Ki Chung Kim

Ki Chung Kim was the Korean Collegiate Champion in 1965 and national Korean Middleweight Taekwondo champion in 1967.

Early life

Ki Chung Kim was born on June 22, 1941 in Nonsan, Korea and died on December 28, 1996 in Orange, New Jersey. After graduating from Nonsan Daegun High School, he earned a BA in English literature from Korea University.

Taekwondo Instruction

Ki Chung Kim was one of the first Korean Taekwondo instructors to teach in the United States. Ki Chung Kim was a member of associations including the Korean Taekwondo Association, US Taekwondo Federation, and the World Taekwondo Association.

Kim started Taekwondo schools in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Orange, NJ, and West Orange, NJ. Ki Chung Kim also taught classes at Morris County Community College and Rutgers University.

Instructional Methods

In addition to being a gifted competitor and instructor, he is also remembered for his depth of philosophy. He required that his students read books such as The I Ching, Doctrine of the Mean, and the Art of War by Sun Tzu. He insisted that his students achieve a high level in school. He would ask his students to read a book and then report on it in class.

Ki Chung Kim felt that the nature and philosophy of Taekwondo is misunderstood. Many people believe that karate and Taekwondo are methods of fighting, breaking bricks and yelling. Some martial arts participants regard Taekwondo as just another style of karate. At times, a few people felt that Taekwondo instructors were overly traditional. Ki Chung Kim emphasized teaching a complete, comprehensive knowledge of Taekwondo. From this, students are able to develop the skills and techniques that are appropriate for their size and physical characteristics.

References

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