NOTE: There were others who obviously studied Martial Arts abroad during the time when Korea was under Japanese Colonial rule. These men would go onto eventually play roles in Hapkido and Yudo, but played no significant direct part in Taekwon-Do’s development. Hence we do not make mention of them here. We encourage readers to conduct additional research if that area has some interest for them. We do feel it appropriate to mention GM Ki Whang Kim. He did study Karate in Japan and did teach Martial Arts when he relocated back to Korea after the occupation ended. However his influence in Korea was limited, but he played a major role with furthering the advancement of Taekwon-Do in America after it was more established. We also respectfully request that readers submit additional information that may help supplement and better credit those deserving of recognition to us! By: Grandmaster Kim Soo (as told to Robert McLain, Chief Instructor of the Arlington Chayon-Ryu dojang) Master Kim Ki-whang learned Shudokan karate from Master Toyama Kanken in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s at Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan. During this time, Master Kim Ki-whang met Grandmaster Yoon Byung-in who was a senior classmate in the Colonial Agriculture Department and a fellow Shudokan karate club member under Master Toyama Kanken. Master Kim Ki-whang and Yoon Byung-in became good friends and would travel to Ham-gyoung North Province in Korea together during school vacation breaks. After graduation from Nihon University in the 1940’s, Master Kim Ki-Whang became employed in a high-ranking government position in the Transportation Administration in Seoul, Korea. He kept in touch with Master Yoon Byung-in, but didn’t get involved in martial arts. In his transportation position, Master Kim Ki-whang became friends with a fellow transportation employee, Hwang Kee (Mooduk-Kwan founder). After South Korean President Rhee Syng-man was deposed in a student uprising and the short-lived civilian government overthrown in a coup dtat, anyone involved in a government position found themselves in trouble. Because Master Kim Ki-whang had helped Hwang Kee at the Transportation Administration, Hwang Kee wanted to return the favor. Hwang Kee convinced Master Kim Ki-whang that he should go to America, but nobody would give him a letter of recommendation. So, Hwang Kee said he would write a letter of recommendation from the Mooduk-Kwan if Master Kim Ki-whang would be the Mooduk-Kwan representative in America. Master Kim Ki-whang wasn’t involved in martial arts at the time and didn’t belong to any organization. So, he accepted the offer and immigrated to Washington D.C., in the United States. In the beginning he used the Mooduk-Kwan name for his school, but later dropped the name because he was not teaching the curriculum of the Mooduk-Kwan. (As one can see from above, the Military Coup called the May 16th (1961) Revolution impacted those that held positions in the government before the Military Junta took over. This would indeed go onto play major roles in TKDs history & development! Stay tuned for more)
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 20:14:40 +0000
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