U.S. Kukkiwon Suspended.....

[d1jinx]

the USTC home page has this:

NOTICE
U.S. Kukkiwon has suspended all processing of Kukkiwon Dan Applications pending review and final disposition from Kukkiwon regarding its Kukkiwon Overseas Branch Program. This review is taking place by the new administration of Kukkiwon. This is effective immediately and will remain in place until further notification. Please do not submit any further Kukkiwon Dan Applications to U.S. Kukkiwon for processing at this time. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

http://www.ustaekwondocommittee.com/mc/page.do;jsessionid=DF591C213EC62A6CC0C417FF75926041.mc0?sitePageId=56240

http://www.uskkw.com/

UH OH Raggy.....

 

[terryl965]

Well what is next, wait I know lets all get together and say WHAT THE ****!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ATC]

Well most should be sending their apps to the Korean KKW anyway. We have always sent our apps to KKW in Korea. The KKW for the U.S. is something that is fairly new is it not?

 

[IcemanSK]

As frustrating as this is, it makes sense. The "oversees Branch" idea was a product of the previous short-lived administration. The new administration wants to make sure that there are no shenanigans going on with this program. (Ok, this is my optimistic view of it, anyway).

Hopefully, the investigation won't last long & it will go back to working as planned.

Stay tuned folks:ultracool

 

[Gorilla]

Well most should be sending their apps to the Korean KKW anyway. We have always sent our apps to KKW in Korea. The KKW for the U.S. is something that is fairly new is it not?

About 6 months old!!! It was being run by Sang Lee!!! Our organization to has been sending KKW to Korea!!! They never trusted USTC!!!

 

[chrispillertkd]

My apologies for asking such a basic question but I am a non-KKW ranked Taekwon-Doin. If people can simply apply directly to the KKW for dan ranking for their students what is the need that an overseas KKW branch fills in the first place?

Pax,

Chris

 

[granfire]

Well what is next, wait I know lets all get together and say WHAT THE ****!!!!!!!!!!

LOL, the WTF is another club, no?

 

[terryl965]

My apologies for asking such a basic question but I am a non-KKW ranked Taekwon-Doin. If people can simply apply directly to the KKW for dan ranking for their students what is the need that an overseas KKW branch fills in the first place?

Pax,

Chris

Chris who know anything anymore, the KKW, WTF and The USAT and AAU seem to be just doing whatever or so it seems.

 

[chrispillertkd]

Chris who know anything anymore, the KKW, WTF and The USAT and AAU seem to be just doing whatever or so it seems.

Er, hmm. Well, the WTF and USAT and AAU are all, as far as I can see, sport governing bodies so they're going to continually fiddle with rules, regulations, etc. in order to "prove" the need for their continued existence like every bureaucracy does.

But the KKW exists in large part to certify people as yudanja. By their own rules anyone who is (I think) 4th dan and higher can directly apply for rank recognition for their students or another instructor's students that they tested. The very idea of an "overseas" Kukkiwon office appears to be simply an added level of bureaucracy, an added middle man where there was none needed in the first place.

Perhaps the idea was in response to the very common complaint people have levelled about exhorbinant KKW dan fees which are, in reality, simply people adding hundreds of dollars to each certificate cost for their own profit and blaming the KKW. (I certainly don't begrudge instructors charging a testing fee. IIRC, the KKW certificate fees don't have an added percentage for the instructor the way ITF fees do but they should at least be honest enough to not blame the KKW for the cost.) But perhaps they've decided another tact is desireable in this area. Frankly, I'm ratehr surprised to see them ditching the program as bureaucracies tend to take on a life of their own even when they're not needed. So, kudos in that sense.

Has anyone here actually used the U.S. Kukkiwon? If so was it helpful? How did it differ from just applying to he KKW yourself for dan certs?

Pax,

Chris

 

[IcemanSK]

Er, hmm. Well, the WTF and USAT and AAU are all, as far as I can see, sport governing bodies so they're going to continually fiddle with rules, regulations, etc. in order to "prove" the need for their continued existence like every bureaucracy does.

But the KKW exists in large part to certify people as yudanja. By their own rules anyone who is (I think) 4th dan and higher can directly apply for rank recognition for their students or another instructor's students that they tested. The very idea of an "overseas" Kukkiwon office appears to be simply an added level of bureaucracy, an added middle man where there was none needed in the first place.

Perhaps the idea was in response to the very common complaint people have levelled about exhorbinant KKW dan fees which are, in reality, simply people adding hundreds of dollars to each certificate cost for their own profit and blaming the KKW. (I certainly don't begrudge instructors charging a testing fee. IIRC, the KKW certificate fees don't have an added percentage for the instructor the way ITF fees do but they should at least be honest enough to not blame the KKW for the cost.) But perhaps they've decided another tact is desireable in this area. Frankly, I'm ratehr surprised to see them ditching the program as bureaucracies tend to take on a life of their own even when they're not needed. So, kudos in that sense.

Has anyone here actually used the U.S. Kukkiwon? If so was it helpful? How did it differ from just applying to he KKW yourself for dan certs?

Pax,

Chris

The reasoning behind a U.S. branch of the KKW, from what I understand, is to streamline an often cumbersome process in dealing with Korea. It can be a rough process dealing with the KKW itself (things get lost, miss-filed, etc.) As I said earlier, the overseas branch was the idea of the previous administration. The previous, short-lived, administration didn't last once a law was passed that said, "one cannot run the KKW if convicted of a felony." This lead to a turnover in administrations. My guess is the "U.S. branch" will be investigated to see if it's on the up-&-up. If so, it may continue.

I've not tried to use the U.S. branch. I don't know if it was helpful to anyone, honestly.

 

[RSweet]

Not advocating any one group. The advantage to USTC was that they were offering a 10% discount to go through them. Going directly to KKW is fast but the money basically goes in the Korean government coffers so you are paying to support the Korean national teams. USAT is SLOW but 1/2 the money stays in the USA for the USA team and 1/2 goes to Korea for their team. USAT is slower than any group as the money does not immediately go to Korea for your certs - so i am told - and KKW does not issue the certs until the USAT ponies up the cash. Do you need a KKW? Unless you want to compete at international levels or referee at international levels or put an expensive plaque on the wall - you may not need one. Up to you.