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THE
RISE OF WTF-ACCEPTANCE INTO THE OLYMPICS
by W. Rhee
In
Korea, the remaining TKD factions that lost out to General Choi
underwent a significant reform. WTF was formed about the same time ITF
was formed. Impeded by internal politics and lack of international experience,
pre-WTF organizations tried to create a network like ITF with little progress.
But WTF did carry out a massive reform of TKD in Korea to distinguish
itself from ITF and also as an anti-General Choi style campaign. It created
the Pal Geh forms; the ITF styles and movements were phased out in the
military. The military modified the ITF TKD moves with a speedier movements
and more incorporation of WTF movements and philosophy. The TKD
terms were changed from ITF s terms such as soodoh (knife-hand)
of Japanese origin to sohn-kahl , hah dahn mahki (low block)
into ah rae mahki , dae ryun (sparring) into gyorugi
into pure Korean words. Some other terms are also changed. The patterns
are now called poomse instead of hyung . The WTF and
ITF separately try to enter the Olympics but is stalemated.
Strengthened by the weakening ITF, WTF did a massive campaign to capture
the void left by lack of leadership in world TKD arena. Korean government
appoints a new man for the task, Dr. Un-Yong Kim.
Dr. Kim, an academic scholar with several graduate degrees from both in
Korea and the USA was a man of action for the job. A speaker of
6 languages, a seasoned former diplomat, excellent people skills, and
with strong political ties both domestic and abroad, was a doer.
As a director of 100% government backed WTF, he united some 36+ TKD factions(big
and small) in Korea under one banner by organizing a non-biased governing
body. A feat Gen. Choi tried to accomplish over two decades was
done in matter of few years. Most important of all, he built the WTF(Kukkiwon)
headquarters building within a year to edify WTF by securing support from
private sectors through sheer diplomacy. His work encountered initial
resistance and alienated some heads of different TKD stylists, but
his unpretentious loyalty to the heads of different factions and connections
facilitated the creation of a civilian backed WTF.
The acceptance of WTF TKD into the Olympics as an demonstration sport
in 1988 was also through the diplomacy of Dr. Kim. The demonstration
itself became a catalyst for the legitimate acceptance and growth
of WTF TKD by the world. The real TKD sanctioned by
WTF spreads via the television broadcast of Olympics to the world media
is etched into the world viewers as WTF = real TKD. From this point on,
WTF begins to grow and dominate the world TKD arena. It also announces
that it will take in other styles of non-ITF TKD stylists. Always quelled
and snubbed off by ITF, they joined the ranks of WTF organization. Some
who did not agree with WTF politics later reverted back to their own styles,
but this time, did not have to be constantly aware of ITF TKD s
snubbing attitudes.
General Choi upon hearing the news feels taken advantage of
what was justifiably his work with his opponents taking credit for his
work. It becomes a severe blow for him, for what he had spent so much
of his life on, was gone. One of his lifetime dreams, the inclusion
of ITF style TKD into the Olympics has now become an illusion.
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