Yoon Dispatches 'Minister of Land and Boxing Legend Hong Soo-hwan' as Special Envoy to Panama President's Inauguration Ceremony

Minister Park Sang-woo of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, including Honorary Chairman Hong Su-hwan
Panama, Central America's largest trading partner... "Cooperative development"
Hong Su-hwan, the '4 Wins 5 Losses' legend in Panama in 1977

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the '1st Meeting of the Mental Health Policy Innovation Committee' held on the 26th at the National Center for Mental Health, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol will send a congratulatory special envoy delegation composed of Park Sang-woo, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Hong Soo-hwan, honorary chairman of the Korea Boxing Commission and a 'boxing legend,' to the inauguration ceremony of Panama's new president, Jos? Ra?l Mulino, scheduled for the 1st of next month, the presidential office announced on the 28th.

The presidential office explained, "Panama is the central hub for shipping and logistics in Latin America and serves as a key gateway for our companies' entry into Latin America, as well as being our largest trading partner in the Central American region." It added, "Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1962, the two countries have steadily developed a friendly cooperative relationship in various fields such as politics, economy, and infrastructure."

As of last year, the trade volume between South Korea and Panama amounted to 1.42 billion USD, accounting for about 41% of the total trade volume (3.434 billion USD) between South Korea and the eight Central American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Belize, and the Dominican Republic).

President Yoon plans to convey a congratulatory message to the new Panamanian president through the special envoy delegation and deliver a letter expressing his intention to closely cooperate to further strengthen bilateral relations.

Additionally, the special envoy delegation will carry out schedules including meetings with high-ranking Panamanian officials, gatherings with the Korean community, and visits to Korean company sites.

Hong Soo-hwan, Honorary Chairman of the Korea Boxing Commission, is entering the press conference for joining the party held at the Central Party Office of the Liberty Unification Party in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the morning of March 12. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Honorary Chairman Hong Soo-hwan, a former professional boxer included in the special envoy delegation, has a deep connection with Panama from his athlete days.

On November 27, 1977, at the New Panama Gymnasium in Panama, he fought H?ctor Carrasquilla in the inaugural WBA junior featherweight title match. Despite being knocked down four times in the second round, he got back up and won by KO with a left hook in the third round, creating the legendary "4 tries, 5 attempts" myth.

Hong, who became a national hero by winning the WBA bantamweight title in South Africa in 1974, famously said during a phone call with his mother right after the match, "Mom, I became the champion."

After retiring, he worked as a boxing commentator and, in March 2022, ahead of the presidential election, supported then-People Power Party candidate Yoon Suk-yeol by gifting him boxing gloves.