Pro 9-dan Mok Jin-seok has captured the championship at the 2026 Ulsan Metropolitan City Mayor's Cup National Baduk Tournament Pro-Senior Strongest Division for the second consecutive year.

In the final held today (the 6th) at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Mok Jin-seok secured a resignation win (by resignation) with white in 180 moves after a fierce battle against 9-dan Lee Chang-ho.

Having also defeated Lee Chang-ho in last year's final, Mok Jin-seok has become the first player to achieve two consecutive titles in the Ulsan Metropolitan City Mayor's Cup, which began in 2023.

Lee Chang-ho reached the finals for the fourth consecutive year, but managed only one victory in the inaugural tournament, finishing as the runner-up for three straight years.

After the match, Mok Jin-seok shared his thoughts, saying, "It was a come-from-behind victory that is hard to believe myself. Every time I come to Ulsan, I seem to have a great time regardless of the outcome, and I am glad that it translated into a good result."

Lee Chang-ho finished the tournament with 3 wins and 1 loss, bringing his professional career record to 1,990 wins, 828 losses, and 1 draw with a winning percentage of 0.706, moving just 10 wins away from the unprecedented milestone of 2,000 career wins.

Attention is now focused on whether Lee Chang-ho, who will compete as a player for Hydrogen City Wanju in the 2026 Sopalsanosal Legendary League opening on the 21st, will achieve the long-awaited 2,000th win this season.

The prize money for the Ulsan Metropolitan City Mayor's Cup Pro-Senior Strongest Division is 25 million won for the champion and 10 million won for the runner-up.

(Photo courtesy of Korea Baduk Association, Yonhap News)