Question: Kukkiwon?

[Windsinger]

I'm sure this is mentioned somewhere already, but for the life of me, I can't find it. (A 12-hour brain-drainer of a shift will do that, I guess. )

I've seen references on the site to the Kukkiwon. I'm curious what that is. From what I gather, it's an organization like the WTF and ITF. Is it related to either of those, and, if so, how? If not, what are the differences?

Thanks in advance!

 

[exile]

See here, for starters... short, sweet and to the point.

 

[Jai]

Or if your to lazy to click.


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

• Ten things you may not know about images on Wikipedia •​

Kukkiwon Hangul 국기원 Hanja 國技院 Revised Romanization Gukgiwon McCune-Reischauer Kukkiwŏn Kukkiwon, also known as the World Taekwondo Headquarters, is an organization in the Gangnam-gu district of Seoul, South Korea. It was established on 1972-11-30.[1] The Kukkiwon serves as the issuing body for taekwondo dan rank (black belt degree) promotion and certification. In addition, the Kukkiwon conducts research and instructional seminars and is home to the World Taekwondo Academy, which trains and certifies Taekwondo instructors through its leadership course. The Academy is also entrusted to conduct two instructor courses by the Korean Ministry of Culture and Sports. One is the course for 2nd class coaches and the other is the one for 3rd class instructors of sports for all. Nearly 5,400 people have become instructors and coaches registered with the Korean Ministry of Culture and Sports through these courses. It is also involved in technical development and research of taekwondo, the collection of related materials, public relations and publications, and the training of coaches and students.
Only a small number of selected practitioners (non-Koreans) can participate in these programs. In 1998 fewer than 20 Americans (93 non-Koreans, from 32 countries) were issued Graduation Certificates by the Academy at the 1st Foreigner Instructors Course. The first American graduates of this historic course were given this opportunity and brought to this event by Grandmaster Al Cole of Cleveland, Ohio. They were Ran Zohar, Mike Snisky, Andy Bouloutian, from Pennsylvania; Dennis Enberg, Rob Cleek, Al Cole from Cleveland, Ohio; Wes Dees, Christina Bailey, from Dayton Ohio; Marika Powell from Palm Beach, FL; and Mary Zeller from Utah. The curriculum for belt promotion is specified and certified by the Kukkiwon, including required and compulsory poomsae (or forms), sparring, and breaking techniques.
The Kukkiwon is the only taekwondo organization whose dan ranks are recognized by World Taekwondo Federation (WTF).[2] The WTF governs the competition aspects of Taekwondo as the International Federation of Taekwondo of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The WTF does not issue dan ranks or black belt certifications. According to the Korean/English Taekwondo Magazine "Taekwondo People" September 2007, the Kukkiwon and the WTF are separate organizations, although the two are often confused with each other. As a result, the term "WTF" is sometimes used to refer to the Kukkiwon-style taekwondo.
Note about the WTF:
The WTF was the bridgehead to promote taekwondo sparring as an international sport, now having made it an official sport of the 2000 Summer Olympics after participation in the 1988 Summer Olympics and 1992 Summer Olympics as a demonstration sport.

 

[Windsinger]

Oh, for the love of... You'd think I would have thought about Wikipedia.

Thanks, you two!

 

[Jai]

your welcome

 

[exile]

Our pleasure!

 

[terryl965]

The Kukkiwon is a Rank certificate place, that hold ccertain merits for those trying to be in the internatioal and Olympic side of WTF style of TKD which is the sport side.

 

[Jai]

Yeah what Terry said. Kinda what I put up, but in not so many words You go Terry.

 

[exile]

The Kukkiwon is a Rank certificate place, that hold ccertain merits for those trying to be in the internatioal and Olympic side of WTF style of TKD which is the sport side.

Yeah, and from what I can tell, its special importance to a lot of people is that it's supposed to make your rank portable, in the sense that even if no one knows who your instructor was—if you've had to move across the country, or even further, say—the KKW cert gives your rank status a credibility it wouldn't have if it was a purely in-house ranking. It doesn't quite work like that, though... plenty of people can tell stories that make it clear that the KKW exercises close to zero oversight in their rank certification. So there's a lot of skepticism about just how much extra credibility you really get from the KKW cert...

 

[terryl965]

Exile neerly ZERO you mean ZERO, they have no clue who is doing what. It is just that simple.

 

[exile]

Exile neerly ZERO you mean ZERO, they have no clue who is doing what. It is just that simple.

Yeah, I was trying to be generous-minded... but it's true: they pretty much don't know you or your instructor from Adam, but keep the cash flow healthy and that cert is yours.

That by itself is one reason why so many people are so cynical about rank in TKD. At least, when you can show in-school validation of rank, you're not pretending to have tested in front of the main certification body for international TKD. But a KKW cert does make for a pretense along those lines.

And I think, Terry, since this has come up on various threads, that this is another reason why people confuse the KKW with the WTF. Even though they're separate, the KKW 'plays' to the competitive side overseen by the WTF. If WTF recognition of KKW rank certification for competitive purposes weren't involved, just how important would KKW certification be? So in a sense, the KKW kind of leans on the sport competition side to make its rank validations relevant.

 

[FieldDiscipline]

Oh, for the love of... You'd think I would have thought about Wikipedia.

Thanks, you two!

Or Google.

The top one.

 

[GlassJaw]

Exile neerly ZERO you mean ZERO, they have no clue who is doing what. It is just that simple.

I disagree. . .It's not quite zero. KKW directly oversees the testing of GM ranks. Promotion for other dan ranks is less direct, but the testing still must be overseen, signed off, and submitted for certification by a KKW-certified GM or master of a stated minimum rank (at least, that's my understanding of it). So KKW oversees the overseers.

Now, I'm not saying that that's necessarily enough to ensure orthopraxy and consistency of skill level among the KKW-credentialed dans of a given rank, just that KKW's degree of oversight exceeds zero.

Dan

 

[FieldDiscipline]

I disagree. . .It's not quite zero. KKW directly oversees the testing of GM ranks. Promotion for other dan ranks is less direct, but the testing still must be overseen, signed off, and submitted for certification by a KKW-certified GM or master of a stated minimum rank (at least, that's my understanding of it). So KKW oversees the overseers.

Now, I'm not saying that that's necessarily enough to ensure orthopraxy and consistency of skill level among the KKW-credentialed dans of a given rank, just that KKW's degree of oversight exceeds zero.

Dan

You are correct.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

One comment regarding KKW certification: while it may not speak to the quality of either the holder of the certificate or the dojang in which the holder was certified, it does provide any KKW dojang with a body of material that an incoming blackbelt is expected to proficiency in.

Not the ideal, but it is something.

Daniel

 

[MBuzzy]

Does ITF have anything to do with the KKW? I've heard that KKW kind of oversees or issues rank for a number of the TKD organizations out there, not just WTF....True or False?

 

[terryl965]

Does ITF have anything to do with the KKW? I've heard that KKW kind of oversees or issues rank for a number of the TKD organizations out there, not just WTF....True or False?

Absolutely False, with a statement can ITF or anybody else get a KKW sure if they find a 4th to sign off on it.

 

[StuartA]

Does ITF have anything to do with the KKW? I've heard that KKW kind of oversees or issues rank for a number of the TKD organizations out there, not just WTF....True or False?

No.. but ITF-NK are presently in talks with the WTF about a certain degree of unifications.. how that will pan out it anyones guess!

Stuart

 

[Steel Tiger]

I have a question about the Kukkiwon that has developed out of what has been said in this thread so far.

Where does the Kukkiwon's authority come from?

Does it derive from the World Taekwondo Academy or the Korean Ministry of Culture and Sport? It obviously does not come from a consensus decision of members or organisations. So I was just wondering how it came to be what it is.

 

[StuartA]

I have a question about the Kukkiwon that has developed out of what has been said in this thread so far.

Where does the Kukkiwon's authority come from?

Does it derive from the World Taekwondo Academy or the Korean Ministry of Culture and Sport? It obviously does not come from a consensus decision of members or organisations. So I was just wondering how it came to be what it is.

Dam good and bloody interesting question!