Seoul, South Korea – Park Junghwan has been crowned the inaugural champion of the Shinhan Bank World Ki Sunjeon, defeating China’s Wang Xinghao in a thrilling match on February 27, 2026. The victory secures Park a substantial prize of 400 million Korean won (approximately $300,000 USD).
The decisive final game of the best-of-three series saw Park, a 9-dan player, overcome Wang also a 9-dan, after 230 moves. Park finished with an overall record of two wins and one loss in the final stage of the tournament. This marks his sixth major international title.
The competition, notable for its massive prize pool, is quickly establishing itself as a premier event in the world of Baduk (Go). Park’s win comes five years after his previous major championship at the Samsung Fire & Marine Cup in 2021.
According to reports, the match was closely contested in the early stages, but Park gained the upper hand after capitalizing on a miscalculation by Wang in the later stages. He then secured the win with a precise endgame strategy.
“I thought the game turned in my favor after I attacked my opponent’s white stones and managed to counterattack successfully,” Park said after the match. “It’s been a challenging few years since my last world championship win, and I’m incredibly happy to achieve this victory.”
This win also brings Park’s head-to-head record against Wang to 3 wins and 3 losses. The tournament utilized AI technology and featured rapid-fire 20-second moves, signaling a modern era for the traditional game of Baduk.
