Wtf Kta

[Oniw17]

What's the KTA stand for. I've been doin the TKD class at my school for a few months, and I noticed that the TKD uniforms have WTF KTA written on them. Just wondering.

[Eliz]

KTA stands for Korean Taekwondo Association.

My own sketchy history of it is this:

1961 marked the first formal uniting of the kwans. The organization was called KTA under the leadership of Gen. Choi Hong Hi.

He resigned in 1966 and started the ITF. KTA remained under new leadership.

In 1973, KTA became WTF and Kukkiwon was established as the new HQ's.

As to why you have a patch that says WTF KTA, I don't know. Maybe there is another active organization out there called KTA. There is certainly no shortage of TKD groups!!!!

Oh, and as for the brief, sketchy history. I know there are HUGE chunks of info missing. Frankly, there are so many versions of this history published, I'm not always sure how accurate one is over another.

[AndrewSimonsen]

KTA created the WTF to spread TKD, it remains though.

[TKDGirl18]

Yeah, Korean Taekwondo Association is what it stands for. I see them a lot at the tournements and they make fun of our clubs baseball jerseys for the confidence club. ^-^ Oh well thats what we get for having a master who likes baseball and taekwondo

[Rick J]

I did a Google awhile back and what I found on the KTA is that they're South Korea's version of USA Taekwondo, i.e., their government's sanctioning body for Olympic competition. Obviously they're associated with the WTF as USAT (formerly USTU) is but I'm not sure if they have affiliated schools here in the states.

Rick.

[AndrewSimonsen]

Yes.
They do.

[Rick J]

Do they issue BB Certificates as well? I know of someone around here who lists a KTA 4th Degree BB as one of his ranks and it struck me as a bit odd but you never know.

[Sabuhm]

Some people here are confusing the K.T.A. (Korea Taekwondo Association) of Korea with American based organizations such as the K.T.A. (Korean Taekwondo Academy) [note: "Korea" and "Association" as opposed to "Korean" and "Academy"]. There is no direct connection between the two, and the K.T.A. of Korea only certifies Black Belts in Korea. American instructor's who claim a "K.T.A." Dan rank are not talking about the same organization (probably the Korean Taekwondo Academy in America).

The history of it is basically that the old Martial Art of Korea (Pre- WWII), was known by many names such as Subak, Taekyon, Hwarang-do, and others. The peninsula of Korea was annexed and occupied militarily by the Japanese from 1910 to 1945, during which time, Japanse Martial Art schools were opened in the universities, and major cities. Any masters of Korean Martial Art were forbidden to teach, but the younger ones were allowed to train at the Japanese academies. Other Taekyon masters taught in secrecy in villiages across the country.

When Korea was liberated, five main Kwans (school systems) emerged under senior ranking masters, but each went their own way with many influences of the Japanese training. The older Korean masters formed the K.T.A. (Korea Taekyon Association). Around that time, one of the former political student protesters, prisoner of war, and military leader, Choi Hong Hi, opened his own kwan he named "Oh Do Kwan" ("Gym of My Way"). In the early 1950s, a movement was started in Korea to re-organize and unify the Kwans to abolish any evidence of Japanese influence (The Japanese military was known to have commited atrosities on the Korean Men, Women, and children).

The political tone was clear, and the desire was to re-name the collective knowledge of Korea's Martial Art history. Since one of the most popular names of the past was Taekyon (kicking art), General Choi Hong Hi suggested the use of a similar word which denoted both hand and foot techniques feeling that it represented the more well rounded reality of Korean Martial Art. In 1955, a board of high ranking Korean Masters, scholars, and politicians was conviened to decide on a new name for the old art. General Choi submitted the combined words "Tae Kwon Do" (The way of the hand and foot). It was voted on, and accepted.

The K.T.A. (Korea Taekyon Association) was renamed Korea Taekwondo Association and represented a national governing body for training and certification in Korea. After the Korean War ended (1950 - 1953) Many American soldiers were learning about Korean Martial Art, and seveal Korean Masters left Korea to establish schools in America and elsewhere. As Taekwondo spread, it became less organized and lacked leadership and regulation. The Grandmasters of the K.T.A. (of which Genral Choi had been elected president) decided to create an international governing body to certify instructors around the world. The I.T.F. (International Taekwondo Federation) was created, and General Choi was elected as its president.

After some conflicts in Taekwondo politics, as well as with the Korean government (according to an interview General Choi gave to Taekwondo Times Magazine), he left Korea and set up his I.T.F. organizational headquaters in Canada. It basically became an international version of his own Oh Do Kwan, under his sole leadership until his death.) The K.T.A. needed to replace this organization to maintain their international authority, so, in 1972 they established the W.T.F (World Taekwondo Federation) and the Kukkiwon center (National Academy & World Headquarters) where the offices for the Korea Taekwondo Association, the W.T.F., and the Korea Olympic committee are currently housed with a large arena for training and tournaments.

The K.T.A. still exists in Korea and is at the top of the chain of command for Korean Taekwondo followed by the W.T.F. and then each national governing body in each country. The I.T.F. still exists but is an independant organization which has splintered since the death of General Choi. There are currently things in the works that might bring many Taekwondo organizations together, but the politics will probably make this very difficult.

There is always controversy in history, but when I have done extensive research, and looked beyond personal agendas of individual masters, I have seen what I believe is the most accurate account of what transpired.

I hope this helps your understanding of the organizational structure. For more details on the WTF - KTA connection, visit the W.T.F website.

Respectfully,
Sabuhm
James Jerome
Taekwondo Yuk Dan

[Cliff Hargrave]

Some kwans united in 1955 as Tae Soo Do.

1957 - some kwons adopt name Tae Kwon Do because it sounds like Taekyon

1961 - Korean Taekwondo Union formed by merging kwons

1965 - Korean Taekwondo Union name was changed to Korean Taekwondo Association (K.T.A)

1966 - Choi quits KTA and founds ITF to spread TKD internationally. He quit because he caught heat for going to North Korea to spread TKD.

1973 - WTF founded to counter ITF (political move against Choi since ITF was growing so much)

1980 - IOC recognizes WTF as international group over Olympic TKD, and KTA as Korean National Governing body (The same way USTU is the NGB for the USA).

[DragonMind]

BTW there were more than five kwans. Frank Clay and I outlined the major players about a year ago. A search should find it readily.

[Sabuhm]

Mr. McLean, thank you for your comments, sir - they are much appreciated. Although I have organizational affiliations, I try to remain unbiased when talking about the history of Korean Martial Art. I do have my own personal beliefs that tend to come through though.

There really is no way to be absolutely sure about the facts because of the retelling, marketing, and personal agendas that you and I mentioned. I do believe that General Choi did a lot for the popularity, organization and revival of the Korean Taekyon/Taekwondo, but it is correct that he never really did succeed in unifying the Kwans as he is usually given credit for doing. I do not believe that the resulting "Taekwondo" curriculum that remained in Korea, and developed around the world reflects General Choi's own personal version of Oh Do Kwan, which came to be his teaching in the ITF.

Mr. McConnell is correct that there were more than 5 Kwans. I think the way it is usually phrased is that after the liberation in 1945, five "main Kwans" emerged. Sometimes they are called the five "original Kwans." Why they called them the "main Kwans," I don't know, except that they might have been the most popular, or the ones that survived and became more powerful, and influencial. It probably is due to politics, marketing, and who has the money to promote their version of the past.

Mr. Hargraves post is more acurate to details on some of the exact names and dates which I omitted. I did not check references for my post, but typed from my memory of what I could recall off the top of my head. Thank you, Mr. Hargrave, for clarifying the details.

It seems history repeats itself, and usually changes a little each time.


Respectfully,
James Jerome