The annual New York Times Square Taekwondo Festival has marked its ninth year in New York City on Friday.

This year, some five-thousand trainees of the Korean martial art from across America performed at the event.

The demonstrations covered a range of levels from the relatively easier taekwondo moves to the more advanced punches and kicks, which impressed New York locals and tourists.

The board chairman of the U.S. Taekwondo Education Foundation, which hosted the festival, said that following its adoption as an Olympic sport, taekwondo has made some progress in its globalization, adding that its educational value should now be promoted.

This year's festival is also part of the 2017 Korean Culture and Tourism Festival held in New York and New Jersey through Saturday to promote the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.