History of Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a modern martial art, created in the 1950s and which has roots that go back to Ancient Korea. It has become an Olympic sport (one of only two martial arts to do so – the other being Judo) and is the most widely practiced martial art in the world, officially practiced in 120 countries by more than 20 million people.

In Ancient times the Korean peninsula was divided into three kingdoms: Koguryo (from which the modern name Korea is traced), Paekje and Shilla. Like Feudal Japan of the Samurai era, these kingdoms had rigorous training programs for its warriors – and from this training many fighting systems developed – most notably Taekkyon and Subak, it is from these martial arts that the roots of Taekwondo can first be found. Incidentally the warriors of Shilla were known the ‘Hwarangdo’ – from which the popular Tekken character name ‘Hwarang’ (whose martial art Taekwondo) is taken.

Martial Arts practice in Korea suffered greatly during the Chosun Dynasty (1392-1910), where a peaceful national government ruled Korea under the auspices of National Confucianism. The practice of Taekkyon (by now referred to as ‘Subakhui’) was discouraged and eventually banned.  In any event most martial arts in Asia suffered with the introduction of Gunpowder based weapons from Europe.

During the Japanese occupation of 1910-1945 (only ending in liberation after the surrender of Japan) all things Korean were banned in an occupation that was both military and cultural.  However practice of martial arts in Korea continued in defiance and often in resistance to Japanese rule.

After World War Two and the ‘liberation’ of Korea by the United States and the U.S.S.R. Korea had many martial arts systems running independently of each other, and Taekwondo was officially created as an amalgamation of the best of the martial arts of Korea.  General Choi Hong Hi was a leading character in the formation of modern Taekwondo.  Choi had been active in learning Taekkyon during Korea’s occupation, and then had travelled to Japan where he studied Shotokan Karate for many years.  He served briefly in the Japanese Army and was posted to PyongYang where he began to get active in the Korean resistance movement and was subsequently arrested and spent the remainder of the war teaching martial arts to fellow inmates and jailors in a prison camp. 

South Korean President Synghman Rhee ordered that Korea develop one single Martial Arts system and many of Korea’s greatest practitioners came together to create the system we know and love today.  Choi Hong Hi suggested the name ‘Tae-kwon-do’ over many other submissions for names (including ‘Oh do Kwan,’ ‘Tae Kyon’ and so on) and the name was officially accepted April 11th 1955.

The Korean Taekwondo Association was formed in 1965 with Choi as its first president.

Read about the philosophy of Taekwondo.

Mike Day
UKC Taekwondo Captain 2006-7