His name was present at every milestone as Korean judo built its standing on the world stage. As an athlete, he stood on the podium at the Olympics and World Championships. As a mentor, he produced countless national team athletes and coaches. As an administrator, he helped shape the future of Korean judo.
Cho Yong-chul, a professor in the judo coaching department at Yongin University, brought 42 years of academic life to a close Tuesday with his retirement ceremony. The event, held at Yongin University, was more than a farewell to one educator — it was a tribute to a veteran figure who had shared in an entire era of Korean judo.
University officials, fellow professors, students, alumni and judo community leaders turned out in large numbers. The ceremony featured a commemorative video, congratulatory speeches, a farewell address and the presentation of a merit plaque, with attendees offering warm applause to a man who had devoted decades to Korean judo.
Lee Cheon-woo, president of the Seoul Metropolitan Judo Association and executive vice president of Yongin University's general alumni association, said in his congratulatory remarks that Cho was "a true educator who dedicated himself to nurturing the next generation and contributed greatly to the development of Korean judo." Lee added that he hoped Cho would "continue to play a major role in advancing Korean judo," noting that his selfless habit of putting colleagues and juniors before himself had long made him a model for the judo community.
A true educator who raised people, not just results
Cho is credited with rewriting the history of Korean judo's heavyweight division. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, he became the first Korean heavyweight judoka to win an Olympic medal, then claimed the world title at the World Judo Championships the following year, announcing Korea's competitive arrival on the global stage. He added a gold medal at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games and another medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, leaving behind a record as a two-time consecutive Olympic medalist.
But his judo life did not stop at medals. After retiring from competition, he devoted himself to developing the next generation from the mat and classroom at Yongin University. Many of his former students — now athletes, coaches, referees and sports administrators — continue to lead Korean judo at home and abroad.
Cho placed greater emphasis on developing people than on competitive results. He went beyond teaching technique, pouring his energy into passing on the spirit of judo — patience, self-discipline and respect for one's opponent. His conviction was that the mat is not merely a place to win or lose, but a space where people grow.
"The time I spent with students at Yongin University was the greatest blessing of my life," Cho said. "Seeing my students lead Korean judo from their own positions is the greatest reward I could ask for as an educator."
As Korea Judo Association president, Cho led push to broaden the sport's base
His contributions extended well beyond the classroom. After serving as chair of the Korea Judo Association's international evaluation committee, executive director and standing vice president, he took on the presidency, working to develop athletes, raise competitive standards and expand judo's grassroots reach. He also served as secretary-general and education committee chair of the Asian Judo Union, championing international exchange and coach education. The experience he accumulated at the top of the sport as an athlete, he channeled into education and administration, broadening Korean judo's competitive foundation.
At Yongin University, he served as dean of the College of Martial Arts and dean of the graduate school, strengthening the academic and research base for sports education while bridging the university and the wider judo community.
"Retirement is not an end but a new beginning," Cho said. "Now it is the turn of the younger generation to write an even greater chapter in Korean judo's history. I will be ready to lend my strength whenever I am needed."
What he leaves behind after 42 years is more than medals and records. A world champion became a teacher who raised people, then an administrator who prepared Korean judo for the future. Though he steps down from the podium, the legacy Cho Yong-chul has written into Korean judo will live on through the challenges his students and successors take on for years to come.
7toy7@heraldcorp.com
