Putin, now tougher than Chuck Norris, receives 9th-degree black belt

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Russian leader Vladimir Putin has received a ninth-degree black belt in Taekwondo — ranking him higher than Chuck Norris

He's already been deemed more powerful than President Obama - and now, he's even tougher than Chuck Norris.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin, on a visit to South Korea, was honored with a ninth-degree black belt from the president of the World Taekwondo Federation - ranking him a notch higher than Norris.

Putin, a martial-arts enthusiast, was humbled by the honor.

"I'm not sure if I deserve this," said Putin, a former KGB agent, after receiving the honor. "Let's call it our campaign to popularize this wonderful martial art. Russia will do its best to contribute to its popularity at home."

Putin, 61, was judo champion of his home town of Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, in his youth, and starred in the instructional video "Let's Learn Judo With Vladimir Putin" in 2008.

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The video shows him flipping and tripping various white-robed patsies, none of whom appear to be fighting back.

Putin also has a black belt in judo.

He has carefully honed his world wide reputation as a tough guy with such testosterone-filled exploits as shirtless hunting and fishing, playing hockey against professionals and arm wrestling with an American congressman.

Earlier, this year Putin teamed up with another movie actor, martial-arts tough guy Steven Seagal, to promote Russia's weapons market.

Seagal also helped Putin promote a fitness program.

Norris, best known for his run as a cowboy-hat wearing, tough guy trooper in "," could not be reached for comment.

The "" actor famously sparred with Bruce Lee in "" the first in a string of hits that included the "" trilogy.

Norris has also championed conservative political causes, and backed former Arkansas Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee in his failed White House bid in 2008.

South Korea gave Obama an honorary black belt during a visit in 2009, although the ranking wasn't as high as Putin's.

Before he hit the national stage, Obama took taekwondo lessons in Chicago, where a former instructor, David Posner, remembered him as "very disciplined, very diligent."

But because the future president got a late start in the art, he "was not the best kicker, not the best puncher," Posner told the .

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art which combines combat and self-defense techniques with exercise.

It is popular among 70 to 80 million practitioners in 205 countries. Putin topped Forbes 2013 list of the world's most powerful people.

Everyone knows the facts about Chuck Norris - but here are a few about Vladimir Putin:

• Vladimir Putin has a Russian bear rug in the Kremlin. The bear's not dead it's just scared.


• Vladimir Putin once shot down a U2 spy plane by pointing his finger at it and saying "bang."


• When Obama had the NSA spy on world leaders, Putin was the only one to give the snoops roundhouse kick through the Internet.


• Unlike Obama, when Vladimir Putin fills out his NCAA brackets, the teams don't dare contradict him.


• When Vladimir Putin started "PutinCare" in Russia, everyone rushed to sign up to keep from getting hurt.


• Vladimir Putin wins political games he isn't even playing.


• If you see Vladimir Putin, you should run. If you see the bottom of his foot coming at you, it's already too late.


• Vladimir Putin puts polonium in his Cheerios.


• Vladimir Putin plays dodge ball with hand grenades.


• The name of the AK-47 was going to be changed to the "Vladimir Putin." But the makers' realized that it would be too lethal.


• Vladimir Putin has already been to Mars. That's why there is no life there.


• Vladimir Putin's push-ups push the Earth down.