KKW's GM Uhm resigns

[Laurentkd]

With all the millions of people who do TKD in Korea, that's the best they could come up with??

Seems almost like the org has some kind of weird death wish... :idunno:

Well, as usual I think it is probably all about who you know, rather than what you know...

The group is already "bad" and I bet they aren't going to go out and find a quality guy to lift them up, they are going to keep promoting from within.

Unfortunate

 

[Ninjamom]

....Bottom line: .... noone will follow them and the Kukkiwon will lose all authority.

I have to ask - would this really be such a bad thing?

 

[exile]

I have to ask - would this really be such a bad thing?

Exactly the right question, NJM. And for a lot of us, the answer is just plain NO.

 

[Kwanjang]

As GM Uhm is my instructors teacher - and I will agree with the above post that said, GM Uhm will be hard to follow. He's is truly an icon in TKD and royal blood in the Chung Do Kwan. He was BB Graduate #4 at the CDK. My instructor GM Sell has often referred to his generosity and his since of duty for "our beloved art" As TKD'st, we owe a lot to GM Uhm. He was everything that was "right" at the KKW. However, there is a season for everything! and his- at least at the KKW is over within the year. For now he is still "The" KwanJ'ang of the CDK. The only constant in the universe is change. Things will work out as, they are meant to be- for the Kukkiwon.

I would like to thank GM Uhm for his leadership, and over sixty year commitment to TKD. I hope others would join me in doing the same.
From me (respectful bow) to you GM Uhm!

 

[YoungMan]

My instructor has often either met with him in Korea or spoken with him by phone. He tries to impress upon us how professional and exacting Mr. Uhm is. He typifies all that is positive about Taekwondo. Modern Taekwondo simply wouldn't exist without him. He is also one of the last links to the old days.

 

[IcemanSK]

Why do you think there is "an obvious leadership vacuum in the KKW?" I can think of at least 3 gentlemen I met there who could take over as President.

Who are you thinking of Miles? I'm curious.

 

[Miles]

Who are you thinking of Miles? I'm curious.

GM Song, Sang Keun, currently a VP of Kukkiwon
Dr. Oh, Dae Young, Academic Department Head
GM Lee, Chong Kwan, General manager of Academic Dept. (I'd say GM Lee would be a long-shot)

Are these gentlemen the likely successor? I don't know. Are they qualified, I believe so. Each of them has devoted their lives to TKD.

Why is it important that the KKW continues its mission? Well, for me personally, I think the KKW represents what is best in TKD in particular and martial arts in general. We are blessed to have a central authority where folks with many years of technical ability are studying, researching, and promoting TKD. TKD is an evolving art, it is not stagnant.

Miles

 

[Kwanjang]

Like GM Uhm was the VP before the fiasco with Un Yong Kim. There is a good possibility the current KKW VP will be appointed KKW President.

 

[terryl965]

Like GM Uhm was the VP before the fiasco with Un Yong Kim. There is a good possibility the current KKW VP will be appointed KKW President.

I am sorry to say it is very unlikely, they need more of a person with a stronger backbone to get them out of the miss they have produce. We all our sadden by the news but the facts remain they are being investigated by the Korean IRS and owes million of dollars, there popularity is down by there own remarks by nearly 28% from just five years ago. The sport side which they have been favoring for the most part is fading in the wake of all the controversy. We will need to take a backseat on this one and wait until the smoke clears to really see what is going to happen.

 

[exile]

We are blessed to have a central authority where folks with many years of technical ability are studying, researching, and promoting TKD.

Sorry, but I just do not see why a 'central authority' is necessary for a martial art, much less a 'blessing'. In terms of technical development and street applicability, why does TKD need a top-down mega-organization closely tied, as Terry has repeatedly pointed out, to the progressive sportification of what was originally a battlefield-tested combat art—especially when neither Japanese nor Okinawan karate, nor any of the hundreds of Chinese styles, nor the Oceanic MAs, have such a 'central authority'. The revival of karate's combat orientation is one of the most exciting developments in the MAs during the past decade and a half, and that was certainly not the work of any 'central authority', but rather the result of the initiative of gifted individual practitioners involved in informal networks of shared information and training with practitioners from other arts, in places like the UK, Australia and the US. When has any 'central authority' been distinguished for creative innovation? In talking about the reasons why none of the great Italian Renaissance calligraphers were Vatican scribes, one historian noted that 'art does not flourish in a bureaucratic environment', and I think that's a pretty sound observation across the board. For my money, the work of Stuart Anslow and Simon O'Neill on realistic combat applications of TKD hyungs is pretty much the most revitalizing development in TKD in decades, and the KKW had nothing to do with that.

TKD is an evolving art, it is not stagnant.

Exactly what has the role of the KKW been in the 'evolution' of TKD, then?

I've pointed out people and movements which represent real innovation in TKD as a combat art—exactly what has the KKW contributed in that direction? So far as I can tell, the KKW's business is standardization and certification—not exactly the forge of new breakthroughs in any MA, eh? So just how, apart from (the illusion of) uniform oversight in curriculum and ranking standards, has the KKW promoted the evolution of the art?

 

[Kwanjang]

I am sorry to say it is very unlikely, they need more of a person with a stronger backbone to get them out of the miss they have produce. We all our sadden by the news but the facts remain they are being investigated by the Korean IRS and owes million of dollars, there popularity is down by there own remarks by nearly 28% from just five years ago. The sport side which they have been favoring for the most part is fading in the wake of all the controversy. We will need to take a backseat on this one and wait until the smoke clears to really see what is going to happen.

Good point Terry!

 

[Laurentkd]

I think the IDEA of the KKW is a good idea. I like knowing that I can go to any WTF school and see (basically) the same rank structure, the same forms taught, the techniques taught the same way. Sure there are differences from school to school, but I think that umbrella of similarity is a good thing, and one that you don't really see in any other art. In keeps each individual school "individual" while still being a part of a greater whole.
Now, do I wish there were stricter promotion standards? Yes. Do I wish there was better communication between the KKW and the dojang owner? Definitely. Could I come up with plenty more things I would like to see improve? You know it.

I guess what I am saying is, I think the theory of the KKW is a good one, unfortunately we are dealing with the real world. I guess it comes down to: would you rather be a part of a flawed system or part of none at all? It is up to each of us.

 

[YoungMan]

What you will need for an effective Kukkiwon President:

1. Someone with excellent leadership ability. It doesn't matter if someone is 9th Dan black belt. If that person is not a true leader, others will not feel the need to listen to or follow him. You do not need to be a master instructor to lead the Kukkiwon, but I certainly think you should practice Taekwondo in order to understand it. Otherwise you lose credibility. One of the big isues with Un Yong Kim-he didn't practice Taekwondo.

2. Someone with the ability to raise money. Like it or not, the Kukkiwon needs revenue from various sources to do its job. Having said that, there needs to be oversight to ensure that revenue raised by the Kukkiwon is going to where it's supposed to go. Un Yong Kim oversaw millions of dollars with little oversight and went to jail for corruption. That can't happen again.

Having said that, I think it is important the Kukkiwon remain in Korea to lend credence to Taekwondo as a Korean martial art.

 

[miguksaram]

Now, do I wish there were stricter promotion standards? Yes. Do I wish there was better communication between the KKW and the dojang owner? Definitely. Could I come up with plenty more things I would like to see improve? You know it.

Strict promotional standards is up to the individual instructor not the KKW. KKW established a basic curriculum for TKD. It is up to the instructors to teach that curriculum. That same instructor can also expand on the curriculum if they so choose.

 

[miguksaram]

I would like to thank GM Uhm for his leadership, and over sixty year commitment to TKD. I hope others would join me in doing the same.
From me (respectful bow) to you GM Uhm!

I had the honor of meeting once at our school. He was a very polite and charasmatic gentleman. His leadership will be missed.

 

[YoungMan]

Mr. Uhm was the kind of person who made you feel proud to be a part of Taekwondo. Never met him, but my instructor has met with him many times and told us tales. We have a group pic of members of our organization in front of the Kukkiwon with our Grandmaster, Hae Man park, and Mr. Uhm. It doesn't get much better than that.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

I think the IDEA of the KKW is a good idea. I like knowing that I can go to any WTF school and see (basically) the same rank structure, the same forms taught, the techniques taught the same way. Sure there are differences from school to school, but I think that umbrella of similarity is a good thing, and one that you don't really see in any other art. In keeps each individual school "individual" while still being a part of a greater whole.
Now, do I wish there were stricter promotion standards? Yes. Do I wish there was better communication between the KKW and the dojang owner? Definitely. Could I come up with plenty more things I would like to see improve? You know it.

I guess what I am saying is, I think the theory of the KKW is a good one, unfortunately we are dealing with the real world. I guess it comes down to: would you rather be a part of a flawed system or part of none at all? It is up to each of us.

For me personally, the KKW provides a certification body that is external, thus my rank and certifications are not tied to one single dojang which could potentially not survive (speaking theoretically: I have no concerns about Korean Martial Arts, Gaithersburg surviving). I held kyu grades many years ago at a non-affiliated school that did not survive, sadly. Thankfully, that master was a decent man who held out long enough that everyone received any training that they paid for and certs that they had tested for, and then recommended us to another dojang, sending us off with a letter to present to any school we may wish to train.

This was rare. I've heard of many and known a few who went to class and found locked doors after having paid in advance for the following month and/or having paid testing fees that disappeared with the dojang (one gent I knew related that had paid for his first dan testing, then on the day of the test, the dojang was closed).

From that perspective, the Kukkiwon provides a service and is more than a papermill.

Beyond that, KKW leadership, such as it is, is less important to me; my own GM is the one who's leadership I look to. Nothing against the KKW, just the way it is.

Mr. Uhm was apparently a good man, so it is sad that he is going, but the organization as a whole hasn't provided the kind of direction that it needs to serve as much more than a certification entity. If that day comes, I will sing high praises.

Daniel

 

[Laurentkd]

Strict promotional standards is up to the individual instructor not the KKW. KKW established a basic curriculum for TKD. It is up to the instructors to teach that curriculum. That same instructor can also expand on the curriculum if they so choose.

I agree completely. I am more proud of my "school" ranking than my KKW because it was much harder to earn. I guess what I meant was stricter in the fact that anyone can get a KKW black belt with someone else's signiture. I wish there was some method to ensure that those who really have a KKW BB at least met the minimum standards. For example, I had KKW ranking without knowing any Tae Guek or Pal Gwe forms (we did some sort of Chung Do Kwan forms... I was a kid, I don't remember them anymore.) Because the certificate has no real credibility there really is no point in having a KKW certificate. There should be something more than just the say-so of another ranked person (as much as I wish I could have faith in every one of my seniors, again we are talking about the real world).

 

[terryl965]

KKW means very little anymore and for those that say other wise ask them this question what has the KKW done for you and your training.

 

[Kwanjang]

KKW means very little anymore and for those that say other wise ask them this question what has the KKW done for you and your training.

Terry my friend, do you not agree in the beginning it was a noble experiment to help unify TKD. I agree that with so many TKD schools teaching TKD-you are going to get the Senior instructors flair as they see it.

I know this is fiction but when Danielson says to Mr. Miagy. "But I do karate your way." Miagy replies, "Hi, but one day you do own way."