Where We Stand On - The Homologation Program for the Traditional Korean Military Arts in the United States of America

WHERE WE STAND ON ..... THE HOMOLOGATION PROGRAM FOR THE TRADITIONAL KOREAN MILITARY ARTS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

It is almost universally acknowledged that the current condition of the traditional Korean military arts, within the United States of America is simply miserable . Over the past years an incredible number of organizations and individuals have arisen in the United States which claim to practice or to teach the traditional Korean military arts, while in fact what they do or teach bears little or no resemblance to that art as it is practiced in the Republic of Korea.

The home of the Korean military arts is in the Republic of Korea (ROK), not in Texas, California, Louisiana, or North Carolina. Yet, except for three, currently small, organizations, all of the “Korean” organizations in the United States operate without any supervision or authority from the authentic governing body of the art, in the ROK.

Many of these bogus “Korean” organizations are headed by expatriate Koreans who have either never been properly qualified to teach a military art or who have severed their relationship with the legitimate governing body for the art, in the ROK, and are therefore no longer qualified or authorized to teach the art. The best and the brightest Korean instructors do not leave Korea to teach in the United States; Poor instructors and those individuals seeking to avoid the consequences of their actions in Korea, do leave Korea to teach in the United States.

One of the largest Taekwondo organizations in the United States was once an active style in the ROK, until its founder moved it to North Korea. One wonders how many Americans belonging to that organization are aware that they are supporting a representative of President Bush’s “Axis of Evil”? Another large American Taekwondo organization is identified with Reverend Moon and his Unification Church. How many parents know that as they drop off little Johnny for class? How many Americans understand that they have a Taekwondo instructor who is a member of an inactive style in Korea, which essentially became an organized crime family that relocated here? Some people call these facts “politics”. Other people understand these facts, and worse, to be the reason that proper credentialing is important to a wise consumer.

In the Republic of Korea, the military arts are a legitimate field of academic study and research leading to college degrees up to, and including the doctoral level. At the present time, all certified instructors in the military arts of Hapkido, Taekwondo, and Yudo, must possess two years of college education. This will be increased, over time, to possession of a four-year college degree. This is, of course, in addition to the other requirements for becoming an instructor, which do not exist in the united States.

There exists, in the ROK, a standard-setting organization for the military arts. All of the military art organizations, recognized as legitimate in Korea, belong to this association and agree to maintain the standards set by this association. This is the Korean Martial Arts Instructors Association (KMAIA), which is headquartered in Shihung City, Korea. The membership organization for instructors of the traditional Korean military arts residing outside the Republic of Korea is the International Chapter of the Korean Martial Arts Instructors Association headquartered in the State of Florida in the United States of America.

The governing body for the traditional Korean military art of Hapkido - world-wide - is the Korea Hapkido Federation (KHF) headquartered in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The senior international kwon created for the study and practice of Hapkido outside the Republic of Korea, by the Korea Hapkido Federation, and specifically sanctioned for that purpose, is HaeMuKwan Hapkido which is headquartered in Ocoee, Florida.

The governing body for the traditional Korean military art of Taekwondo - world-wide - is the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA) headquartered in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

The governing body for the traditional Korean military art of Taekwondo in and for the United States is the U.S. National Taekwondo Association, which represents all seven active kwons of the Korea Taekwondo Association in the United States of America. [The governing body for Kukki Taekwondo, the national sport of Korea, in the United States, is currently the United States Taekwondo Union (USTU). Kukki Taekwondo is not a military art, nor is it taught in Korea as a system of self-defense.]

The governing body for the traditional Korean military art of Yudo is the ROK Yudo Association (ROKYA). The national governing body of Kodokan Judo in Korea, under the International Judo Federation, is the Korea Judo Association (KJA). Both are headquartered in Seoul, Republic of Korea. These associations jointly chartered ChungTongKwan Yudo, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, USA, as a kwon of their associations and as the only international kwon of the traditional Korean military art of Yudo. This was first kwon of the traditional Korean traditional military arts sanctioned to conduct its programs outside the Republic of Korea.

ChungTongKwan Yudo, under the authority granted to by its charter, established the International Yudo Federation to manage its world-wide responsibility for Yudo education, research, and practitioner support. The exclusive authority for this, in the United States of America , has been granted to United States Yudo Association, Inc., commonly referred to as “US Yudo”.

Thus, the only organizations in the United States of America representing the governing body for the three major traditional Korean military arts, are HaeMuKwan Hapkido, U.S. National Taekwondo Association, and United States Yudo Association, Inc., representing the arts of Hapkido, Taekwondo, and Yudo respectively. The organization, in the USA, representing the standard setting organization for the traditional military arts in the ROK, is the International Chapter of the Korean Martial Arts Instructors Association. Stated differently, these four organizations are the only legitimate traditional Korean military art bodies in the United States of America today.

These four organizations, in an agreement signed on the 2nd of January 2003, clearly stated their belief that millions of Americans are being victimized by what has become a multi-billion dollar unregulated industry involved in massive consumer fraud on a national basis. It is fraud in that an existing standard of training and qualification exists for the military arts of Hapkido, Taekwondo, and Yudo, and no organization in the United States, other than the signatories, meet these standards and provide education or training at the same level as currently exists in the Republic of Korea.

These four organizations also understand that many practitioners and instructors in the United States teach and practice what they do in good faith. That these good men and women have simply not had the benefit of admission to the legitimate governing body of the art which they think they are practicing, or to obtain proper instruction or proper qualification in these arts.

Therefore, HaeMuKwan Hapkido, U.S. National Taekwondo Association, and United States Yudo Association, Inc., representing the arts of Hapkido, Taekwondo, and Yudo respectively, and the International Chapter of the Korean Martial Arts Instructors Association, representing the standard-setting body, have established a three part program.

First, is an amnesty period. Existing practitioners and existing schools may laterally enroll in the officially-recognized traditional Korean military art organizations.

These practitioners will be accepted, in most instances “as is”. Once properly enrolled, the practitioner or school will be required to train-up from the existing American standard to the existing Korean standard for the art(s) they pursue.

For example, lets say that a 5th Dan in “Hapkido” with a school of 50 students wants to belong to the ‘real thing’. He or she and the students would come into HaeMuKwan Hapkido intact. The instructor would have his or her rank “recognized”, which is not a rank promotion or validation by HaeMuKwan Hapkido. The instructor would then have up to five years to attend training and come up to Korea Hapkido Federation standards as a 5th Dan and as an instructor. Proper credentials would be supplied as the standards are met. The students would also be required to phase in the proper training and meet the KHF standards for promotion, but over time.

This amnesty period is not open-ended. It ends on January 2, 2008. While those in the amnesty program will be allowed to finish their remedial training and qualification, the door will be closed as of January 2, 2008 to all of those who have not elected to meet the existing standards of these arts.

All rank and qualification certificates held by Americans or legal United States residents, not recognized by the governing bodies in Korea, as of January 2, 2008, will be viewed as void and meaningless by the four signatories to this agreement, except for those enrolled and successfully participating in the amnesty program.

Second, is a legislative effort. The four signatories to this agreement have publicly asserted that the governing of the Korean martial arts is centered in the Republic of Korea., where these arts are well-organized, well-regulated, and supported with university-based academic study and research. Unfortunately, the benefits of this well-regulated system have been denied millions of American consumers, by the intentional acts of dishonest Koreans and unintentionally by poorly trained American instructors. To help correct this problem, a Traditional Korean Military Arts Educational Foundation is being created.

The Foundation will work with federal, state, and local governments to promote such legislation as may be necessary to establish and maintain, in all areas and regions of this country, the same level of education and training in the traditional Korean military arts as exists in the Republic of Korea. Surely, there can be no greater step taken toward ensuring homeland security throughout the land.

This Foundation will also cooperate with colleges and universities, and professional societies. It shall also operate as a clearinghouse to the public and the media for factual information regarding the traditional Korean arts.

Third, is an eradication campaign. These four organizations representing the arts of Hapkido, Taekwondo, and Yudo, and the standard-setting body established for the practice of these arts, will, during 2003, establish the Traditional Korean Military Arts Defense Fund, as a not-for-profit charitable and educational organization.

To the shame of the martial arts community in the United States, and indeed as an affront to our American tradition as a free society, it has been the practice of certain individuals and organizations in this country, to viciously attack properly qualified individuals who have attempted to represent the legitimate Korea-based organizations in this country. Many of these attacks have taken place on the world-wide internet. Often, the victim is blocked from presenting a defense to any false accusations, and factual favorable information by others is also blocked from posting, by the operators of these sites.

Such conduct will no longer be tolerated. The Defense Fund will serve as the legal arm of the traditional Korean military arts in the United States, to eliminate this type of activity and to safeguard the rights of those who seek to provide legitimate education, training, and credentials to those Americans who desire to achieve them.

This then, is the Five-Year Plan for the Traditional Korean Military Arts in the United States of America. A clear line has been drawn in the sand. On one side are the traditional arts under the governing bodies for those arts, with the same standards in the United States as exist in the Republic of Korea. On the other side are lies, deceit, and fraud. Which side of that line to be on is not a difficult decision for honorable people. The others will recognize their own, also.