MUJU -- South Korea's In Kyo-don earned a bronze medal at the ongoing taekwondo world championships on Thursday.

In lost to Vladislav Larin of Russia 8-6 in the semifinals of the men's under-87kg at the World Taekwondo Federation World Taekwondo Championships at Taekwondowon's T1 Arena in Muju, some 240 kilometers south of Seoul.

Since there are no bronze medal contests here, losers of the two semifinals matches each get a bronze medal.

South Korea leads all nations with four gold and three bronze medals.

The ninth-ranked In scored the first three points against the top-ranked Russian early in the opening round, thanks to a quick combination of a punch and a kick.

The South Korean then held a 5-2 lead after the second of three two-minute rounds, but Larin battled back in the third, taking a 6-5 lead with consecutive two-point kicks.

In pulled into a tie with a one-point punch with 22 seconds remaining, sending the contest into an extra frame.

In the extra round, the first contestant to score an attacking point, or the athlete whose opponent receives two "gam-jeoms," or deduction penalties, is declared the winner.

In took his first penalty about 30 seconds into the frame when he fell down to the mat. In then got his second, decisive penalty with two ticks left, when he fell for the second time to lose 8-6. (Yonhap)