General Choi
General Choi Hong Hi was born on November 9, 1918 in the Hwa Dae Myong Chun District of Korea. Despite being a frail child, he had a strong spirit from a young age being expelled from school at age 12 for trying to organize a student walkout. His parents sent him to study calligraphy and the teacher there, worrying over his students health, had him practice Taek Kyon (an old Korean martial art) to strengthen his body.
​
In 1937, General Choi left for Japan in order to pursue his studies. In Japan the General began to study Shotokan Karate, an old Japanese martial art. In two years he had earned his 1st degree black belt. He continued his intensive training all throughout his studies, and finally, while at the University of Tokyo, he earned his 2nd degree black belt and shortly afterwards began teaching at a YMCA in Tokyo.
​
When World War II started, he was still in Japan and was conscripted into the Japanese army as a student volunteer. He was posted in Pyongyang, North Korea where he was later imprisoned for being implicated in the Korean Independence Movement (attempting to overthrow Japanese rule).
​
While in prison the General practiced Karate in order to maintain his health, both physical and mental. Eventually he was teaching his fellow prisoners and even the prison guards. The liberation in 1945 spared the General his 7 year sentence.
​
In 1945 he enrolled in a military language school which later became the Korean Military Academy. There he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on January 15, 1946, an officer in the new South Korean Army. In this role he began to spread Taekwon-Do, moving up to 1st Lieutenant and a new post, he taught his entire platoon as well as any U.S. soldiers who happened to be stationed there.
​
In 1947, General Choi was promoted to Captain then Major, and in 1948 was posted in Seoul. There he was the head of logistics and taught Taekwon-Do at the American Military Police School. In 1949 he was promoted again and made his first trip to the United States - and the United States first introduction to Taekwon-do.
​
At some point a vision had formed in his mind of a new martial art, one that combined Taek Kyon and Karate. He saw that vision start to unfold when Taekwon-Do was given its name on April 11, 1955. Four years later in 1959, General Choi was named the president of the Korean Taekwon-Do Association.
At this time, General Choi took the Republic of Korea (ROK) Army Taekwon-Do team on a demonstration to China and Vietnam. He was successful in getting both countries to adopt Taekwon-Do as a part of their military training.
​
After being named Korea's nation martial art, General Choi led a Taekwon-Do Goodwill Mission to Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. A year later on March 22, 1966, the International Taekwon-Do Federation was created with General Choi at its head. In hopes of having Taekwon-Do become an international competitive sport, he took another demo team to the International Military Sports Council (CISM).
In 1974, after General Choi had moved the ITF headquarters to Canada, he single-handedly was able to bring together nations from around the world to have the first World Taekwon-Do Championships. Continuing to unite nations with Taekwon-Do, General Choi created the All Europe Taekwon-Do Federation which had founding members from all over Europe.
​
In addition to having the first World Taekwon-Do Championships, the 1970s saw General Choi touring the world, visiting countries on all continents, spreading his art across nations. He had achieved his vision of seeing Taekwon-Do become an international non-political organization*.
​
The early 1980s were a continuation of his international touring, visiting Latin America, Australia, Europe, among others. However, 1985 was a significant year for General Choi and the ITF for two reasons. After having established a solid base in North America, the ITF headquarters were moved to Vienna, Austria in order to be able to reach a higher percentage of the world population. It was also the year that the Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do was finally ready to be published; a printed documentation of his life's work.
The rest of the 1980s and throughout the 1990s, General Choi continued his tireless efforts, instructing seminars, hosting and opening Championships, promoting his art. It wasn't until the new millenium that things slowed down. General Choi, who had become a beloved teacher, was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Wishing to be at home, he returned to Pyongyang, North Korea and on June 15, 2002 General Choi Hong Hi, founder of Taekwon-Do, passed away.