North Korea's first-ever professional female boxer and world champion Kim Gwang-ok has been selected as the "Boxer of the Year" by the International
Female Boxers Association(IFBA).

The association said Kim had greatly contributed to promoting the sport in Asia.

Kim defeated a Japanese rival to win a bantam-class championship title on October 29, the first such feat attained by a North Korean female boxer.

The association also bestowed a distinguished service award to the Korea Boxing Committee for enhancing the status of South Korean female boxing and honored South Korea's former world champion Byun Jeong-il as "Promoter of the Year" for coaching South Korea's youngest female boxer Kim Ju-hee.