With morality and humbleness, the Taekwondo Chung Do Kwan is determined to punish those traitors who threw away their trust to the other numerous Kwans. Especially after Lee Won Kuk left Korea, the traitors deceptively contacted these other Kwans, used the dojang under their own names to slanderously spread their own names. We can no longer watch these violations and wish to make clear to the nation so the Chung Do Kwan is not misunderstood. Therefore, we lay bare their criminal acts.
A Brief History of the Chung Do Kwan
Lee Won Kuk returned from Japan to open his dojang in Yong Chun, Suh Dae Moon Ku in 1944 and produced disciplines (Sado). Following the liberation of Korea, Lee moved his dojang to the Si Chun Church Hall, Kyun Ji Dong and continued to teach. When the Korean War broke out, the members were separated and became refugees, but I gathered some members and continued to teach. When the Allied Forces retreated on January 1, 1951, Lee Won Kuk said he was old and no longer able to teach, so he wanted me to be the next Kwan Jang. I became his successor.
After I returned to the capital city of Seoul, I found Hyun Jong Myun leading the school, but he insisted that I take over the school, perhaps because he thought he couldn't handle or take the responsibility. My juniors also insisted that I take over. Finally, when Jung Yong Taek, who ran away to Japan, brought a message that nominated me to the Kwan Jang position by Lee Won Kuk, I agreed to be the next Kwan Jang. Because I did not charge the black belts and policemen the 300 hwan fee, I started to have financial problems. At the time, I could not even pay the Sabums. Despite the net loss from operating the Chung Do Kwan, I continued to organize ceremonies and tournaments, and spread the Chung Do Kwan and Taekwondo in published news articles.
After several months, I came back to Seoul and found out Lee Won Kuk and his family all ran away to Japan. I thought they were living in Pusan. Jung Yong Taek also ran away to Japan, but came back several times during the year. However he did not know what Lee Won Kuk and his family's situation or business was. Lee Won Kuk's sister in law, Moon Myung Ja, also frequently flew back and forth between Korean and Japan. I don't know why she visited Korea so often. Jung Yong Taek and Moon Myung Ja were jealous of the Chung Do Kwan's growth and devised a plan to split the Chung Do Kwan. At last, they formed an illicit connection with discontented members of the Chung Do Kwan and returned to Korea. They obtained not a nomination certificate (Im Myung Jung), but a notice statement (Ji Ryung Jung) signed by Lee Won Kuk. On June 4, 1959, the notice statement was given to Uhm Woon Kyu.
The Korean traitors who ran away to Japan were a matter of regret for me. They don't know that they will be punished at last. Nam Tae Hi asked me to give a dan certificate to 29th Infantry Division commander Choi Hong Hi, who had some experience in martial art (Sado), so we could use his military authority to spread the Chung Do Kwan. To contribute to Taekwondo's development, I gave an Honorary 4th Dan certificate signed by myself, Son Duk Sung, to Choi Hong Hi in front of the 3rd Army commander in 1955.
In 1957, Choi insisted that I give him a 6th Dan and sent a certificate he prepared in my name for me to sign. Because Choi and I were sworn brothers, and because my younger brother had a 6th Dan, he wanted one also. I tore up the certificate he sent to me without signing it. General Choi was also sending instructors (Sabums) to Vietnam, but he did that on his own authority and chose the number of instructors to send without consulting me. He also lied and stated that he had 24 years experience in martial arts practice (Sa Do Soo Ryun) and spread propaganda about himself. Therefore, it was unavoidable that I had to cancel his Honorary 4th Dan certificate and Honorary Kwan Jang position.
The nomination of Sabums
After I received the position of 2nd Kwan Jang of the Chung Do Kwan, I nominated Min Wook Sik, Hyun Jong Myun, and Uhm Woon Kyu as Sabums. Later, I nominated Nam Tae Hi as a Sabum and Uhm Woon Kyu as a Standing or Permanent Sabum (Sang Im Sabum). However Hyun Jong Myun, Uhm Woon Kyu and Nam Tae Hi acted as if they were at war against me and frequently contacted with people who ran away to Japan. Who can nominate a Kwan Jang in a private dojang except the legal person with the authority? I myself am willing to give up my position as the Kwan Jang, if I see a promising and capable person who can be the next successor, but I am still looking for that person. There is no excuse for the actions of Uhm Woon Kyu, when he was sent by me to teach Taekwondo at the Korea Military Academy, Sung Kyun Kwan University and Seoul National University. He should have known better as an educated person. But I feel very sorry for those who received just a notice statement (Ji Ryung Jung) and not a nomination certificate (Im Myung Jung) from him. If he thought about all the other Taekwondo schools and the Chung Do Kwan's future, he would not do such a betrayal. I want the wise citizens of Korea to judge this matter. When I found out about these matters, I expelled them from the membership on behalf of my name. All the more, the Chung Do Kwan will unite ever more and practice rigorously for tournaments in the future, so please do not be disturbed by this whole action.
June 15, 1959
Kwan Jang Son Duk Sung