Taekwondo
Master Ko standing at the far left
Taekwondo is presented here on this page along with some brief history. Among the world Taekwondo population, it is also known as Kukki-Taekwondo. The Korean term "Kukki" means here, "National Sport", However, Master Dr. Ko feels in his heart and mind that "Kukki" means, more accurately, "National Spirit".
The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) and the Kukkiwon (KKW) is relatively modern and was formed and became official on May 28, 1973 in Seoul, Korea.
The formation of the WTF/KKW came out of a meeting of the heads of the eight (8) major kwans of Korea at that time. The WTF serves as the World governing body on the world sport Taekwondo competitions and related technical research and development. The KKW serves as the World Headquarters for Taekwondo and is responsible for all DAN (Black Belt Holders) examinations, certifications and international registrations.
The Korea Tae Soo Do Association (1961) and the Korea Taekwondo Association (1965) preceded the World Taekwondo Federation (1973) and Kukkiwon (1972).
On July 16, 2001 at 5 p.m., during the 112th International Olympic Committee
(IOC) General Assembly, Belgian surgeon Dr. Jacques Rogge was elected to succeed
Juan Antonio Samaranch as President of the IOC. Dr. Un Yong Kim was also a
running candidate, but lost to Dr. Rogge by a landslide vote with a first round
voting result of Rogge-46 and Kim-21 and a second round voting result of
Rogge-59 and Kim-23.
On October 31, 2001, he was re-elected as President of the World Taekwondo
Federation (WTF) at the World Championships on Cheju Island just off the tip of
the South Korean peninsula.
On November 15, 2001, Dr. Kim resigned as President of the Kukkiwon (World
Taekwondo Headquarters) and the Korea Taekwondo Association (National Governing
Body for Taekwondo in Korea).
As of Feb. 13, 2002, Mr. Ku, Chon Seo has been chosen as the new president of
the Korea Taekwondo Association by a landslide vote of the KTA members. Mr. Ku
will serve the remainder of Dr. Un Yong Kim's term (approx. 3 more years).
As of November 7, 2002, Dr. Un Yong Kim has regained his position as
President of the Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters) in Seoul. The
extraordinary meeting of the Board of Directors of Kukkiwon held at the Kukkiwon
on November 7, 2002 unanimously re-elected Dr. Un Yong Kim as president of
Kukkiwon. The board also decided to entrust Dr. Kim to appoint other officials
of Kukkiwon.
On November 24, 2002, Dr. Un Yong Kim was re-elected president of the General
Association of International Sports Federation (GAISF). The 36th Congress and
General Assembly of the GAISF that took place at the International Center of the
Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado (USA) passed the proposal to
extend the term of presidential office from two to four years and unanimously
re-elected Dr. Kim as president. Dr. Kim has taken the office of GAISF President
nine (9) times since he succeeded Mr. Thomas Keller from Switzerland in 1986,
confirming his influence in the international sports society. The GAISF is an
international sports organization that was founded in 1967 for the purpose of
exchanges and cooperation among international sports federations. A total of 96
international Olympic and non-Olympic sports federations are affiliated with the
GAISF.
Dr. Kim and other Korean Kwan Headmasters began forming the foundation of
these organizations in 1955 after the Korean War. Prior to Dr. Kim running for
the IOC Presidency, he served as Vice-president and Committee Member of the IOC
(International Olympic Committee).
Dr. Kim's primary focus and goal during his long administrative career was to
see Taekwondo become a full-medal sport and Olympic event. He succeeded in
achieving this.
His dream began solidifying in 1988 at the 24th Olympiad which was hosted by
the Koreans in Seoul, Korea. Since, Taekwondo is their national sport, they were
permitted to present it as a demonstration sport there at that time. Four years
later, in Barcelona (1992), it was a demonstration medal sport. It took a year
off at Atlanta (1996), and truly succeeded as a full-medal sport event in the
2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Largely, the martial sport of taekwondo has captured many countries all over
the world. Many of the traditionalists in the martial arts have stated that this
movement has seriously hurt the martial arts of yesteryear. Master Dr. Ko
believes that the sport aspect of Taekwondo is just that, an aspect. He says,
"too many people go off the deep end with the sport thing, whereas, I take
it for what it is, a sport aspect." He goes on to say that, "I am
truly a traditionalist, and I try very hard to keep the true art in the Martial
Arts."
The Ko Mu Do Kwan is home to keeping the tradition and origins of the Korean
Martial Arts such as: Kwon Bup Bu, Soo Bak Ki, Tang Soo Do, Moo Duk Kwan, Han
Moo Kwan and Tae Kwon Do. Ho-Shin-Sul (techniques of self-defense) and
Moo-Gi-Sool (Korean Weapons) are also taught to the dedicated, disciplined, and
accomplished student.
Master Dr. Ko, his son, Michael, his step-son, Frank, and 18 other students
of the Ko Mu Do Kwan have won many national medals in USTU Taekwondo Sport
Competitions. In fact, the Ko Mu Do Kwan (the school in Wichita) has a very
impressive record in USTU National Medal holdings as well as other regional,
state, and local competition standings.
The United States Taekwondo Union (USTU) is the current National Governing
Body (NGB) for Taekwondo in the United States under the World Taekwondo
Federation in Seoul, Korea. They are based at One Olympic Plaza, Suite 405,
Colorado Springs, CO 80909.
The Ko Mu Do Kwan was a Group E Club Member #3246 of the USTU from 1996 to
2000. Master Dr. Ko has personally been a member of the USTU for 17 years.
Master Michael Coconis has been a member of the USTU for 12 years. The Ko Mu Do
Kwan, as a club, did not renew its membership in 2001. Master Dr. Ko and Master
Coconis also did not renew their individual memberships in 2001. Master Dr. Ko
was certified as a Class A U.S. National referee under the United States
Taekwondo Union through rigorous examination processes over the years. The Ko Mu Do Kwan is now a Member of the USTW (United States Taekwondo Won).
Master Dr. Ko is also an individual Member of the USTW as well. The USTW is
newly developing its national organization to preserve the traditional martial
arts in Tae Kwon Do. See the
USTW Website
The patterns (poomse or hyungs) taught at the Ko Mu Do Kwan under the
World Taekwondo Federation and Kukkiwon banners are the Palgwe and Taeguek
poomse. Master Dr. Ko teaches all eight of the "original" Palgwe and
all eight of the Taeguek in full-tradition of WTF/KKW representation. In fact,
he does not differentiate between the two sets. Both are equally required for
WTF/Kukkiwon certification and promotion. The Palgwe forms are taught first, due
to the fact that they were developed a full generation prior to the Taeguek
forms. The Palgwe forms were conceived under the Korean Taesoodo Association
flag and banner in 1961 and developed further under the Korean Taekwondo
Association around 1965-68. The Taeguek forms were conceived in 1971 by a
special committee and further developed under the World Taekwondo Federation
flag or banner from 1973 to 1975. Master Dr. Ko believes that both forms
compliment each other and draws them to an analogy of the Korean National Flag.
He further explains it to be: The Palgwe patterns represent the four trigrams
(solid and broken black bars) on the outer regions of the Korean Flag, whereas
the Taeguek patterns represent the Um (Blue) and Yang (Red) center portion. Both
form sets are needed just as the trigrams and changing-center are required to
complete the Korean flag (tae' gukki'). All of the students at Ko Mu Do
Kwan are proudly required to know and practice both the Palgwe and Taeguek
forms. Further, the Moo Duk Kwan requirements under Master Dr. Ko at the Ko Mu
Do Kwan include the traditional patterns (hyungs) that date still a generation
(1950 and 60's) before the Palgwe forms. These hyungs are the Pyong-An form sets
along with the Ki-Cho Hyungs (IL-Boo, EE-Boo, and SAM-Boo) beginning basic form
sets. The Chul-ki (Naihanchi Cho-DAN) and Bassai (Dae) advanced forms are also a
part of the Moo Duk Kwan ranking requirements. See the Moo
Duk Kwan section of this Web Site for more information.
Kyoroogi (Free Sparring) is also required and practiced with great regularity
at the Ko Mu Do Kwan. Protective gear is worn in accordance with the World
Taekwondo Federation requirements for the head, chest, forearms, shin/instep,
groin, and mouth/teeth. One-Step Self-Defense Techniques are also taught and practiced among the
ranks at Ko Mu Do Kwan. These self-defense techniques (Ho-shin-sul) are also a
part of the many requirements for earning belt rank at the Ko Mu Do Kwan.
For rank promotions, Silver-leaf U.S. Central Taekwondo Association
certificates are earned and issued for the 12 Gup levels. Black Belt candidates
are recommended by Master Dr. Ko for the Han Moo Kwan DAN certificates and
optionally the Kukkiwon DAN Certification. All Gup (under-black belt)
examinations are given 6 times per year and are in accordance with the U.S.
Central Taekwondo Association, U.S. Han Moo Kwan Federation, and Kukkiwon
requirements, guidelines, and expectations. Master Dr. Ko has received one of the highest awards from the World
Taekwondo Federation on May 21, 1999. This most prestigous, CITATION
signed by Dr. Un Yong Kim, President, recogizes his dedicated service and
outstanding contribution to the development of Taekwondo. Master Dr. Ko was also
tested and presented the Kukkiwon 5th DAN which was also signed personally by
the hand of Dr. Un Yong Kim, president of the Kukkiwon (World Headquarters for
Taekwondo). Master Dr. Ko holds the 6th DAN Black Belt from the Tae Kwon Do Han Moo Kwan
signed and sealed by its first generation President and Founder, Great
Grandmaster Lee, Kyo Yoon; the 6th DAN Black Belt from the Tae Kwon Do Moo Duk
Kwan signed and sealed by its second generation President, Grandmaster Chon, Jae
Kyu; and the 5th DAN Kukkiwon signed personally by Dr. Un Yong Kim. His son, Michael Coconis holds the 5th DAN Black Belt Certificate from the
Tae Kwon Do Han Moo Kwan signed and sealed by its founder and first generation
President, the Great Grandmaster Lee, Kyo Yoon; the 5th DAN Black Belt
Certificate from the Tae Kwon Do Moo Duk Kwan signed and sealed by its second
generation President, Grandmaster Chon, Jae Kyu, and the 4th DAN Kukkiwon. Mr. Frank J. Maikowski (Master Ko's step-son) holds the 1st DAN from the
Kukkiwon and the Cho DAN (1st DAN) Black Belt Certificate from the Tae Kwon Do
Moo Duk Hae signed and sealed by its second generation President, Grandmaster
Chon, Jae Kyu. See the Instructor Biography
section of this Web Site for more background information.
For More Information, CONTACT:
Master Dr. Gar Won Ko Send E-mail to: komudokwan@southwind.net Click here for Taekwondo Photo
Captures
Mr. Frank J. Maikowski standing top right
Mr. Frank Maikowski (left) during a Gold
Medal Fight
Headmaster,
Ko Mu Do Kwan
2819 E. Central Ave.
Wichita, Kansas 67214 (U.S.A.)
Phone: (316) 651-5050