Tae Kwon Do beginning

[terryl965]

I've looked up alot about TKD and I was wondering why and when did the powers to be change from a fighting Art to a sport Art. If the ITF was one of the fouding organization and the WTF was the other, why did they split and why did the sport over come the Art. Just looking for different perspectiveon this supject I know only the Fathers of the Art know for sure.

 

[FearlessFreep]

I thoght that the WTF-ITF riff/split was based in politics and specifically the relationship between North and South Korea early on.

I would guess that leaning in a sport direction was seen as a way of getting more people to do it.

 

[MichiganTKD]

There are several reasons why WTF Tae Kwon Do came to emphasize Olympic-style competition.
1. At the time of the founding of the WTF, Korea was essentially a 3rd World nation. It wanted world recognition, to grow and be accepted by the established nations. To do that, it had to have something to offer the rest of the world. Tae Kwon Do as then practiced was growing worldwide. But as long as it stayed a traditional martial art, it would only grow so much. By aggressively marketing itself as a competitive, world class sport, other nations would have to take notice. It didn't happen overnight either. It took almost 30 years from the time Dr. Un Yong Kim stated his objective of Olympic inclusion to it actually happening.
2. WTF free fighting is a natural offshoot of what was happening to Tae Kwon Do in Korea. The WTF formed from the KTA (Korea TKD Association). The KTA formed from the various kwans merging. And THAT happened because up until the formation of the KTA, the various kwans settled their difference with combat between members. Some was through the Korean TKD Championships, some was on the street through actual combat. My Grandmaster, in fact, was one of the Korean national free fighting champions. In those days, it wasn't point fighting. Other black belts from other kwans literally wanted to hurt you to defend their kwan's honor.

There are also several reasons for the rift between the WTF and the ITF:
1. Gen. Choi's dictatorial style of management. Gen. Choi was good at many things, but diplomacy was not one of them. When the KTA formed in the early 60's, he insisted on turning into his own personal organization. Problem was, the KTA was composed of various kwan heads who didn't like being told what to do. Choi's kwan (Oh Do Kwan) and the Chung Do Kwan were close anyway. But the other kwans became resentful of Choi's dictatorial style. These included how he ran the KTA and his claim to have invented Tae Kwon Do.

2. Gen Choi made, I believe, a goodwill trip to N. Korea in the 60's without governmental approval. He definitely made one in 1980 with his team, again with no governmental approval. North Korea is South Korea's enemy, regardless of how close they are and the fact they used to be one. They are now enemies. Choi didn't seem to understand this. Because of his North Korean trips, many in South Korea see him as a traitor. Because of his policies, the government told him to leave South Korea in the late 60's. It is well known that after he left Korea, he pursued TKD development in many communist countries.

As a point of interest, I have a photo of my Grandmaster with his free fighting team members in 1966. In this photo is Grandmaster Park, his teammates, his coach, Mr. Uhm (Chung Do Kwan head), and Gen. Choi. So it didn't used to be like this.

 

[Spookey]

Michigan TKD,

I humbly challenge you to produce documentation of the Rebublic of Korea's late 1960's request/order for Gen. Choi to leave the country! (He didnt move to Canada until the early 1970's)

Secondarily, why after having been a Canadian citizen for more than a decade would General Choi have needed authorization from another country (RoK) to visit is homeland and family (refering to the 1980's trip to DPRK)?

TAEKWON!
Spookey

The propoganda war continues...(POLITICS)

 

[Miles]

This is what the Modern History of Taekwondo, a Korean book translated into English through the efforts of my senior, Glenn, has to say about Gen Choi and the founding of the Korea Taekwondo Association/International Taekwon-Do Federation:

(Chapter 2 Section 9 excerpt)
<<The relationship between HWANG Kee and CHOI Hong Hi was bad.
HWANG Kee objected to CHOI Hong Hi being the president of the
Korea Taesoodo Association because he said the art and organization
would not develop with CHOI Hong Hi in charge.

After much discussion and argument back and forth over the issue, CHOI
Hong Hi changed the name of the art from Taesoodo to Taekwondo, which
led to great hostility from LEE Chong Woo and LEE Nam Suk. CHOI Hong
Hi attempted to establish his authoritarian dictator style but he
could not continue to lead because no one would follow him. After one
year, CHOI Hong Hi was forced to resign the KTA presidency by LEE
Chong Woo and UHM Woon Kyu. CHOI Hong Hi begged LEE Chong Woo to allow him to remain as President for six more months, but LEE Chong Woo said no.

LEE Chong Woo comments on the issue: "CHOI Hong Hi was like an
authoritarian dictator so UHM Woon Kyu and I had to kick him out. One
morning we went to visit him at his house in Hannamdong (near Yong
San) to ask him to resign, but CHOI Hong Hi begged us to allow him to
remain as KTA President for six more months. We told him he would have
to choose between three things: 'Money', 'Position' or 'Honor'. We
told him that if he chose Honor and resigned, we would help him make
his own private International Taekwon-Do Federation, but we wanted him
to resign immediately and get out of the Korea Taekwondo Association."

CHOI Hong Hi finally resigned as KTA President because he could not
overcome the hostility of the Kwan heads (Kwan Jang) in Taekwondo. In
March 1966, the ITF was created at the Choson Hotel with nine
participating countries such as West Germany, USA, Turkey, Italy, etc.
But because he had too much personal desire and because of his
authoritarian ways, he was forever labeled the "permanent
troublemaker" in Taekwondo.>>

I don't know that Gen Choi was ever "ordered" to leave South Korea. I think he felt like he was "persona not grata."

Spookey, did Gen Choi become a Canadian citizen or was he merely a Resident Alien? I am asking because if he was a Canadian citizen, certainly it would seem he would only need to seek the Canadian government's permission to visit North Korea.

However, if he was still a South Korean citizen, he could very well have needed South Korean permission to visit North Korea as the two countries are still technically at war and were at the time of his visit(s).

Miles

 

[Spookey]

Dear Sir,

As is my understanding, Choi Hong Hi gained citizenship through the Canadian Government. I will gain some reference and reply back as to the year of his citizenship!

TAEKWON!
Spookey

Regardless, (refering to Michigan's post)...if Choi were ordered to leave, the Korean government would then have no suitable authority over Choi's affairs beyond his exhile!

 

[Miles]

Regardless, (refering to Michigan's post)...if Choi were ordered to leave, the Korean government would then have no suitable authority over Choi's affairs beyond his exhile!

I agree if Gen Choi was a Canadian citizen, he would need only the approval of the Canadian government in order to visit North Korea (or anywhere else for that matter).

Take Care,

Miles

 

[MichiganTKD]

I don't claim to know the exact details of that period, only what is fairly well known. Maybe Gen. Choi did leave Korea of his own choosing. I do know that he left Korea because of the political situation in Tae Kwon Do and the country. Whether or not it was voluntary I'm not sure.