Pictured here is Han Jong-jin, president of the 35th Korea Professional Chess Association
○●[ Source: Monthly "Go" March _ People & Go 1 | Han Jong-jin, president of the 35th Korea Professional Chess Association: "Even if you are scolded, you should do the same." ”]
Translation: The Sword of Evil Spirits
Han Jong-jin (43), known as "Grandma's Teacher", was elected as the president of the 35th Korea Professional Chess Association (hereinafter referred to as the president of the chess players).
On January 24, at the 2022 Korea Professional Chess Association (hereinafter referred to as the Chess Association) regular meeting held at the 2nd floor assembly hall of the Korea Chess Academy in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, Han Jong-jin won 168 votes (56.95% of the vote) out of a total of 295 votes (292 valid votes), and defeated Cha Min-so (70 years old) who challenged re-election with a difference of 44 votes.
Han Zhongzhen, the new president of chess players, put forward campaign promises such as "expanding the scale of chess battles and bidding for new competitions", "vigorously supporting the popularization of volunteer causes", "introducing a professional refereeing system", and "solving the problem of retirement consolation funds". The term of office of the Chess Captain is 2 years and can be re-elected. The reporter met with the new president who began working on February 1.
- Congratulations on your election as the Chess Player President. First of all, I would like to listen to the acceptance speech.
First of all, I would like to use the page to thank the majority of chess players for choosing contempt. It is a great honor for me to be the president of the Chess Players. It feels great to be able to vote with former president Cha Min-so, and it means something extraordinary. My colleagues and seniors have entrusted me with a heavy responsibility, and in order to revitalize my expectations, I will strive to fulfill the position of chess player president.
- The president of the chess player has a term of 2 years, long is long, short is short, what do you value most?
So far, most chess players have lived in the category of winning and losing. In this regard, we wanted to find a solution that could combine the "diversity" part. I think it's also important to change the perception of professional chess players – they can become instructors or commentators in addition to the showdown on the field, and they can go to a variety of other fields. I think I also grew up in the process of teaching children in the dojo. I'm going to focus on changing the perception that in addition to playing, professional chess players can have multiple experiences.
- Ask a similar question, have you ever thought about something "must be done" during your tenure?
Because there may be disagreements between chess players, they may often be reprimanded by their predecessors, but I want to see if there is a more effective use of the chess club fund. Due to the use of funds, chess players will be constrained in many ways. I want to negotiate with the majority of chess players and find a way to solve it.
The picture shows the press conference of the Zhongyi Weiding section, and the first left in the picture below is the ninth section of the master Han Zhongzhen
- The number of professional chess players affiliated with the Korea Chess Academy will exceed 400 this year, reaching 393 as of February 25. It's hard for three generations of men, women, and children to blend together, so how do you plan to communicate?
I came to the Korean Chess Academy and was ready to have a more enthusiastic dialogue with the chess players than the previous chess players. I think the gap between them will gradually narrow in the course of the dialogue. I have also been a chess player representative for a long time, and I remember that it is difficult to communicate between chess player representatives (of all generations). I will do everything I can to support my chess player representatives to help communicate what I can to do. Through the delegates, I will strive to listen to and reflect the ideas of the vast number of chess players.
- The first commitment made when participating in the election is related to chess battles such as the Go League, the Future League, and the Chess Club League. How are you going to modify the existing system?
I have also been a coach in the Go League for a long time. Every time, it was regrettable that if there was a short meeting before the opening of the league, when there was a discussion on what matters were wanted, the discussion was often interrupted because of the start of the league, and a hasty decision had to be made. The feeling of a pool of stagnant water cannot be changed for a long time. Since I have become the president of the chess players, from February onwards, I will immediately visit the sponsors with the Korean Chess Academy and hold relevant meetings at any time. Before the start of next season's Go League, I think it's important to have more dialogue, to develop a concrete plan and implement it. I want to start working on this now.
Of course, I also know that there are many difficulties. It is a practical problem that the teams of the Go League are only formed at the opening. But I think if you talk about the direction of the Go league with teams that have been stable for a long time or with a team leader who has an interest, you can find what they and the media want. Now because the opening is approaching, the meeting is too hasty, and everyone is a little dissatisfied. Although what I think is not necessarily achievable, the relevant people of the chess team and the Korean Chess Academy Affairs Group and chess players can come up with a proper plan through a full meeting.
In the case of the chess club league, I have heard a lot of discussions among chess players before, most of them agree, and many people think it is feasible. However, there are also hasty formulations, so I want to discuss in depth ways to improve the quality, character and status of the game, and seek further development options. I want to first set a direction that can be developed in depth at the level of the chess club, and then make up for the shortcomings from it.
- You mentioned the promotion of the Chess Club League. Previously, without consultation with the responsible department of the chess academy, a game announcement was issued from the level of the chess club, which may cause confusion. For example, the counterparty to the game is sometimes appointed by the parties and sometimes changed by the parties, so there are also concerns about false records.
Whatever the problem, it cannot be solved without dialogue. I also often appear at the chess academy to let the staff see my gesture of trying to take the initiative to communicate with them. Not only with the chief of affairs, but also through dialogue with the staff in charge of the frontline, we will listen to each other's grievances and find ways.
Whether to announce and reflect the results of the chess club league to the outside world was decided at the last congress, but as far as I know, there are many chess players who are opposed. Although most chess players are very much in favor of the chess player league, there seem to be a lot of different ideas on the specific methodology. I would like to reconsider these parts. As far as I know, the representatives of the previous Executive Department also gave credit to the current presidency. The most important thing is to discuss the parts that have been decided and find a better way.
- You also mentioned the introduction of a professional refereeing system. While there has been no problem in the World of Go so far, professional journalists in other sports have mostly been surprised that the players are also referees and coaches.
I think the essential problem is that the market size of Go is too small. If you focus on the interpretation and the work of the head coach, you can fully enjoy life and financial leisure by doing your job, but as we all know, this is not the case in the Go world.
I also coached the Go League and also served as the president of the Chess Players. I was in charge of one or two business affairs within my power at the Korean Chess Academy, and as a personal business, I also ran my own Go dojo. The go market is small, so there is also a last resort. But the bigger problem is that some chess players are even ignored. Since the people who are doing this will continue as they are, there will also be many problems.
First of all, if the professional referee system is introduced, the opponent will not have unnecessary misunderstandings and will only concentrate on the game environment; if the professional referee system is implemented, the referees will of course be professional. If professional refereeing becomes a profession, and only serving as a referee can meet a certain degree of livelihood needs, and such a structure can be established, then there will be one more professional group in the Go world. The previous "legislators" culture is gradually transforming into a refereeing system, but so far, there are still many parts in which "legislators" participate, such as the part of the prison yard. I think that in terms of diversity, the value of professional refereeing as a profession should be positioned and recognized.
▲ In the past 5 years since its establishment, han Jong-jin (center), the head coach of the Korean price information team who won the championship in the "KB Kookmin Bank Cup" Go League 2019-2020 season, and the members.
- You also pointed out the issue of retirement consolation payments, and it is estimated that there will be disagreements on whether to approve or not, depending on the stakes. It's not easy to meet everyone, so what solution do you have?
The solution discussed here can only be my subjective idea, so there is an unspeakable secret. I've thought about this part a long time ago and talked to a lot of people about it, so I have my own ideas, but these should wait until the formal meeting with the players and delegates who are interested. After the formal occasion is sorted out, the opinions of the unified chess players will be announced to the public.
Because there is a serious stake, the first thing is to communicate with the representative of the chess players, and after a public hearing and other procedures, it is implemented when the chess players can accept it. Although I have not met all the chess players, because there are many people who feel the same way about my ideas, I think it is possible to solve the problem without hurting each other.
When it comes to retirement consolation payments, senior chess players may have a sense of exclusion, which can only be considered from a defensive point of view. I believe that for the sake of the future generation and the future development of the Go world, only by eliminating this problem can we generate new impetus, and if we are willing to make a decision that takes the overall situation into account, I think it is possible to negotiate together.
- Taking care of the go dojo operation and the Go league coach, your life may be busier than any other chess player now. If you want to be the chess captain at the same time, you may become busier, how do you plan to arrange the time?
Before participating in the election of the chess master, I said that if elected, the operation of the Go dojo would be fully handed over to other coaches. Since I was elected as the president of the chess players, I would never participate in the operation of the Go dojo during my term of office. The Go League coaching position will also be stepped down at the end of the season. The representative of the team boss has been asked for forgiveness. I think the delegates would be happy (laughs).
Served as the coach of the price intelligence team and also won the championship... Although I have a grudge, if I want to lead the chess club, these are the things that must be endured. Since I became the chess player president, I will try to find a way to help my predecessors, especially the younger generations.
-Recently, I have trained many apprentices who have become professional chess players, and I heard that Han Jong-jin's Go Dojo is also famous in Japan for cultivating Nakagyi.
I really enjoy teaching children, but I have to put it down for a while, which makes me very heartbroken. Joong-eun Seol still wants to come to Korea, and she is participating in an online exchange competition with the students of the Go dojo. If there is no COVID-19 epidemic, other Japanese chess players will also have more exchanges, which is a pity.
Before entering the section, Ryūhei Ōnishi had come to Korea to study, and several chess players had also come to study before and after entering the section. Fujisawa would come to study for a month when there was no match, but now he couldn't do it, and he still hoped to return to the past as soon as possible.
- It should be said from time to time that since the popularization of artificial intelligence, the popularity of the Go world has not been as great as before. How to convey hope to professional chess players?
I don't think the popularity of Go has declined due to the popularity of artificial intelligence. I think the decline in the popularity of Go is an essential problem. How can the Go community expand its market and regain popularity with chess fans? I think these parts should be considered.
Han Zhongzhen, president of the Chess Association, stressed: "For the sake of the future generation and the development of the Go community, we must solve the problem of the fund of the Chess Association."
-What kind of position do you think the chess player president is? Usually, I should have something in mind.
In my opinion, the chess player president is a position that represents the rights and positions of chess players. Because this is a position that represents all chess players, I think more should be done based on the right judgment. Because everything I do can be considered the idea of a chess player, this is also a position that requires careful consideration to make a decision.
Whether you open a Go dojo or participate in the election of the president of the chess players, you are challenging what you want to do. Although there are also people who are worried, I am full of emotions and determined to calmly implement the prepared items one by one.
- What things should not be done even if praised, and what things must be done even if scolded?
I have repeatedly stressed that it is necessary to point out the right direction for the difficult problem of the transfer of expenditures of the Chess Club Fund, which I think should be done even if it is trained. Even if the chess players do not praise, this problem must be dealt with. If the chess players praise me, then I think there is nothing that cannot be done. If I had the approval of the chess players, shouldn't I go to the soup for them? [Laughs]
- Yes, what a fool's errand. Finally, what do you want to say to your predecessors, colleagues, and chess fans?
I want to communicate and talk to a lot of chess players and do a lot of things that everyone can accept. In the past, successive chess player presidents were often plagued by rumors and received bad reviews, but I wanted to put these aside and work hard to become an unforgettable chess player president.
During the new crown epidemic, chess players will often be unable to meet the wishes of chess fans, and it is precisely because of the love and support of chess fans that we are today. In order to make the fans more enjoyable to support Go, I will first bother with the fans.
The Asian Games will be held in September this year, and the players representing the country are training hard, and I hope that everyone will support it a lot, just like at the Guangzhou Asian Games. In order to let the players bring good news to the people and chess fans, the Chess Players Association will also fully support it.
Han Zhongzhen Jiudan, who participated in the election of the president of the chess player for the second time and was elected, is the eldest brother of 2 men and 1 woman in the family, and under the persuasion of his father who likes Go, he began to contact Go at the age of 8. During this period, it was briefly suspended, but in the 4th grade, he touched the chess pieces again, fixed the section in the spring of the second year of junior high school, and then moved the family into Beijing. Because I live a busy daily life, I have not yet met the fate of destiny. Professional chess players of all ages, from their 10s to their 80s, can take care of each other, and President Han Zhongzhen's leadership skills are highly anticipated.
(Text/Editor-in-Chief Che Yingjiu, Photo/Reporter Li Zhoupei)