History of Tae Kwon Do
The Origins of Taekwon-Do
Taekwon-Do was named on April 11th, 1955 by a committee of Korean Martial artists, Scholars and Historians. The name was submitted by General Choi Hong Hi.
The General had studied the Korean art of Tae Kyon as a child. Later, as a student in Japan, he had learned Karate. This combination formed the basis of his teachings at the Academy of Martial Arts formed in 1953. Being a professional soldier he was able to introduce his system to the men he commanded. Through military liaison with foreign units, he spread the knowledge of his system until it became international.
The International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) was formed in 1966. However, in 1972 as a result of political pressure from within South Korea, General Choi re-established the Head Quarters of the ITF in Canada, later to be re-located in Austria. The South Korean government quickly set up the rival World Taekwon-Do Federation and since that time Taekwon-Do has been split.
The ITF or ‘Chang Hon’ style of Taekwon-Do differs greatly from other martial arts since the theories terminology techniques, systems, methods, rules, uniform and philosophical foundation were scientifically developed systematised and named by General Choi Hong Hi.
