In 1978 a modern professional system was established, and a few years later began the Japan-China Super Go Series, an annual event where each countries top players faced off in a knockout format. The Korean professional system was established in the 1950s, when Cho Nam-chul returned from professional training in Japan. It is estimated that from 5 to 10 percent of the population plays regularly. As in Japan, there are many newspaper-sponsored tournaments with a large, devoted following. In recent years, some of the top Korean players have scored impressive victories in international competition.
Today there is little doubt that some of the world's strongest players live and play in Korea.
The Modern Era of International Go As recently as 20 years ago, formal games between Go masters from different countries were practically unheard of. The last 10 years have seen a historic proliferation of international championships, where the great players from Japan, China, Korea and elsewhere compete to be seen as the world's best player. Annual events include the Fujitsu Cup and the Dongyang Securities Cup. The American Go Association sends U.S. representatives to these events. The earliest Go players in North America were probably Chinese workers toiling on the intercontinental railroad in the mid-1800s.