With Indomitable Mental Strength and Fortitude

Sa Ok Jin, coach of the Taekwon-Do Team of the Korean Taekwon-Do Committee, is one of sportspersons who are adding lustre to the honour of the country with Taekwon-Do, the orthodox martial arts of the Korean nation.

She is known as “a woman with indomitable mental strength and fortitude” and “a woman with strong courage and high ambition” among many Taekwon-Do fans, players and coaches. In the past she won gold medals in the Taekwon-Do World Championships four times.

In December 2009, she was in sickbed as she got hurt in the waist during training in the run-up to the 16th Taekwon-Do World Championships.

Medical workers drew a conclusion that she could not take part in the championships with her condition.

Recalling the past days of sharing joy and difficulties with her coaches and colleagues and exalting the honour of the country, she wetted her pillow with tears every day. Finally, she made up her mind to give up Taekwon-Do.

One day, coach Jang Kyong Ok whom she followed as her mentor and real sister called on her.

Seeing her lying in bed pitifully, the coach said: Ok Jin, why did you take up Taekwon-Do if you give it up halfway. We need an indomitable player who never flinches or wavers despite manifold failures, not like you.

She tried to make an excuse, but the coach left the room without hearing it.

She could not keep lying in bed. She braced herself up.

By displaying strong mental strength and fortitude, she finally became the champion of the 72-kg category in the individual sparring event of the championships, winning five gold medals and the women’s individual technical prize.

After she was promoted to a coach, she steadily explored scientific training means and methods and trained a lot of players into Merited Athletes and People’s Athletes, including Pak Mi Hyang and Kim Kum Jong.

She is a winner of Kim Il Sung Youth Honour Prize and People’s Athlete. She was selected as one of ten best coaches of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in 2021.