History: Overview

The historical background of Tae Kwon Do is measured through four different ages: Ancient Times, Middle Ages, Modern Ages and Present Times. 

Meaning:

Tae = 'to strike, or block with the foot' or 'to kick' and it also means 'jump',

K'won = 'Fist' or 'to strike, or block with hand' and

Do = 'The way of' or 'art'. Take this together and Tae Kwon Do means: "The art of Kicking and Punching" or "The art of unarmed combat". The sport has been founded in Korea and is one of the popular modern martial arts. Synopsis:

Tae Kwon Do is the name of the martial art turned modern international sport which has been independently developed over about 20 centuries in Korea. The main feature of Tae Kwon Do is that it is a free-fighting combat sport using bare hands and feet to repel an opponent. All of its activities are based on defensive spirit. Tae Kwon Do was developed as a defense against enemy attacks. In old days, people living simple lives lacked physical fitness and their bodies became bent in their old age.

Tae Kwon Do also served to improve health, physical fitness and poise of the people practicing it. The most important fact about Tae Kwon Do as a martial art sport is that it is not only a superior art of self-defense, but is adds remarkable bon sense to its practitioners. Self-confidence makes people generous in their attitudes toward weaker people. They can stand equally against any opponent, but their code forbids unfair assaults or unnecessary use if force. The practice of Tae Kwon Do gives an individual the mental attitude of modesty.

The virtues of modesty and generosity are fundamentally based on self-confidence. Poomse, Kyukpa and Kyoruki are three components of Tae Kwon Do practice. Kyukpa means breaking. Practitioners can measure their precision of Tae Kwon Do training by breaking solid objects such as planks, bricks and roof tiles with hands, fists, elbows and feet as body weapons.Kyoruki is the actual sparring between two people with defensive and offensive techniques they have acquired through Poomsae practice. There are two different kinds of Kyoruki according to restrictions on techniques performed.

A Tae Kwon Do 'Poomse' comprises various stances, each with its peculiar nature but each blending into the other. A 'Poomse' consists of about two dozen stances inter-connected. Blocking, punching, striking, thrusting and kicking are among Tae Kwon Do Poomse, and these are properly carried out with hands, firsts and feet to the vital spot of the body or target at which they are aimed, and the stances accordingly change forward stance, back stance, cat stance and horse riding stance, etc. as the situation requires. Most typical 'Poomse' are Palgye I-VIII, Taeguk I-VIII, Koryo, Kumgang, Taeback, Pyongwon, Shipjin, Chunkwon, Hansoo and Ilyeo.

In recent years, Tae Kwon Do has become a modern amateur sport. It has become a modern world sport with tradition and spirit of martial science maintained. It was incorporated into regular curriculum of primary schools through colleges. It became an integral part of training in the military. Tae Kwon Do has become a major entry in the annual athletic meet. Constitution, rules, regulations, and promotion tests were all developed to meet the requirements as international amateur sport.  As a martial art sport, Tae Kwon Do has become an official sport of 2000 Sydney Olympic Games after participating in 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games as a demonstration sport.

Propagation of the Competition Rules of the WTF has been made through International Referee (IR) Seminars held 29 times and the IR Refresher Courses held 14 times, exchanges of visits and booklets under auspices of the WTF and member national associations. For the purpose of impartial judgement of competitions, the WTF is promoting the development of electronic protectors and introduction of differential scoring system. Together with this, Executive Council of the WTF set up an Ad Hoc Committee to conduct in-depth study of Kukkiwon Dan promotion procedures.

Bibliography:

. Ra Hyon-soeng, "History of Korean Sports", 4th ed. (1975)

. Shin Chae-ho, "The Whole Collection of Tanje Shin Chae-ho", part I (1972)

. Jindan Academic Society, "History of Korea-Ancient Times" (1959)

. Lee Ran-young ed., "Hankuk Keumsokmun chubo (Korea's Old and   Modern Literary works)" (1968)

. Choo, Saito, "Study of Korean Culture in Ancient Times" (1940)

. An Kye-hyon, "Palgwan Hoigo", part IV of "A Study of the East Nation" (1951)

. Chung Chan-mo,  "The Process  of Tae Kwon Do   Development in  Ancient Korea",  doctoral thesis (1972)

Historical Chronicles of Korea:

. "Chronicles of Three-Kingdoms"

. "Muyedobo-Tongji(Illustration of martial art techniques)", Vol.IV

. "History of Koryo", Volumes 126~129

. "Shindongkuk Yojiseungram (New Geographical Introduction of East Nation)", Vol.34

. "Chronicles of King Sejong", Vols. 9 and 51

. "Chronicles of King Taejong", Vols. 21 and 32

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