An ambassador with a martial art to share
In 1962, Choi Hong Hi became the Republic of Korea’s ambassador to the Federation of Malaya, whose territory is now part of Malaysia. Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963, during his posting. The country came to hold a special place in the international story of Taekwon-Do.
His appointment followed the military coup of 1961, amid strained relations with the new government. Away from the centre of Korean politics, he continued the work he had begun in army training halls. Diplomatic contacts helped him arrange demonstrations, invite instructors and find people willing to develop local schools.
Developing the patterns
Teaching continued alongside diplomatic work. Classes took place at the mission, and Choi worked on formal patterns with Kim Bok Man and Woo Jae Lim. They discussed movements and sequences, tried them in practice and refined the details. Together they shaped a programme that instructors could teach in different countries.
Local organisations were growing in Malaysia and Singapore. A demonstration brought new students into a hall; regular classes prepared some of them to become teachers. They kept the schools running after the Korean masters left and gradually became the foundation of Choi’s international network.
1965: a book and a world tour
After returning to Korea, Choi became president of the Korea Tae Soo Do Association in 1965 and secured its renaming as the Korea Taekwon-Do Association. That year also saw the publication of his English-language book, “Taekwon-Do: The Korean Art of Self-Defence”, and an international tour by his demonstration team.
The book and the performances worked together. Audiences saw the speed, power and precision of the team; future students received explanations of exercises and terminology in a language they could read. The manual stayed in the training hall after the team had left.
Turning that interest into a school required teachers. Members of the demonstration teams taught beginners, trained local instructors and kept in touch with the new groups. Diplomatic meetings opened doors; everyday teaching gave those encounters a lasting result.
22 March 1966: the founding of the ITF
On 22 March 1966, the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) was founded in Seoul. It brought together nine associations: Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, West Germany, the United States, Turkey, Italy and Egypt. Choi Hong Hi became its first president.
Years of teaching, travel and negotiations had produced a shared organisation. National groups could now work together on instruction, grading and competition. Choi combined the role of technical teacher with the responsibilities of an international leader.
His personal relationships with the masters helped the federation grow. A large network also needed agreed rules and collective decisions. Over the years, the relationship between the founder’s authority and the powers of the governing bodies would become increasingly important to the ITF’s history.