Gen. Choi came to NYC fall of 1977 for a political campaign -- an anti Park campaign as usual... the location was at Master Kwang Duk Chung's TKD school on 34th st. -- I remember clearly it was on 3rd fl. .. some college professors, former politicians, pro N. Korea and TKD masters, GM Suh Chong Kang (Tae Sun Kang's father, GM T.S Kang has a successful TKD school in downtown NYC today) and his followers (I was one of them), and GM Kang was Vice President of ITF then, and president of ATA.. there were at least 8-9 TKD masters and I believe I was the youngest...

After the political meeting, Gen Choi asked if anyone of us brought 'Do Bok' - I was the only one, and I still don't know why I said, "I have it, Sir." ... he simply said "very good, now go and change" -- I ran down to my beat up car, got my 'do bok' ..

Then he says "do Chon Ji" and I think I did it very well.. Gen. Choi's responded with a smile, "very good, but you just did Karate" - and he then did teach all of us up to Won Hyo that evening and asked us to come again next day.. Now I was confused, those days I thought I was pretty good in TKD, kind of reckless, too. But I did pride my self being very fast and strong 5'8' 160 lbs, wasn't afraid of anyone or anything.... I didn't go home that night, instead came straight to my TKD school in Bergenfield NJ, and tried to prove, my method is better than what Gen. Choi just corrected me on, it took me about an hour, and I realized, breathing was extremely important, it made difference in power by moving slightly down at the strike....... Next day I did patterns up to Choong Moo front of Gen. Choi, just as he told me to do... Rest is history.

That location on 34th st. is the very same place where Master Yang's TKD school is today..

Suk Jun Kim 9th dan

TKD and or any other martial arts competition have been around many years.. many of our founding fathers were against it, yet it was and is necessary for many of us .. as one of the early arrivals to USA, I, too practiced and competed, although it seems now as primitive time, where we had no safety gears to wear... yet the spirit as a competitor could't be, cannot be changed, then or now, at least that's what I believe.... I do have great respect other disciplines such as Go-Ju Ryu system and Chuan Fa (Ken po in Japanese , Kwon Bup in Korean) as well.. not because I practice with them for some years in early 70's but it taught me great deal of hand techniques, which I didn't know then, but I appreciate my friends whom we practiced together... specially in recent years..

The word Taekwon-Do was given April 11th 1955 by then Gen. Choi, Hong Hi - and many of us like to see the date as TKD birthday and we will celebrate the April 11th as 60th Anniversary
However, many will not consider the date as TKD birthday, specially if - don't practice Chang Hun Tul .. Because the pattern, now we call it ITF / traditional style... WTF / Olympic style and further, if Judo or Jujitsu and some boxing goes in now it's called MMA or with different rules UFC, K2, Thai, Kick boxing. ......

Regardless, whatever one competes in or practices, without respect and self respect, one will never make it.. Suk Jun Kim 9th dan