HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
50 Years of Dedicated Service to the global TKD community by the 1st world governing body of TKD, the I.T.F. (International Taekwon-Do Federa...tion).
The ITF was formed in Seoul (south) Korea on March 22, 1966. It marked the first time ever in the history of Korea that an international organization was headquartered in that Country! The initial 9 member nations were:
Korea (ROK)
Germany (West)
Italy
Malaysia
Singapore
Turkey
United Arab Republic (Egypt)
United States of America
Vietnam (South)
Today TKD is practiced in over 200 countries!
In order to continued the global dissemination of TKD the ITF relocated to Toronto Canada in 1972, when General Choi Hong-Hi fled for his safety from political persecution under the dictatorship in control of Seoul back then. North America is in the middle of Asia & Europe, as well as above South America & the Caribbean. In 1985 the ITF Hq moved again to Vienna Austria, as Austria is centrally located in Europe alongside the "Iron Curtain" that separated East and West Europe during the Cold War era. Austria embraces a political neutral political posture which helped facilitate the further expansion of TKD into the Soviet Bloc and socialist aligned countries. South Korea at that time did not have any diplomatic or trade relations with any communist country. So it was the ITF that had the vision to spread TKD there, as it was essential in order to gain Olympic recognition. At that time the world was divided into 2 major political ideological camps. The IOC would simply not allow a new sport in their program if it had no representation or participation in almost half the world!
50 Years of Dedicated Service to the global TKD community by the 1st world governing body of TKD, the I.T.F. (International Taekwon-Do Federa...tion).
The ITF was formed in Seoul (south) Korea on March 22, 1966. It marked the first time ever in the history of Korea that an international organization was headquartered in that Country! The initial 9 member nations were:
Korea (ROK)
Germany (West)
Italy
Malaysia
Singapore
Turkey
United Arab Republic (Egypt)
United States of America
Vietnam (South)
Today TKD is practiced in over 200 countries!
In order to continued the global dissemination of TKD the ITF relocated to Toronto Canada in 1972, when General Choi Hong-Hi fled for his safety from political persecution under the dictatorship in control of Seoul back then. North America is in the middle of Asia & Europe, as well as above South America & the Caribbean. In 1985 the ITF Hq moved again to Vienna Austria, as Austria is centrally located in Europe alongside the "Iron Curtain" that separated East and West Europe during the Cold War era. Austria embraces a political neutral political posture which helped facilitate the further expansion of TKD into the Soviet Bloc and socialist aligned countries. South Korea at that time did not have any diplomatic or trade relations with any communist country. So it was the ITF that had the vision to spread TKD there, as it was essential in order to gain Olympic recognition. At that time the world was divided into 2 major political ideological camps. The IOC would simply not allow a new sport in their program if it had no representation or participation in almost half the world!
The ITF was never headquartered in north Korea! It was only introduced there in 1980 by the historic 7th ITF Demonstration Team. This also was visionary as it marked one of the 1st and one of the most significant exchanges that started to open up that part of Korea to the world. Gen. Choi was truly a man ahead of his time, a real Korean patriot. For his efforts he was nominated for the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize.
Today the ITF still maintains a headquarters at the original location in Vienna Austria, as well as headquarters in Spain, the United Kingdom and Daejeon in south Korea, the place where TKD was actually born!
THANK YOU Gen. Choi, the ITF and all the original TKD Pioneers for your great work. Continued thanks & appreciation for all the present day TKD leaders for their great work, as well as the support of the many independent TKD groups and the major TKD organizations; the WTF, Kukkiwon and new Taekwondowon.
TKD is ONE!
In the own words of the current WTF President Dr. Choue Chung-Won, TKD would not be in the Olympics if not for the work of the Pioneers, the original/ITF Pioneers!
WTF = WORLD TAEKWONDO FAMILY
Today the ITF still maintains a headquarters at the original location in Vienna Austria, as well as headquarters in Spain, the United Kingdom and Daejeon in south Korea, the place where TKD was actually born!
THANK YOU Gen. Choi, the ITF and all the original TKD Pioneers for your great work. Continued thanks & appreciation for all the present day TKD leaders for their great work, as well as the support of the many independent TKD groups and the major TKD organizations; the WTF, Kukkiwon and new Taekwondowon.
TKD is ONE!
In the own words of the current WTF President Dr. Choue Chung-Won, TKD would not be in the Olympics if not for the work of the Pioneers, the original/ITF Pioneers!
WTF = WORLD TAEKWONDO FAMILY
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