There is a child paduk (go) master in Chollima District of Nampho City. He is Choe Tae Gwon (pictured), nine-year-old pupil of Chollima Primary School. He began to learn paduk when he was six years old. At that time he was good at playing the piano. His unusual ear, hearing ability, fast way of using his hands and passion surprised kindergarten teachers and other people. “Tae Gwon was so intelligent and passionate that he understood well what he was taught,” recalled Kim Suk Hui, chief of Sari Kindergarten in Chollima District. “He could read moves three months after he started to learn the game and came first at the district competition in five months before winning the city tournament a month later,” said Pin Pong Nam, member of the paduk association of Nampho City. Later, he won the national children’s paduk competition. The novice overpowered all his rivals who had learned the game a few years earlier than him, to the surprise of all experts. “It is common that children make moves according to the situation on the basis of what they have learned, but Tae Gwon likes to play offensive matches by leading them to the direction as he intended from the beginning, not being caught in rules, so as to put opponents on the defensive,” said Pong Nam. “I’ve competed with Tae Gwon on several occasions, and his playing method is very original. He is tenacious in capturing stones,” said Choe Nam Su, a paduk enthusiast. “As if he had a special connection with paduk, my son would forget to have his meals when he played paduk. Sometimes, he would suddenly wake up at night to elaborate his paduk moves,” said his mother Jong Hye Suk. After entering a primary school, he participated in paduk competitions and won every time. Now, it seems that no one can match him in the city. Since he played paduk, his memory and thinking faculty have improved and he is good at his studies in his class. “It takes Tae Gwon only a few hours to understand what others acquired for a few days. Especially, he is unrivalled in mathematics,” said Ham Sun Hui, his class teacher. Tae Gwon has received nine first prizes in three years since he reached six. His parents wish he would become a scientist in the future. By Kwon Hyo Song PT