▲ 2023 Asian Peace Student Baduk Competition to be held in Yangyang

The 2023 Asian Peace Student Baduk Competition, which determines the strongest Go player of Asian students, will be held from December 2nd to 3rd in Yangyang-gun, Gangwon State, which is making a leap to a global platform base.

Marking its ninth anniversary this year, the tournament is hosted by the Yangyang-gun Baduk Association and organized by the Korea Youth Baduk Association, the Yangyang-gun Sports Association, the Gangwon-do Baduk Association, and the Asian Baduk Association to convey the message of peace while overcoming the recent geopolitical war phase through Baduk, a long-standing historical event in Asia.

More than 500 students from major Asian countries, including China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines, will participate in the tournament, representing each country like the three countries of Go.

The competition, which will be recruited on a first-come, first-served basis until the 13th, will be held at Yangyang-gun Indoor Gymnasium, with middle and high school students (32 students), elementary school students (32 students), and senior students (4th to 6th grade, 32 students)It will be held in eight categories, including the lower grades (1st to 3rd graders, 32 students), the dream tree (1st to 6th graders), the Saebyeol (120 students in 10 categories of 1st to 6th graders), the strongest kindergarten (16 students), and the general kindergarten (200 students).

Participating students can be selected by anyone living in Asia, and eight categories will be held on December 2nd and 3rd, with prizes ranging from 10,000 won to 500,000 won, certificates and trophies from winners of the round of 16 in each category.

In order to successfully host the competition, the Yangyang Go Association is recruiting Woo Chan-yong, vice chairman of the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Go Association, on a first-come, first-served basis.

The 2023 Asian Peace Student Baduk Competition has been held annually in China, Hong Kong, and South Korea, following the first tournament in Osaka, Japan, and has played a role in expanding the population of baduk as well as delivering the correct brain utilization and peace message of growing teenagers.

In particular, Yangyang-gun and the Yangyang-gun Baduk Association hosted the competition to sublimate it into a place for global character cultivation and peaceful exchange based on their excellent performance in various baduk competitions, including the Gangwon Provincial Sports Festival, and above all, they have operated customized smart baduk classes for three years after COVID-19, driving their use in line with the trend of the times.

In addition, Lee Jang-seop, president of the Yangyang-gun Baduk Association, is said to be maximizing the status of "Global Yangyang Baduk" by attracting the competition in line with the launch of special autonomous provinces such as Yangyang-gun, Gangwon State, and Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province.

Chairman Lee Jang-seop said, "We are carefully preparing for Yangyang-gun's Go to spread the message of peace beyond Gangwon State and South Korea to Northeast Asia as well as Asia as a whole, and to serve as a catalyst for proper values and brain utilization for young people growing up," and added, "We ask for the attention and participation of many people who love and support Go in this Asian Peace Student Baduk Competition."