South Korean army major general and martial artist regarded as the founder of Taekwon-Do. Trained in Taekkyon and Shotokan karate, he synthesized these traditions into a system that a Korean naming board, acting on his proposal, formally named Taekwon-Do on 11 April 1955. On 22 March 1966 he founded the International Taekwon-Do Federation in Seoul with nine member associations and served as its first president. After opposing how the South Korean government used Taekwon-Do for political ends, he went into exile in Canada in the early 1970s and continued to lead the ITF from abroad, including through a later organizational split with the Seoul-based body that became World Taekwondo. He died in Pyongyang, North Korea, in June 2002.
Facts
RoleFounder of Taekwon-Do; founding President of the International Taekwon-Do Federation 1 BirthplaceHwa Dae, Myong Chung District, Korea 2 Role
Role (category) FAQs
Why did Choi Hong Hi practice Japanese karate before founding Taekwon-Do?
Korea was under Japanese colonial rule for over 36 years, so Choi had to practice Japanese karate, and in 1946 he resolved to create a Korean martial art.
The International Taekwon-Do Federation says Choi had to practice the karate of Japan because Korea was under Japanese colonial occupation for over 36 years, until its liberation in 1945. In 1946 he resolved to create a martial art of Korea. He then spent ten years studying and developing new techniques of attack and defense, building on the traditional Korean arts of Soo Bak Gi and Tae Kyon. By the federation's account he completed the fundamentals late in 1954, and on 11 April 1955 a naming board decided on his proposal to call the art Taekwon-Do.
How did Taekwon-Do spread around the world in Choi Hong Hi's lifetime?
According to the International Taekwon-Do Federation, a demonstration team of 19 pioneers headed by Choi visited Vietnam and Taiwan in 1959. He introduced the art to the United States in 1960 while attending a missile course in Texas, and to Malaysia and South-East Asia in 1962, which led to associations in Malaysia in 1963 and Singapore in February 1964. In 1965 he toured Germany, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Malaysia and Singapore with a demonstration team, organizing governing bodies in the countries he visited. On 22 March 1966 he founded the International Taekwon-Do Federation with nine member associations and was elected its first president.
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Sources
1. General Choi Hong Hi (International Taekwon-Do Federation, itf-tkd.org)
International Taekwon-Do FederationGeneral Choi Hong Hi biography
Taekwon-Do was devised, studied and completed by Gen. Choi Hong Hi of Korea and brought into the world as modern martial arts.
Choi Hong Hi: Gender
Trained in Taekkyon and Shotokan karate, he synthesized these traditions into a system that a Korean naming board, acting on his proposal, formally named Taekwon-Do on 11 April 1955.
View the Source 2. Choi Hong Hi, Taekwon-Do Founder and Inaugural ITF President (ITF Taekwondo)
International Taekwon-Do FederationChoi Hong Hi, Taekwon-Do Founder and Inaugural ITF PresidentQuote, Choi Hong Hi, Taekwon-Do Founder and Inaugural ITF President
He is regarded as the Founder of Taekwon-do and served as President of the International Taekwon-do Federation (I.T.F.) for many years.
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.In Era: The Contemporary PeriodView the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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