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Ceremony of Lighting Flame of IMAG Held

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

    Pyongyang, September 15 (KCNA) -- A ceremony of lighting a flame of the First International Martial Art Games took place outside the Taekwon-do Hall in Pyongyang on Sept. 15 with an attendance of teams and delegates from at least 40 countries. The granite flame holder is symbolic of friendship and unity among the world's martial art practitioners ready to advance hand in hand to build a new independent world.
    Jong Jae Hun, secretary general of the International Martial Art Games Committee who is chairman of the Organizing Committee of the First IMAG, declared the ceremony open.
    Authorized by leader Kim Jong Il, Premier of the DPRK Cabinet Pak Pong Ju handed the torch lit on Mt. Paektu to torchlight holders.
    The flame was lit by man and woman martial art practitioners of the DPRK. Present at the ceremony were Jang Ung, chairman of the IMAGC who is president of the International Taekwon-do Federation, Mun Jae Dok, chairman of the Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission, Mac Harb, president of the IMAGC, and his party, Giuliano Fulvi, chairman of the World Chinese Kung-fu Association, and his party, and Jong Ji Hae, director general of the Physical Culture and Sports Federation of Koreans in Japan, who are guests of honor of the First IMAG, Ri Ki Ha, senior vice-president of the International Taekwon-do Federation, Leong Wai Meng, vice-chairman of the IMAGC who is vice-president of the ITF, foreign diplomatic envoys and staff members of foreign embassies here, foreign guests and overseas Koreans as well as people from all walks of life and sports fans in the city.