Shincheonji Taekwondo Team Dominates International Stage with Clean Sweep at 2025 Park Chung-hee Cup

Team wins 25 medals — 4 Gold, 7 Silver, 14 Bronze — following earlier full medal haul at Kim Un-yong Cup

The Taekwondo team from Shincheonji (New Heaven New Earth) Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (led by Chairman Man Hee Lee) has once again proven its rising dominance in the sport, achieving a clean sweep of medals at the 2025 Park Chung-hee Cup International Open Taekwondo Championships in South Korea.

 

Held from July 18 to 21 at the Sangju Indoor Gymnasium, the event welcomed over 4,200 athletes from 18 countries, including the United States, France, and host nation South Korea. Organised by the Park Chung-hee Cup Committee in partnership with the Gyeongbuk and Sangju Taekwondo Associations, the championship tested athletes in diverse categoriesincluding poomsae (forms), breaking, kicking, sparring, and group performances.

 

Despite a tight training timeline, all 25 New Heaven New Earth Church athletes earned medals in the individual poomsae category on July 19, earning 4 gold, 7 silver, and 14 bronze medals, an extraordinary result that reinforces the team’s international competitiveness.

 

“Even with limited time to train, I focused completely and gave it my all,” said gold medalist Lee Jun-wi. “I’m grateful the effort led to this result.”

 

Team coach Kim Deok-hoon praised the athletes’ composure and grit, “This was a high-level international competition with fierce contenders from Korea and abroad. Our team held their ground and delivered strong performances. We’ll use this experience to refine our training program for even greater results next year.”

 

The win follows the team’s full medal sweep earlier this month at the 2025 Kim Un-yong Cup in Busan, where all 12 athletes secured podium finishes (2 gold, 4 silver, 5 bronze). The New Heaven New Earth Church team also delivered notable results at the 2024 Mungyeong World Taekwondo Hanmadang, with 5 out of 18 competitors medaling, showing consistent progress year after year.

 

Beyond sport, New Heaven New Earth Church actively supports youth and community development through initiatives in faith, culture, and the arts. The church views athletics as a powerful avenue for building character, unity, and global goodwill.