Last Fearner
2nd Black Belt
Hi Manny! Actually, there is a huge difference between these two organizations, but you won't find the answers so much in any curriculum, set of forms, terminology, or sparring rules. There have been other posts on this here at MT., so I'm going to try to give you a fairly concise explanation of my answer. I hope it isn't too confusing.
And the reason you have never been in a "WTF school" is because there is no such thing!
I know many people are going to say "Huh!?, What?!? I though I was in a WTF school." Not really! Most likely, your instructor, or the organization you are with is "recognized" by the WTF. The WTF is a committee of Masters who govern competition matters. No one can be a "member" of the WTF. There are member nations, and their national governing bodies which are recognized by the WTF.A brief history explains the origins, and differences. After WWII, the main instructors of Martial Art in Korea had been students of various Japanese systems during the occupation. Each of these instructors brought a little different application and methodology to their teaching. Students who followed a particular instructor were considered members of that "family" of schools known as a "Kwan." The head instructor was considered the head of the "family" which is called a "Kwan Jang" (honorific title: Kwanjang-nim).
Since the first Kwan to be formed was the Chung Do Kwan (school of the Blue Wave - 1944), most of the other Kwan leaders, and many of their initial students were trained at the Chung Do Kwan. Choi Hong Hi was a college student who led resistance movements against the Japanese occupation, and was imprisoned for this. After the war, he became a soldier in the Korean Army. He had earned Black Belt ranks in Karate while living in Japan during the occupation, so the Chung Do Kwan gave him the honorary rank of 4th Dan (which was later rescinded due to problems beyond the scope of this post).
Choi rapidly moved up the ranks of the military, and became a General. He created his own Kwan (Oh Do Kwan - "Gym of My Way"), and taught his version of combat fighting to soldiers. At one time, General Choi was asked to be the "Honorary President" of the Chung Do Kwan, but his military duties did not allow him to fulfill the responsibilities of the office, so he was forced to resign the position after a short time.
With the outbreak of the Korean War (1950 - 1953), Korean Martial Art combat skills were put to the test, and did very well. After the war, many, many Kwans were springing up all over South Korea. There was a movement to organize the Kwans, and unify them under one leadership and to decide upon a new name that would reflect the native combat skills that existed before the occupation as well as modern revelations (avoiding the bitterness of acknowledging Japanese involvement).
The Korean Government officially recognized five of the original Kwans. The name "Taekwon-do" was suggested and agreed upon after much debate. The KTA (Korea Taekwondo Association) was created as the central authority, however, not all Korean Martial Art Masters, and Kwan leaders wanted to conform or accept the name of Taekwon-do.
After the Korean war, and during the Vietnam War (1959 - 1975), many of the U.S. military soldiers trained in Taekwon-do in Korea, and brought it back to the U.S. Many started teaching in unauthorized schools without fully understanding the Art. Some sponsored Koreans to come to the States, like Jhoon Rhee, and Haeng Ung Lee (President and Founder of ATA, American Taekwondo Association - sponsored by his student, Richard Reed). Many of the early "Taekwondo schools" were formerly Karate and Kung-Fu schools which had lost some popularity and were converted by simply slapping "Taekwondo/Karate" on their signs. Most of these instructors were not fully trained in the Korean Art, but the American Associations would regularly help them with their tests (and collect the test fees, of course).
In contrast, Edward Sell was a soldier trained in Chung Do Kwan, while stationed in Korea, and was later authorized by his teacher, GM Hae Man Park, to start the U.S. Chung Do Kwan Association in Michigan, in 1967.
With the spread of Taekwondo around the world, it became necessary to establish a central authority in Korea who could set minimum testing requirements for Dan ranks, and provide verifiable credentials for those who actually did learn the Korean Art of Taekwondo. For this purpose, the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) was created, and General Choi was elected as its first president (meaning that there was intended to be different presidents and officers elected over time).
With deep rooted political problems (much of which involved Gen. Choi's open affiliation and willing association with the communist North Korea), Choi was asked to step down as president of the ITF. With further pressure, he felt it was necessary to leave the country entirely. He moved to Canada and set up his headquarters there. He also took the name of the "International Taekwon-do Federation" (ITF) with him.
At this time, the Kukkiwon (national academy) was being built in Seoul, South Korea, which would be the headquarters for the KTA. In order to provide a connection to Black Belt training and credentials outside of Korea, the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) was created to replace the ITF. With this event, the ITF changed from its original authority and purpose as a governing body, and became the personal organization of General Choi. Essentially, Choi's Oh Do Kwan faded out, and the ITF became his international Kwan with a full curriculum from color belt to Black Belt.
The WTF originally only dealt with the certification of Dan Ranks (never color belt) and also became responsible for competition matters. In time (with the introduction to Olympic Taekwondo) the duties of the WTF was switched to only oversee competition rules, and organizing sporting events "recognized" by the WTF. The committee would choose what forms would be approved, what would qualify as a "good form," and what regulations would apply to sparring competition. At that point, they stopped issuing Dan rank certificates, and they have nothing to do with any school's curriculum, nor color belt and Black Belt ranks.
Comparing these two organizations is like comparing a Law School or Law Firm in America to the American Bar Association. Both have to do with laws, but they are completely different types of organizations, with different responsibilities and purpose. Law schools teach people how to be lawyers so they can get a job. Law firms hire lawyers, and pay them take on clients, and argue cases in court.
Conversely, the American Bar Association is a national organization which maintains a high standard of ethics for the legal profession. It also accredits law schools under the authority of state high courts and the United States Department of Education, as well as according to standards developed by the association.
Therefore, the ITF is a ground-up Taekwon-do organization or "Kwan" run by one leader (a Kwanjang). With the argument over succession, you now see several Kwanjang leading different factions, each claiming to be the ITF. Schools may join the ITF, and students become "members" of the ITF. You can not join the WTF, and schools that choose to teach the same forms and sparring rules required for WTF "recognized" sporting events are not required to follow any other aspect of a curriculum, nor does it impact weather or not they compete, how much they compete, nor if their regular classes are well suited for real-life combat or not. That is up to each instructor, and what national or international organization they might "belong" to in comparison with those who are part of the ITF.
I hope this helps to explain the differences. It's like comparing apples to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration! (US FDA)
CM D.J. Eisenhart
