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Kimm He-Young and Park Lee-hyun demonstrating
Hapkido on the bank of the Mississippi River; Cape
Giradeau, Missouri, 1969.
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Grandmaster Ji Han-jae
also recommended that Dr. Kimm create his own style of martial
arts in 1989. He said that this would be the only way for Dr.
Kimm to improve his techniques any further. He also said that
if Dr. Kimm belonged to any style or organization he would loose
his freedom to create new techniques or experiment in other areas.
Dr. Kimm was very appreciative of his advice and treated him as
his teacher. He then told Dr. Kimm that they were now in equal
positions as founders of martial arts styles and that they both
must receive respect from their respective students. Grandmaster
Ji said that they were now one equal footing and to remember that
they are now friendly competitors as founders.
Since Dr. Kimm became interested in martial arts, he has carried
a uniform bag with his right hand and a book bag with his left
hand. Dr. Kimm has always been proud to lead this type of life
and will continue it until he dies. His interest in the history
of martial arts has always been present. Whenever possible, he
visited many of the old grandmasters and listened to their life
stories, philosophies, experienced and their wisdom. In addition
to the instructors that influenced his life, four grandmasters
who greatly influenced the formation of the Han Mu Do philosophy
and techniques were Lee Kyung-suk, Suh Jung-hak, Lee Won-kuk,
and Kwon Tae-hoon.
Grandmaster Lee Kyung-suk is a 10th Degree Black Belt in Yudo
and the only one of these who is still living in Korea. Besides
Grandmaster Song Wang-sub in high school and Grandmaster Yoon
Yong-jo in college, grandmaster Lee was the third person who influenced
Dr. Kimm's perception of Yudo philosophy which was "...use
your energy for proper work and work for mutual benefit...".
Grandmaster Lee was born in 1906 and began studying Yudo when
he entered Bae Jae High School in 1921. He continued Yudo practice
while he was attending Juoi (Central University) in Japan. As
a graduate with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in law study in 1931,
he was awarded the rank of 6th Degree Black Belt from the Kodokan,
which was the highest rank a Korean had obtained at that time.
Upon his return to Korea, Grandmaster Lee established Yun Moo
Kwan Yudo school in Seoul in 1931 and began to produce Korean
Yudo men. He is said to have produced more than thirty thousand
Yudo men and women in fifty years of training. After World War
II, Yoon Byung-im began looking for a place to teach Kong Soo
Do. Grandmaster Lee suggested that he share space in the Yun Moo
Kwan Yudo School. Master Yoon accepted his offer. This was the
beginning of the Yun Moo Kwan Kong Soo Do School.
When war broke out in Korea in 1950, North Korean troops invaded
South Korea and kidnapped many prominent people. Master Yoon was
one of them. Yun Moo Kwan Kong Soo Do classes were then taken
over by Yoon Kwe-byung. Lee Jong-woo later moved the school to
the Han Kuk Gym and changed the name from Yun Moo Kwan to Ji Do
Kwan. Not many Tae Kwon Do people know about the early history
of Ji Do Kwan and Grandmaster Lee's help in starting Kong Soo
Do in his Yudo school. This is a perfect example of Yudo's spirit
and philosophy of working for mutual benefit.
Grandmaster Suh Jung-hak was a 9th Degree Black Belt in Kum Do,
that Art of Swords, and a former Chief in the Korean Secret Service
Agency in the 1950's. Grandmaster Suh exhibited a great influence
in the formation of the Han Mu Do philosophy. In 1958, Dr. Kimm
received the Best Technical Award at the Spring High School Yudo
Championship which was held in Seoul. This same year, for President
Seung Man Rhee's birthday, Master Lee Suk-do and Master Kwon Yong-woo
were selected representatives of the Adult Division of the Yudo
team which was led by the President of the Korea Police Association,
Colonel Park Jung-joon. Nam Kwang-woo and Dr. Kimm were honored
to be selected to perform the Yudo demonstration at the President's
birthday party. Four Kum Do Black Belts led by Master Suh Jung
hak were also asked to perform. Mats were placed on the lawn with
chairs arranged on the hillside. President Rhee and his wife sat
in the middle with his staff on either side of them. Man Kwang-woo
and Dr. Kimm performed a demonstration of Me Chi Ki Bon (form
of fifteen throws) which they followed with an exhibition match.
Lee Suk-do and Kwon Young-woo, who were the Yudo champions at
the time, followed with an exhibition match. The Kum Do Black
Belts demonstration consists of forms and sparring with bamboo
swords.
Master Suh Jung-hek
continues the demonstration by placing two poles covered in rice
straw and two bamboo sticks in the ground. The then drew his sword
and executed a 45 degree downward cutting stroke to one of the
rice straw poles. He immediately executed a 45 degree upward strike
to the second rice straw pole. The tops of both poles were still
there. One of the Black Belts walked to the poles and lifted the
top portion off the pole. Everyone, including President Rhee,
cheered Master Suh's marksmanship. At this time, he approached
the bamboo sticks and swung his sword in the same manner as before.
This time they saw the blade cut through the bamboo sticks. After
the demonstration, there was a small party for President Rhee.
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