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WHERE WE STAND ON ..... THE INTERNATIONAL TAEKWONDO UNION The International Taekwondo Union is, for purposes herein, representative of a genre of martial art organizations. Before we consider these organizations however, there is a question that needs to be addressed. That is, why is a Yudo organization addressing matters relating to another art at all. Occasionally the statement is posted on the internet or overhead at a martial arts event: “He is a fill-in-the-martial-art guy, what's he doing talking about fill-in-the-martial-art, anyway!!!” While this may be a valid question in the martial sports, it is not a valid question in the military arts. Indeed, it displays the ignorance of the writer or speaker. All traditional Korean military art practitioners cross-train under the Korean system of training. In order to become a grandmaster in ChungTongKwan Yudo, for example, a candidate must hold a master's license in both Hapkido and Taekwondo. Thus, whatever happens in Hapkido or Taekwondo also affects Yudo students and their instructors, and vice versa. Perhaps this is the reason why those of us in the traditional Korean military arts enjoy such a sense of community. Now, returning to the issue at hand...... It has been said before in this series, and we will repeat it here. The home and the headquarters for the Korean military arts is in Korea. Unlike the Japanese military arts, which were officially abandoned in 1945, the Korean military arts are constantly evolving, based upon scientific principles and cultural ethics, under government supervision. Outside Korea, however, for those who have no real affiliation with the arts which they claim to teach, and for those Korean expatriates who have abandoned the legitimate Korean system of training (as well as their homeland and people), there arises a need for alternative organizations to replace the legitimate organizations which exist in Korea. This is not to say that practitioners outside Korea cannot belong to the legitimate organizations in Korea. Quite the opposite, as demonstrated by ChungTongKwan Yudo, HaeMuKwan Hapkido, JungDoKwan Taekwondo, ROK Yudo Association, Korea Hapkido Federation, Korea Taekwondo Association, and the Korean Martial Arts Instructors Association. The opportunity to belong to and participate in legitimate Korean military art organizations and training obviates the need for the plethora of organizations such as the International Taekwondo Union. It also raises two parallel questions. First, if the World Taekwondo Federation is the International Governing Body for the Olympic sport of Taekwondo, with national associations in 160+ countries, why would anyone belong to some other watered-down sport organization. Second, how can some organization headquartered outside Korea, and totally outside the Korean system of military arts, claim to be teaching a Korean military art? Please do not misunderstand what we are saying. We are not “putting down” anybody participating in these extra-legitimate organizations. We are sure that people initially joined in the purest spirit of learning and that they are benefiting from the physical exercise and self-discipline involved. We are merely lamenting the fact that so many hundreds of thousands of people, from across town to around the world, are not getting the training they deserve and not getting proper value in return for their money, their time, and their personal best effort. That is the problem with this genre of organization. They cheat the very people they purport to serve. © 2002, 2003 Joseph F. Connolly, II. |
