What Is A Kwon?

A "kwon" is a school, style, system, or school of thought, within a military art in Korea.  The traditional Korean military arts are taught by the various kwons, under the supervision of the governing body for the art. 

In Taekwondo, for example, the governing body - world-wide - for the traditional military art is the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA). In the KTA there are nine kwons, of which only seven are currently active.

In proper usage, when describing the military art one studies, the name of the art is usually preceded by the name of the Kwon. An individual would not say, for example, "I practice Taekwondo" they would say "I practice JungDoKwan Taekwondo" or "I practice HaeMuKwan Hapkido" or "I practice ChungTongKwan Yudo".

The three major traditional Korean military arts are Yudo, Hapkido, and Taekwondo.  The governing bodies for these military arts - world-wide - are ROK Yudo Association, Korea Hapkido Federation, and Korea Taekwondo Association.  Only licensed instructors from the kwons of these governing bodies are qualified to teach these traditional military arts of Korea.