General Choi Hong Hi – A Peace Profile
Summary by Roy Rolstad
A academic article by John A. Johnson and my good friend, Dr. Sanko Lewis re-examines General Choi Hong-Hi, the founder of ITF-style Taekwon-Do, through a perspective we rarely focus on: his intention to use Taekwon-Do as a tool for peace.
While Gen. Choi lived much of his life as a soldier and political actor, the authors argue that he consistently embedded peace-focused values into his martial art. The Taekwon-Do Oath, the Tenets, and the moral expectations of training were intentionally designed to teach practitioners to manage conflict, build character, and contribute to society.
The article also describes Taekwon-Do as a form of “soft diplomacy.” Through international teaching tours, demonstrations, and the founding of the ITF in 1966, Choi believed Taekwon-Do could help people of different cultures connect through shared practice.
Choi was a complex figure, a general promoting peace, a strict leader teaching self-control, and a patriot who later sought support beyond South Korea. The authors note these contradictions but argue they do not diminish the peace-oriented foundation of his message.
Their conclusion: General Choi’s legacy is kicks, patterns, and history. And it is a moral project aimed at making practitioners better people and inspiring global connection through the practice of Taekwon-Do.
Read the paper here;
The late GM Tran supervised by Gen. Choi. Traveling the world to teach.
Gen. Choi and the cast for the CD-rom project. Always looking to be innovative in spreading Taekwon-Do