The Founder of TAEKWON-DO
November 9, 1918 – June 15, 2002 • Creator of the International Taekwon-Do Federation
“The ultimate aim of TAEKWON-DO lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.”— General CHOI HONG HI
General CHOI HONG HI (1918–2002), revered as The Founder of TAEKWON-DO, was born on November 9 in Hwa Dae, Myongchon County, northern Korea, during Japanese colonial rule. A frail child, he began studying Taekkyon at age 12 under a Calligraphy Master, building resilience. Sent to Japan in 1937 for education, he trained in karate, earning a second-degree black belt and teaching at Tokyo's YMCA.
During World War II, conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army, CHOI HONG HI plotted against colonial authorities, leading to imprisonment in 1945 for conspiracy. Post-liberation, he joined South Korea's military in 1946 as a second Lieutenant, rising to Major General by 1954. He integrated martial arts into army training, blending Taekkyon and karate to create TAEKWON-DO, officially named on April 11, 1955.
As president of the Korean TAEKWON-DO Association (1959), he founded the International TAEKWON-DO Federation (ITF) in 1966, promoting the art globally amid Cold War tensions. Political clashes with South Korea's regime forced his 1972 exile; he relocated ITF headquarters to Canada, later defecting to North Korea in 1999.
The Founder General CHOI HONG HI authored the TAEKWON-DO Encyclopedia (the last version he edited being our definitive guide as well as the '15 Volumes' written by him and published in 1982).
The Founder sadly died of gastric cancer in Pyongyang on June 15, 2002 and one of those present to hear his last words was the now Pioneer RHEE KI HA First Grand-Master. The founder left a legacy of over 50 million practitioners worldwide.
The authentic teaching lineage flows directly from General CHOI HONG HI to the present day through his most dedicated students:
This unbroken chain ensures that students at MYSTIC-EAGLE Taekwon-Do receive instruction that remains true to the Founder's original vision and philosophy, preserving the authentic techniques and principles of ITF Taekwon-Do.
