An interview with Kang Changbe, the winner of the Korean Prime Minister cup

You played 8 games with foreigners. What do you think about their strength?
They surprised me a lot. I thought, that they are much weaker.

Did you make any friends?
I cannot speak English, so it was hard for me to communicate with them.

If we exclude your games with China and Japan, what was the most difficult one?
My last game with Frank Janssen, 6-dan (The Netherlands). I was behind in the opening.

According to the rules of the Korean Baduk Association, they give pro 1-dan grade to the winner of the World Go Championship, if he is Korean. Prime Minister cup has very similar members. What do you think about the idea of making the winner professional?
There are only few strong players here: China, Japan and Taiwan. Others are much weaker, so it’s much harder to win the Korean Pro Exam tournament. I will be glad to see the special decision of the Korean Baduk Association, but I think, that they will not accept it.

Can we say that the Korean Qualification tournament for the Prime Minister cup was harder than the main tournament?
Yes, I think so.

How will you spend the prize money? (A.D: $3000)
I will bring them to my parents

The tournament table
Commented games from the tournament will be available : http://www.go4go.net/v2/modules/alex

Translated from korean by Alexander Dinerchtein