TaeKwon-Do History
General Choi was born a weak child and it caused his parents constant anxiety. As a youngster he studied calligraphy and Taekkyon under the tutelage of the renowned Ok-Nam Han II Dong. Later, while a fifth year grade school pupil, young Choi was indefinitely suspended for planning and directing a mass student walkout from his school in the wake of the Kwang-Ju Student Uprising. In Tokyo, he was forced to join the Japanese army as a student volunteer. Towards the latter paert of World War II, he received a 7 year prison sentence when his plans to overthrow the Japanese military were discovered. He was never to know freedom until after Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule. In 1945, he enrolled in a military language school, which later was to become Korean Military Academy of today, and on January 15, 1946, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant.
April 11, 1955 saw the christening of TaeKwon-Do when General Choi, after exhaustive researching, developing and experimenting, proclaimed TaeKwon-Do to the world as a completely valid and unique martial art having a basic Korean origin.
In March 1959, he led the ROK Army TaeKwon-Do team on a demonstration of power and intriguing techniques to the Republic of China and the Republic of Vietnam thereby enhancing Korea’s national esteem as well as paving the way for the adoption of TaeKwon-Do as a special part of the military training of both countries. In 1965, General Choi received approval from the South Korean Government to declare TaeKwon-Do as Korea’s National martial art. He then led the TaeKwon-Do Goodwill Mission on a demonstration tour of Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
March 22, 1966 General Choi founded the International TaeKwon-Do Federation (ITF) in Seoul, Korea with the consent of 9 countries.
In 1968, General Choi led a TaeKwon-Do demonstration team to CISM (Council International Sports Military) held in France. In 1969, General Choi was able to hold the first Asian TaeKwon-Do Championships in Hong Kong. This was a significant event in that TaeKwon-Do was internationally accepted as both martial art and a sport. In 1974, a tremendous worldwide event took place in the city of Montreal, Canada. The result was the First World TaeKwon-Do Championships.
In June 1979, in Oslo, Norway, General Choi helped form the All European TaeKwon-Do Federation with founding members from 14 European nations including Poland, Hungary and Yugoslavia from Eastern Europe. With the founding of this federation, General Choi’s vision of establishing TaeKwon-Do as a worldwide non-political organization has come true.
April 11, 1955 saw the christening of TaeKwon-Do when General Choi, after exhaustive researching, developing and experimenting, proclaimed TaeKwon-Do to the world as a completely valid and unique martial art having a basic Korean origin.
In March 1959, he led the ROK Army TaeKwon-Do team on a demonstration of power and intriguing techniques to the Republic of China and the Republic of Vietnam thereby enhancing Korea’s national esteem as well as paving the way for the adoption of TaeKwon-Do as a special part of the military training of both countries. In 1965, General Choi received approval from the South Korean Government to declare TaeKwon-Do as Korea’s National martial art. He then led the TaeKwon-Do Goodwill Mission on a demonstration tour of Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
March 22, 1966 General Choi founded the International TaeKwon-Do Federation (ITF) in Seoul, Korea with the consent of 9 countries.
In 1968, General Choi led a TaeKwon-Do demonstration team to CISM (Council International Sports Military) held in France. In 1969, General Choi was able to hold the first Asian TaeKwon-Do Championships in Hong Kong. This was a significant event in that TaeKwon-Do was internationally accepted as both martial art and a sport. In 1974, a tremendous worldwide event took place in the city of Montreal, Canada. The result was the First World TaeKwon-Do Championships.
In June 1979, in Oslo, Norway, General Choi helped form the All European TaeKwon-Do Federation with founding members from 14 European nations including Poland, Hungary and Yugoslavia from Eastern Europe. With the founding of this federation, General Choi’s vision of establishing TaeKwon-Do as a worldwide non-political organization has come true.