INSIDE TAEKWONDO - Nº 001
7 February 2021
INSIDE TAEKWONDO A New Era for Taekwondo
GM Lee Dong-Seob (right), GM Aroldo Martins (center) and GM Kim Eun-Seob (left)
We have great news for Brazilian practitioners of Taekwondo: a new era has nally come. The new president of Kukkiwon was elected on January 28, 2021. Grandmaster Lee Dong-Seob, 9th Dan, former congressman and friend of GM Dr. Aroldo Martins, president of the Brazilian Federation of Original Taekwondo (CBTMarcial) I met him through Dr. Aroldo and sent a letter / email directly to him and another to GM Kim Eun-Seob (well-known ghter, 9th Dan and right-hand man of GM Lee Dong-Seob).
I present you with a copy of the original reply along with its translation “To GM Lee Woo-Jae How are you? I apologize for the delay in responding. I am in full agreement with your opinion and your work dedicated to the development of Taekwondo Martial Arts We are currently unable to create a Martial Arts Federation in Korea, because of my candidacy for the presidency of Kukkiwon. That is why I was delayed in answering your letter My views are the same as yours.
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INSIDE TAEKWONDO - Nº 001
INSIDE TAEKWONDO - Nº 001
7 February 2021
Currently, Taekwondo is a success in the Olympics, but it has become weak as a martial art. I want to look for ways to bring it back to what it was…strong! I am thinking about letting WT work with Olympic Taekwondo and Kukkiwon purely with Taekwondo Martial Arts, so with a strong Taekwondo we will lift it to be a respected martial art once again I agree with your views about saving Original Taekwondo Martial Arts, because it is also my opinion. If I am elected as president of Kukkiwon, the rst thing I will do is make Kukkiwon bring the Original Taekwondo back. The meeting with Dr. Aroldo Martins was very blessed and happy, as a federal congressman, I see that through Taekwondo he is promoting his beliefs, just as I am doing too. We are very alike I have never met GM Lee Woo-Jae personally, but I felt as though I already knew you when I learned that your entire life has been dedicated to trying to save Taekwondo Martial Arts.
“…the rst thing I will do is make Kukkiwon bring the Original Taekwondo back.”
Original letter sent by GM Lee Dong-Seob
I welcome your opinion and guidance at any time. If I am elected, I would love to meet with Dr. Aroldo Martins once again in my Kukkiwon Of ce. I will do everything in my power to be elected, and thus, usher in a new era for Kukkiwon, and gain even more success for Taekwondo I am very grateful to you for having read my letter to the end and always wish you health and happiness. - Lee Dong-Seob (new president of Kukkiwon elected on January 28, 2021. Quorum: 55x19 votes).
- GM LEE DONG-SEOB
The time has come to make our work shine and bring the Original Taekwondo Martial Arts into the spotlight. We in Brazil are the 1st country to have a single Federation of Original Taekwondo, being recognised by Kukkiwon, we can work together. From now on our work is OFFICIAL. We are no longer alone. We should be proud, as pioneers, to be working with the Original Taekwondo
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INSIDE TAEKWONDO - Nº 001
7 February 2021
As soon as we surpass this pandemic, we will show what the Original Taekwondo Martial Art is and why we need it. All we need is unity, trust and hard work now
The differences between Olympic Taekwondo and Original Taekwondo 1. At the time of competitions, athletes are not in guard position. Hands are kept stretched out, down and sometimes swinging. This is not the original position 2. They do not use defensive techniques, nor are they scored 3. The use of 99% of hand techniques are prohibited, this is ridiculous 4. The ghts are mostly standing 5. The use of tripping techniques are not used, and without them this is not combat 6. They don't care about the importance of “kihaps" and the fact that concentration is needed 7. Fighters are allowed to fall down as many times as they want. In original combat, if you fall to the ground, it is considered a loss 8. The use of elbows is forbidden, so athletes are constantly clinging to the opponent 9. Torso protection inhibits the exibility of athletes, the correct thing would be to get rid of it
GM Lee Woo-Jae
10. Punches to the face are not allowed, therefore it has become a game and not combat 11. Acrobatic-like demonstrations are performed, nothing like Original Taekwondo A high jump to kick the enemy need not be more than 2 meters high. A jump kicking 4, 5, 6, 7 targets is actually a performance, and doesn't have enough power to break the ghter's "face" or knock him down; splitting into multiple targets means the ghter is splitting his strength. No kick without concentration will do any good. They are demonstrations. You have to show speed, technique and power, this is what’s truly important.
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INSIDE TAEKWONDO - Nº 001
INSIDE TAEKWONDO - Nº 001
7 February 2021
Olympic Taekwondo should put an end to these demonstrations and adopt a demonstration more focused on martial arts, similar to what North Korean Taekwondo (ITF) or Karate does. We must stop performing and exaggerating, and show reality more. Show what combat with a real enemy truly is. A ghter who jumps off the back or shoulder of another ghter can kick up to a height of 6 meters…is his enemy 6 meters tall?! This is more of an acrobatic performance and not martial arts. These demonstrations have nothing to do with martial arts combat. It makes no sense I believe it demoralises the image of true Taekwondo. It is important that leaders keep their eyes open to what is happening with Taekwondo I am against these types of demonstrations or performances Sítio Monte Rá, ES, Brazi February 4, 202 Grandmaster Lee Woo-Ja
Who is GM Lee Woo-Jae? One of the most senior grandmasters in Brazil and, due to his contributions towards the martial art, considered by many as the “Father of Taekwondo” in Brazil Lee Woo-Jae was born in Joen-Ra-Nam-Do, South Korea, in 1941. His rst steps in Taekwondo were taken in 1956. Before this, he was already a black belt in Judo and a practitioner of Kendo and Hapkido
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INSIDE TAEKWONDO - Nº 001
7 February 2021
He graduated in Police Administration at Dong-Guk College in Seoul, served in the Army for three years and was a monk for the same period (Dong-HwaSa, Kwang-Ju) GM Lee Woo-Jae is a direct disciple of General Choi, the founder of Taekwondo, and part of the initial group of international masters of 1970, taught by Gen. Choi himself, responsible for Gen. Choi (blue) GM Lee Woo-Jae (red) taking Taekwondo to all corners of the ITF International Masters Training Course 1970 world. Still in the 70s, GM Lee Woo-Jae was sent to Brazil, where he started promoting Taekwondo. He arrived along with seven more Korean masters, who stayed in São Paulo with nancial help from the Korean Association of São Paulo Afterwards, he decided to go his own way. Alone and with poor nancial conditions, he moved to Rio de Janeiro, with the aim of promoting the Korean Martial Art. Without his family around and without knowing a word of Portuguese, he encountered many obstacles. With discrimination and rejection all around him, he was forced to accept challenges from ghters of other modalities, such as Karate, Capoeira and Jiu Jitsu Gradually, he managed to show all the strength of Taekwondo to the people of Rio. Grandmaster Lee Woo-Jae taught classes to the Army, Air Force and Military Police. After setting up his own gym in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, he was nally able to bring his family from Korea
Publications written by GM Lee Woo-Jae
In 1973, he registered Taekwondo with the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Brazilian Government. Another important milestone was being able to bring 42 Korean masters to Brazil, and distributing them throughout the country. Once Taekwondo became an of cial Brazilian sport, it was also eligible to receive government funding
From 1972, he took over the Brazilian Taekwondo Confederation, staying in of ce for 12 years. Between 1976 and 1982, he was the editor of “Dô”, the martial arts magazine of Brazil. When he wrote his rst Taekwondo book in Portuguese (“Learn Taekwondo”), in 1978, he managed to engrave his name in Brazilian sports.
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INSIDE TAEKWONDO - Nº 001
INSIDE TAEKWONDO - Nº 001
7 February 2021
The book had 420 pages and was a bestseller, eventually being reissued in 1980 Two years later, he stepped away from martial arts, leaving his youngest colleague, Yong-Min Kim, in charge. While away, Master Lee took the opportunity to dedicate himself to personal activities and began to live in the state of Espírito Santo. There were many requests for him to return to the sport and launch a new collection of works. In 2016, backed by popular demand, he released further literature The collection “Practice Taekwondo - Volumes 1 and 2” and “Viva Taekwondo”, launched by Bueno Editora, present updated techniques, rules and systems, covering all categories of Taekwondo His latest book, “Hoshin-Sull”, dedicated exclusively to self-defence, highlights 500 Taekwondo techniques and 14 other combat styles, including Judo, Karate, Hapkido, Kung Fu, Aikido, Kickboxing, Capoeira, Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, among other martial arts Grandmaster Lee Woo-Jae has made presentations in numerous places, formed hundreds of black belts and produced many successful publications. After more than 47 years in Brazil, at this moment, his main goal is to bring the original Taekwondo Martial Arts back Translated by: Master Rafael Martins
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INSIDE TAEKWONDO - Nº 001