Choi Hong Hi
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Choi Hong Hi (November 9, 1918 - June 15, 2002) was a South Korean army general and the founder of Taekwondo, though he was very junior to the founders of the five main Kwans. As a retired Major-General, he was his country's first ambassador to Malaysia. Finding life in South Korea under General Park Chung Hee's presidency intolerable, he fled the country and eventually settled in Canada and North Korea for the rest of his life.
General Choi was born in what was to be North Korea during the Japanese Colonial Period and died in P'yŏngyang, the North Korean capital. During his adult life, however, Choi lived in Japan, South Korea, and Canada gaining the rank of "Major-General" during his career in the South Korean army.
When written in combination with one’s name, the military title “General” refers to a particular rank, that represented in the US and ROK armies by four stars worn on the collar. Choi, Hong Hi never held this rank; neither in the Army of the Republic of Korea, nor in any other army. The rank of general does refer to a four star general. They are also addressed as general. So in this case the rank & title are the same. However, a one star (brigadier) general, two star (major) general & three star (Lt. general) are all properly reffered to as general. So the title to any general, regardless of stars is simply general. That is standard military protocal for the US & ROK Army.
Choi did serve in the Korean army. He was a general officer. As a Brigadier, (wearing one star) Choi served as the Chief of Staff to General Paik Sun Yup, the first Korean officer to achieve four-star rank in that army. He was also a Major General, two stars. From the public record, it appears that, as an officer in the army of a nation fighting a terrible war on their own soil, Mister Choi never held a combat command nor ever performed duties which would have placed him in harm’s way as a soldier. Choi did go on to command an infantry division before retiring, but it was a training division, and stationed on an off-shore island.
As a boy he was educated in Korea under the Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula. At that time, many of the traditions of the Korean people were suppressed by the Japanese, including the country's ancient martial arts, which were and still are renowned for the dynamic kicking techniques that are taught in them. Choi Hong Hi claims he was trained in the Korean martial art of Taekyon in secret. However, the Korea Taekkyon Association states these claims were false. When he became older he went to Japan to study at university, there he claimed to have trained in Shotokan Karate and achieved the rank of black belt within two years of training, however, all the Kwan leaders who trained at the universities in Japan, never saw him, and the Japanese masters did not know of him. He used NAM, Tae Hi to combine aspects of karate with aspects of the ancient Korean martial arts to create Oh Do Kwan.
General Choi is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son who all live in Canada.
See also
External links
- [The founder of Taekwondo] Self Styled
- [Guardian obituary of General Choi]
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