AGA (America Go Association) is challenging new situation.

Andrew Okun (AGA president 50 years old) visited KBA(Korea Baduk Association) and had an interview with reporters. He said that it is really important moment for AGA.

Okun chairman said that I came to Korea to attend Kim In Cup from 2nd~5th of November. He had a pleasant travel in Korea with his family and visited KBA with Kim MyeongWan 9Dan who is spreading Baduk in America on the last day of his staying in Korea.

Currently there were 2,500 players who registered to AGA and 100 Baduk clubs are registered.
It is true there would be more and more players who did not registered and just enjoy Baduk themselves in America.

Okun chairman of AGA made Pro system in America with Kim MyeongWan and America became 5th countries which have a pro system in the world. There are two pro in America now.
Okun chairman said that we need a help to teach Baduk to children in school.
Teachers in more than 200 shcool teach Baduk with very poor condition. They have no system
and also the Baduk board and stone. Once, a rich guy in LA who loves Baduk a lot sponsored to teach Baduk to children in school.

Okun chairman said we reached first step to make pro system now. Next step is to make pro tournament in America and their step is to train many players and have strong players in America. We learned how KBA operates pro system in Korea and they helped a lot for us.

Bridge which is really famous mind game in Americal, has much better position and reputation than Baduk. Okun said that we can learn how they operate their system and how they develop it themselves.

Okun chairman said that it is difficult to live only by teaching Baduk in America. For example Peng
Win 9Dan from China worked really hard but she had very difficulties in the past. 
 

Kim MyongWan who is in America to teach Baduk said that the most people who learn Baduk here
in America think that it is beneficial for them to learn Baduk when entering to good universities. When the pro system was made, I am sure that there were many changes which show his positive opinion.

While Andy (20 years old) and Gan Shengshi (18 years old) who became pro in America are
university student. It is already agreed to attend 5 open tournaments from next year with KBA. There are more things which are positive in AGA and it is believed that they will make new generation of Baduk in America.