POKHARA: The scenic city of Pokhara is hosting the ‘First International Martial Arts Hapkido Conference’ on January 25-26 next year.

The conference to be organized by the Nepal Martial Arts Hapkido Association aims at promoting Hapkido.

Around 600 participants such as grandmasters, masters, players, coaches, and officials from some 20 countries will be participating in the event, according to Association central chair Kali Bahadur Gharti Magar.

According to Magar, grandmasters from Austria, the US, Russia, and South Korea, Nepal’s master Gharti Magar, eighth SAFF gold medal winner boxer Prakash Thapa Magar will also do their roles as instructors.

Hapkido had emerged and developed in South Korea and is taken as a ‘mixed’ form of marital arts.

Hapkido Association in Nepal was the first time registered in the National Sports Council in 2073 BS.

Around 10 thousand Hapkido players are currently in Nepal.