Accra, Oct. 11, GNA-Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Education, Science and Sports has charged the Ghana Taekwondo Association to encourage the youth to practice the sport not only for fitness, but also for self-discipline, resourcefulness and national development.

Prof. Fobih made the call in an address read for him at the opening of this year's Korean Cup Taekwondo Championship in Accra on Thursday.

About 120 players drawn from all over the country are taking part in the two-day event which is being sponsored by the Korean Embassy. He said the Ministry is considering sponsoring a team to participate in the 2007 World Taekwondo Federation Championship scheduled for Korea in November to give the players international exposure.

Prof. Fobih advised the participants to pursue good courses and training with relentless effort in order to develop themselves. He also charged them to avoid bad companies, adding, "the future is for you but each and everyone of you must work hard for his or her share of the future."

Mr. Wi Keyei-Chul, the Korean Ambassador to Ghana in an address read for him said Taekwondo is one of the most systematic and scientific Korean traditional martial arts that teaches more physical fighting skills.

He said "it is a discipline and sense of accomplishment that shows ways of enhancing our spirit and life through training our body and minds which had become a global sport and had gained international reputation and stands among the official games in the Olympics. He asked the association not to relent in their effort in the promotion and development of the sport, so that it gathers the needed momentum to be a favourite sport like soccer in the country. 11 Oct. 07