waist protector

The gapsang (갑상) is one of the pieces of the hogu (호구), the protective armor of kumdo. Korean sources list the hogu as homyeon (호면, head and face protector), howan (호완, hand and arm protectors), gap (갑, chest and abdomen protector) and the gapsang.

• Purpose: it protects the waist and groin. An English-language source adds that it also covers the thighs and hips against inadvertent hits, and that it is not a target, so one should avoid hitting anyone on it.
• Structure: a thick cloth belt with three large panels at the front and two smaller, shorter panels between them. Sources describe it as heavily quilted cotton, sometimes trimmed with leather, or as a canvas-and-leather skirt.
• Japanese equivalent: one English-language source ties it to the kendo tare (垂).
• Putting it on: the order is gapsang, gap, homyeon, left howan, right howan, and it is removed in reverse. Some beginners train with only the gapsang and gap. The gapsang cord is tied in a bow knot, and the lower edge of the gap sits over the gapsang belt.
• Identification: Japanese sources say the large central panel carries a name tag showing the wearer's name and affiliation.