Hyun Jung-hwa "These days I think of North Korean player Ri Bun-hui... She has a strong competitive spirit"

On the 22nd, former table tennis player Coach Hyun Jung-hwa (51) appeared on KBS 1TV's 'Morning Yard' to share her recent updates. Photo by KBS 1TV 'Morning Yard' broadcast screen capture

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Seul-gi] Former table tennis player and coach Hyun Jung-hwa (51) shared an update on her recent life.

On the 22nd, KBS 1TV's 'Morning Yard' featured a special segment on national team athletes, with former national table tennis player Hyun Jung-hwa appearing as a guest.

During the broadcast, Hyun Jung-hwa expressed her longing for North Korean player Ri Bun-hui, whom she met as part of the unified North-South Korean team at the 1991 Chiba World Table Tennis Championships.

Hyun said, "It has been 30 years, and I have not seen her since. I never thought we would be apart for such a long time. When topics about North and South Korea come up these days, I think of her a lot."

Hyun also revealed her beliefs about table tennis. She said, "For me, table tennis is simply life. The more you practice, the better you get. We used to practice for more than 5 to 6 hours a day."

She added, "I usually enjoy hiking. I once reached the summit of Cheonggyesan Mountain in 35 minutes. I have a strong competitive spirit. I get eager and climb quickly. Also, my body is light, so I am good at climbing mountains," which surprised many.

She continued, "Walking exercise is necessary. Even these days, I run on the treadmill once or twice a week."

Meanwhile, Coach Hyun Jung-hwa was a national table tennis player at the 24th Seoul Olympics in 1988. Later, she served as the head coach of the national table tennis team at the 30th London Olympics in 2012.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.