KATHMANDU: The 13th Korean Ambassador International Open Taekwondo Championships has begun in Lalitpur from today onward.

Nepal-based South Asian Embassy and Nepal Taekwondo Association jointly hosted the championships that kicked off at Satdobato-based Taekwondo Academy building today. It will last on December 6.

In the championships event, three departmental teams (Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police), teams from seven provinces of Nepal, and Pakistan, Bangaldesh and Bhutan will compete.

Amidst a programme here today, former Minister for Youth and Sports Birat Bhakta Shrestha and Korean Ambassador for Nepal Park Tae-Young inaugurated the open championships.

According to the Association, 1, 530 players will compete in three different genres of taekwondo in the championships.

The tournament that is held in every two years was first hosted in 2003.