The 8th IMG held in Italy

The 8th IMG was held with success from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, 2019 in Carrara, Italy.

The Opening Ceremony of the 8th IMG took place in the “CarraraFiere” located in Carrara, Italy on 31st Oct.

Athletes emerged, artists performed and Mayor of Carrara, Italy, the host city of the 8th IMG, delivered congratulatory speech. Then two athletes from DPR Korea and Italy were on the opening stage with the torch light and the national anthems of DPR Korea and Italy were played.

In the opening ceremony, the world-famous the DPR Korean Taekwon-do Demo Team played amid cheers and praises of thousands of audiences.

The Taekwon-do demo performance showed the spirit, excellence and power of Taekwon-do, the national martial art of Korean people and swept the opening stage with joy and passion.

The participants who watched the demonstration of the DPR Korean Taekwon-do Demo Team in the opening ceremony, unanimously expressed their feelings that the opening ceremony was more splendidly decorated with the Taekwon-do demonstration and offered their sincere thanks to the IMGC for providing them with such a good opportunity.

                                                                  The 10th IMGC Congress

The 10th IMGC Congress was convened in the conference room of “Carrarafiere” in Carrara, Italy on Oct. 31, 2019.
The 10th IMGC Congress was attended by 40 representatives from the international martial art organizations including International Taekwon-Do Federations(ITF), World Karate Confederation(WKC), World Muay Federation(WMF), World Jujitsu Confederation(WJJC), World Judo Federation (WJF), International Oriental Martial Arts Federation, World Federation of Kowart Alrami & Self-defense (WFKA), World Federation of Jujitsu, World Pahuyuth Federation, World Nanbudo Federation, World Jujitsu Kobudo Organization and from the NMGCs including India, England, Scotland, Russia, Australia, Latvia, Iran, Azerbaijan and etc.
The Congress reviewed the IMGC activities for 2 years, approved the affiliation of new members, amended the IMGC Statues, elected the EB members, introduced the chairpersons of the commissions appointed in the EB meeting and decided the next IMG venue and time.
The Congress elected Prof. Dato GM Leong Wai Meng(ITF Vice-President) and Dr. Paul G Hoglund(WJJC President) as Vice Presidents, Mr. Kim Myong Gun as Secretary General of the IMGC.
Dr. GM Rajendran Balan (President Indian Martial Arts Federtaion), GM Mikhail Kolvart (President of Estonian Martial Arts Union), Dr. Walid Kassas (WKAF President), Dr. Vicheslav Timofeev (WKC Vice-President), Ms Gabriela Murg (WMF Vice-President) were elected as members of IMGC Executive Board.
The Congress approved chairpersons of the commissions as follows;
Chairman of Ethic and Verification Commission: Prof. Dato GM Leong Wai Meng, ITF Vice-President
Chairman of Competition and Umpire Commission: Dr. Walid Kassas WKAF President
Chairman of Communication: Mr. Antoni Kraus, WMF Secretary General

Chairman of Finance and Marketing Commission: Mr. Kim Yong Il, Chief Director of International Martial Art Fund.
The Congress admitted the World Pahuyuth Federation and World Federation of Jujitsu as associated members.
The Congress discussed the issue of the venue of the 9th IMG.
Russia, Uzbekistan and Germany applied for the Next IMG venue.

Next IMG Venue

Cheboksary is a capital of Chuvashia Republic, Russia.
The population of the city is about 50 00 00 and it is a river port city where the river Volga and river Cheboksary flow together.
The city began to be built up before 1469 and has historical buildings between 17 and 19 century including the Palace in 1657 and the religious houses. 
Chevoksary has enough experience in terms of organizing the high level sports and culture events including the European Championship on track and athletes field and World Cup free-style wrestling among women and sufficient condition of stadium and hotel to organize the international event.
Chairman of the 9th IMG Organization Committee (OC) is Mayor of Cheboksary, Russia, host city and will be consisted of the officials of the City government related.
They are ready to prepare the event in close contact with the IMGC and trying to provide the intended participants to show their skills to the full.
All the participants shall experience the Russian culture, customs and history in the beautiful Cheboksary city located in the shore of river Volga.

The Commemorative Meeting of 20th anniversary 
of IMGC foundation

The commemorative meeting of 20th anniversary of International Martial Art Games Committee (IMGC) foundation was held on September 17 at the Sci-Tech Complex in Pyongyang.
It was attended by Vice-Premier, Prof. Ri Yong Son, President of IMGC & ITF, Executive Board members, about 40 delegates from 14 countries and about 100 members of IMGC headquarters.
Vice Premier in his congratulatory speech congratulated martial artists on the 20th IMGC founding anniversary on behalf of the DPRK government, saying that since its foundation the IMGC has written a proud chapter in the history of the world’s martial arts for the building of a new peaceful world under the ideal of friendship, cooperation and development.
The DPRK government will extend full support and encouragement to the efforts of the IMGC, he said, expressing the belief that the event would be an important occasion for bolstering up relations of friendship and cooperation between martial artists of different countries and developing the committee.
After that Prof. Ri Yong Son, President of IMGC, Dr. Rajendran Balan, President of Indian Martial Art Games Federation, Prof. Jonathan Makiling, President of International Jendo Federation delivered speeches. 
They mentioned about the successes achieved by the IMGC in the work of founding and strengthening the IMGC organizational base, and the international martial art games turned into the worldwide event for the last 20 years.
The speakers also said that they have to expand IMGC as a stronger control organization and expressed their resolve to work harder to further develop the committee into an organization spearheading the world martial art movement.

The work with the international sports organizations

Prof. Ri Yong Son, the President of IMGC met the officials of the related international sports organizations including Dr. Thomas BATH, the President of IOC who participated to the joint Taekwon-Do demonstration event in Geneva, Switzerland. After the performance Dr. Thomas BATH, the President of IOC expressed his gratitude to Prof. Ri Yong Son, the President of IMGC about the high level demonstrate and congratulated the athletes who showed their high skill. Prof. Ri Yong Son, the President of IMGC met Dr. Thomas BATH, the President of IOC and other delegates of several international organizations and talked about the constructive opinions to improve the martial art including the issues of increasing the cooperation between the international organizations.

The Information Package for the 8th IMG

in Carrara, Italy 2019

The 7th International Martial Arts Games in Minsk, Belarus 2017