For more than three decades, Han Ho San devoted his knowledge and experience to the development of judo in Germany. From 1965 until his retirement at the end of 2000, he served the German Judo Federation (DJB) as a national coach, accompanying generations of athletes and contributing to numerous successes at the Olympic Games, world championships and European championships.
His longevity was remarkable. In 1993, the DJB board appointed him head coach and, when he retired seven years later, he was the longest-serving national coach within the German Sports Confederation (DSB). His contribution extended far beyond results and medals, leaving a lasting influence on German judo and those who had the opportunity to work with him.
Born in South Korea, Han Ho San graduated from the elite Yong Chong High School in 1957 before earning a degree in architecture from Hong Ik University in 1961. Judo was already central to his life. A talented competitor, he achieved his greatest international result that same year, finishing fifth at the 1961 World Championships in Paris.
He moved to Germany in 1962 and joined the DJB coaching structure three years later. What followed was a remarkable 35-year journey at the service of judo. A state-certified coach and eventually a 9th dan, Han became a German citizen in 1974 and made Germany his home, living for many years in Kerpen.
His career as a coach spanned several generations and major changes in international judo. Throughout those decades, German athletes won medals at the highest level of the sport, while Han's role increasingly became that of an educator and reference point for German coaches and judoka.
His contribution was formally recognised at the 2001 World Championships in Munich, when the German Judo Federation officially bade farewell to its long-serving coach and named him an honorary national coach. Three years later, in 2004, he received one of Germany's highest distinctions, the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
IJF President Marius Vizer expressed the condolences of the International Judo Federation in a letter addressed to DJB President Thomas Schynol and the German judo family. “Sensei Han Ho San’s lifelong commitment to judo leaves an enduring legacy. A highly accomplished judoka and 9th dan, as well as a respected coach, his passion for judo was evident throughout every chapter of his life in judo. His meaningful contribution to the development of our sport and the promotion of its values will be remembered with respect and appreciation.”
President Vizer also paid tribute to Han's exceptional service to German judo and the sporting achievements which accompanied his long tenure as national coach. From a fifth place at the world championships as a young Korean judoka to 35 years spent helping shape generations of German athletes and coaches, Han Ho San's life followed the path of judo across countries, cultures and generations. His legacy can be found not only in results and honours but also in the knowledge he transmitted and the people he influenced throughout a lifetime dedicated to the sport.
On behalf of the International Judo Federation, President Vizer extended his heartfelt condolences to Han Ho San's family, loved ones and friends, as well as to the entire German judo family.