MUJU -- Two South Koreans secured at least bronze medals at the ongoing taekwondo world championships on Tuesday.
An Sae-bom in the women's over-73kg and Jeong Yun-jo in the men's under-58kg each made it to the semifinals at the World Taekwondo Federation World Taekwondo Championships at Taekwondowon's T1 Arena in Muju, some 240 kilometers south of Seoul.
Their semifinals and final, if they get there, will take place Wednesday.
An Sae-bom of South Korea (left) lands a kick on Lorena Brandl of Germany in the round of 16 match in the women`s over-73kg at the World Taekwondo Federation World Taekwondo Championships at T1 Arena in Muju, North Jeolla Province, on June 27, 2017. (Yonhap)
There are no bronze medal contests here, and the two losers of the semifinal round are each awarded a bronze.
South Korea currently leads all nations with two gold medals.
Seeded fourth in the women's heaviest division, An defeated Uzoamaka Otuadinma of Nigeria 26-10 in the round of 32, and then got past Lorena Brandl of Germany 24-13.
In the quarterfinals, An beat Briseida Acosta of Mexico 21-10. The 27-year-old South Korean is competing in her first world championships since 2011, when she won silver in the same weight class. An is also the 2016 Asian champion in heavyweight.
Jeong, in his first world championships, opened his day with a 14-1 win over Badri Paksashvili of Georgia in the round of 64. Jeong then defeated Abdullatif Sezgin of Germany 24-12, and then Max Carter of Britain 16-5 to get to the final eight.
In the quarterfinals against Tawin Hanprab of Thailand, Jeong was trailing 11-7 midway through the second of three two-minute rounds. Then the South Korean went on a barrage, and closed out the round up 25-15.
The match was called at 28-15 on the referee's punitive declaration, after Hanprab picked up his 10th "gam-jeom," or deductive penalty.
The third South Korean in action on Tuesday, Kim Minj-eong in the women's under-53kg, lost to Inese Tarvida of Latvia in the quarterfinals.
The world championships will wrap up Friday. (Yonhap)