On March 24, the FIDE President arrived to Seoul where he met with Ms. Hyun In Suk, President of South Korean Chess Federation, and Mr. Ji-Young Kim, Chairman of NOC Foreign Affairs Commission. The both sides discussed the implementation of Chess in Schools programme paying attention to the possible cooperation with another widespread mind game – go. Ms. Hyun told about the success and difficulties they face in this direction and in particular in Incheon, she also added that Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s presidential position in IMSA could greatly help. The FIDE President and Mr. Ji-Young exchanged their opinions on the inclusion of chess in the programme of the Olympic Games. In the coming years South Korea will host the Winter Olympic Games, Asian Games and Summer Universiade, the infrastructure of the country allows organizing the official chess competitions including the 2020 World Chess Olympiad.


Meeting with leadership of South Korean Chess Federation: Mr. Song Jinwoo, General Secretary, Ms. Hyun In Suk, President, and Mr. Jeon Seong-chu, Manager


With Mr. Ji-Young Kim, Chairman of NOC Foreign Affairs Commission


The same day President Ilyumzhinov met with the 10th South Korean President Mr. Lee Myung-Bak…


… and the Russian Ambassador to South Korea Mr. Konstantin Vnukov


Before leaving Seoul, the FIDE President met with Ms. Hyun In Suk to discuss the plans on holding the official FIDE competitions in South Korea. At the meeting also present was the senior counsellor of Russian Embassy, Mr. Alexander Minaev, and the monk of the famous Buddhist temple in Seoul.