's National Guksul Championship will be held for two days starting from the 15th at the Gimhae Gymnasium in Gyeongnam.

Guksul is a comprehensive martial art that modernizes and synthesizes Korea's royal court martial arts, Buddhist martial arts, and Sado martial arts, practiced by more than 6.5 million people in 68 countries worldwide.

Hosted by the Guksulwon, organized by the World Guksulwon, and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Gimhae City, this competition will gather about 700 Guksul practitioners from across the country.

Competitors will compete in seven events?sparring, forms, staff forms, sword forms, self-defense, Guksul archery, and team Guksul archery?across five divisions: kindergarten, elementary, middle school, high school, and university/general.

The overall individual champion will receive the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award, while the runner-up and third place will be awarded the Gimhae Mayor's Award.

Mayor Hong Taeyong said, “It is truly proud that Guksul, which embodies the spirit of our ancestors, is being preserved and developed centered in Gimhae, a city inheriting the brave spirit of the ancient Gaya people. I hope that this competition, held for the first time in three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will lead to the revival of Guksul and contribute to its globalization.”