DPRK TOUR - REFLECTIONS

REFLECTIONS

Dr. George Vitale

The drive back to Austria in a snowstorm

I have been involved in Taekwon-Do longer than I care to remember. I started when many were still calling it Korean Karate. My life has been added to and made special in some many key ways through my long time involvement in this wonderful Korean Martial Art of Self Defense. I truly believe Taekwon-Do is Korea’s greatest gift to the world. Untold millions have had their lives enhanced by their exposure to this wholesome activity. My solid connections and strong friendships with the Koreans from the northern part of Korea began in 1989. I was asked by Taekwon-Do’s principle founder, General Choi Hong Hi to take the USA Team to Pyongyang and compete in the first ever Taekwon-Do tournament hosted by the DPR Korea. 

Our relationship began to solidify after I retired from a 24-year career with the New York State Police. My retirement in 2004-5 afforded me the luxury to concentrate on Taekwon-Do and the allowed much more frequent travel to pursue the Art I love so much. I was now able to take a more active role in assisting Grandmaster Jung Woo Jin follow through on Gen. Choi’s desire to utilize his Taekwon-Do to build a more peaceful world. Grandmaster Jung has led the way for 2 very successful cultural exchanges in the USA between the Americans and the North Koreans. He has also taken several groups of American and international Taekwon-Do practitioners to North Korea as well.

The team shows their versatility by shovelling snow at ITF Headquarters

My personal involvement in helping to make these efforts happen, have given me great satisfaction in knowing I have tried to move this laudable goal of Gen. Choi forward. Over the years I can see how the personal connections I have made are not only real, but lasting. As new members are added to the team I also see how easier it is for me to connect, as the older members are able to share with the newer ones their positive experiences with me.

This particular trip was poignant in yet another way. The goodwill tour I was invited to be a part of as a team member started in Vienna Austria. Austria’s political neutrality played an important role during the Cold War when that “Iron Curtain” divided Europe and much of the world. It was here that Gen. Choi moved the ITF Headquarter to, precisely in order to utilize that neutral posture to help continue to spread his Taekwon-Do worldwide, without regard to nationality, ethnicity, race, religion or creed. His Taekwon-Do knew no borders. It was fitting that this tour started and ended in Vienna, where the initial show was performed in front of at least 16 Ambassadors.

Saying so long at the Vienna airport until next time

What was particularly striking for me was that the next 3 demonstrations took place in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Long before borders became solidified, common languages, customs and culture connected areas. These 2 areas were once part of the Austrian-Hungary Empire. However when this Empire fell after losing “The Great War” (WWI), an artificially created state was formed and called Czechoslovakia. With the onset of the Second World War, the union again became disjointed; only to be joined again in the aftermath of WWII, by the communists led by the Soviet Union.

When the Iron Curtain fell and the Soviet Union collapsed, Czechoslovakia divided peacefully in the “Velvet Divorce”. There were now two Republics formed by a common language, custom and culture. The Korean Taekwon-Do Committee team conducted their goodwill tour, while back home, the country remains artificially divided, despite thousands of years of a common language, customs and culture, made possible in part by the natural borders in place forged by the water on the 3 sides of the Korean peninsular and the high mountain ranges and rivers of their northern border with China. It is our hope that continued cultural exchanges can help in some small way to bring people together!

I eagerly look forward to the next tour I will try to make with the team:

GREENLAND in September of 2013

DPRK TOUR - ONWARD TO SLOVAKIA – THE TOUR’S LAST STOP

ONWARD TO SLOVAKIA – THE TOUR’S LAST STOP

Dr. George Vitale

On the snowy mountain road to Slovakia!

The streets of Nitra

The normally 4-hour drive was slowed down and hampered by the wintery snow conditions. However the brilliant, fresh white snow, helping to make the long trip seem a bit less tedious, enhanced the beauty of the natural mountainous scenery. Upon arrival the team checked into the hotel and rested for the upcoming joint training with the students of Slovakia. Nitra is the 5^th largest city in The Slovak Republic or Slovakia. It serves as the government seat of the Nitra Region, which lies in the western area of Slovakia.

The training session was again a popular event that was filled with local students who were eager to share in this rare opportunity. The standard of technique in Slovakia is fairly high, as they benefited for years of training under Master Ri Yong Sok. Master Ri had been dispatched from the DPR Korea to teach in the Slovak Republic. He was the former Technical Committee Chairman of the ITF. Much of this evening’s training centered around focused on HooSinSul (self defense), which is the primary physical goal of ITF Taekwon-Do’s training.

Friday evening’s demonstration was again a popular sold out event. The program consisted of 10 different fighting style disciplines, listed in performance order; Brazilian Jujitsu, Boxing, free style Karate, Aikido, Krav Maga, Kung Fu, Mixed Martial Arts, Wing Tsun, Muay Thai and Taekwon-Do. In addition a local dance troupe Diamonds Academy performed some hip-hop numbers to the delight of the audience. The highlight of the night was again the action packed Korean Taekwon-Do Committee’s team, which rocked the arena with their display of raw power, self-defense, highflying multiple kicks and acrobatic, coordinated skills.

The Slovakia ITF Taekwon-Do Association was able to organized several corporate sponsors for the event, including Mazda. The Slovak fans, like all the others that watched the shows along this tour of Central Europe, lined up for pictures and autographs with this talented team that has no equal in the martial arts world. Joining the fans this time in the line to meet the Team was the VIP corporate sponsors as well!

The Team travelled by bus back on Saturday February 23, 2013 to Vienna Austria during a snowstorm that forced the cancellation of many flights. Upon arrival at the ITF Headquarters the Team showed the versatility and strength by shovelling the Headquarters driveway and parking lot. Afterwards they headed to their hotel for a well-deserved rest, before their next morning Sunday departure from Europe to travel home. Members of the Korean Taekwon-Do Committee will next appear at the regularly scheduled World Championships this July 2013 in Sofia, the Capital City of Bulgaria! We hope to see you there!




Training Session with the Local Students

Demonstration

 

JOINT TRAINING AND SHARING WITH THE SLOVAK STUDENTS TOOK PLACE ON THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2013

EXHIBITION IN NITRA TOOK PLACE ON FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2013

DPRK TOUR - TAEKWONDO DIPLOMACY AS IT UNFOLDS

TAEKWONDO DIPLOMACY AS IT UNFOLDS

 Dr. George Vitale

The famous ITF Chosun National Taekwon-Do Team will kick off their Central European demonstration tour at the Museum Fur Volker (Museum of Ethnology) located in Vienna, the Capital City of Austria. The Museum dates back to the 1800s and their anthropological collection specializes in non-European artifacts, making it fitting that this first performance highlighting an Eastern Art from Korea takes place in this spectacular building. The Museum is located on the grounds of the Imperial Palace, which is over 600 hundred years old and currently also houses the Austrian President’s Executive Residence. This area has been the seat of governments dating back to the 13^th Century, including one of the last great European Empires, the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 

Chosun Taekwon-Do Demonstration Team Arrives at Museum

Vienna Austria is also the seat of the International Taekwon-Do (ITF) Headquarters since 1985. General Choi Hong Hi, the first president and founder of the ITF moved the office there in 1985 to help facilitate the spread of his original style of Taekwon-Do throughout Europe, due to its central location as well as the access it afforded at the time to socialist and communists nations due to Austria’s political neutrality. This was of course during the period of the Cold War and the “Iron Curtain” that divided Europe. General Choi knew that moving the ITF’s Headquarters here would help insure his dream of building a more peaceful world through his Taekwon-Do would be furthered. 

Gen. Choi at his desk, ITF Headquarters

The ITF was founded in Seoul (south) Korea on March 22, 1966 with 9 member nations. It now has representation in more than 120 countries around the world. He later relocated the Headquarters to Toronto Canada as he fled the political oppression of the military government regime that he was an outspoken critic of. General Choi lived his life in exile from his beloved Korea, where he helped establish the ROK Army as a founding member graduating from their first academy class in 1946 and later become the ROK’s first Ambassador to Malaysia in 1962. Canada is located between Asia and Europe. It also would be the host of the 1976 Olympics. The move to Toronto would be the General’s next step in his continued globalization of the Korean Martial Art of Taekwon-Do that he named and created.

Society Magazine, a publication that reports on top events in business, science, politics, diplomacy, culture and society, hosts the event in Vienna. The magazine has a long history of reporting on such activities as it previously merged with UN Magazine that dates back to 1945. Invited guests to this exclusive show are the many international diplomats assigned to Vienna, as well as local and national political leaders. 

ITF Activation in Seoul Korea

From here the Team from The Democratic People’s Republic of (north) Korea (DPRK) will travel to the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Please check the website* for more updates from the scene as the goodwill tour continues and the team’s travels  unfold and the experiences expand!

*http://www.taekwondotimes.com

Dr. George Vitale encourages readers to comment on the above stories & to bring to his attention any mistakes, oversights, added information or any other corrections by posting a comment on the blog.

DPRK TOUR - VIP DEMO IS AN AMAZING SUCCESS

VIP DEMO IS AN AMAZING SUCCESS

 Dr. George Vitale

The famous ITF Chosun National Taekwon-Do Team kicked off their Central European demonstration tour at the Museum Fur Volker (Museum of Ethnology) located in Vienna, the Capital City of Austria. The Museum dates back to the 1800s and their anthropological collection specializes in non-European artifacts, making it fitting that this first performance highlighting an Eastern Art from Korea takes place in this spectacular building. The Museum is located in the Imperial Palace, which is over 600 hundred years old and currently also houses the Austrian President’s Executive Residence. This has been the seat of governments dating back to the 13^th Century, including one of the last great European Empires, the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 

Standing room only capacity VIP crowd

Vienna Austria is also the seat of the International Taekwon-Do (ITF) Headquarters since 1985. General Choi Hong Hi, the first president and founder of the ITF moved the office there in 1985 to help facilitate the spread of his original style of Taekwon-Do throughout Europe, due to its central location as well as the access it afforded at the time to socialist and communists nations due to Austria’s political neutrality. This was of course during the period of the Cold War and when the “Iron Curtain” divided Europe in two.

Society Magazine, a publication that reports on top events in business, science, politics, diplomacy, culture and society, hosted the event in Vienna. The magazine has a long history of reporting on such activities as it previously merged with UN Magazine, which dated back to 1945. Invited guests to this exclusive show were the many international diplomats assigned to Vienna, along local and national political leaders. 

The POWER of Taekwon-Do!

The event was standing room only and the guests were a who’s who of the top diplomatic corp. Attending this invitation only performance were sixteen Ambassadors from every region on the planet. Additionally the Austrian former Minister of Health, representatives from the European Union, Austrian Parliament, officials from the American and Chinese Embassies, as well as local government leaders enjoyed the evenings festivities.  

The formal gala night started off with a cocktail reception. The first performance was of Japanese archery, led by Dr. Diethard Leopold, who is the President of the Austrian-Japanese Society. This was followed by a Japanese sword demonstration under the guidance Dr. Elisabeth Noisser. The Chinese Martial Arts was preceded by a Dragon show in honor of the recent Lunar New Year. Various Shaolin fighting and Wushu exhibitions were led by Grandmaster Chen Shi Hong, who has acted in several Kung Fu movies. The grand finale was the ITF Korean Taekwon-Do team from the DPR Korea. The Chosun National team brought the audience to their feet several times with their amazing display of synchronized movements, high flying kicks and brutal self-defense routines.

ITF President Dr. Chang Ung is honored with the first ever Society (UN) Magazine's Lifetime Achievement for his work in spreading peace through the martial arts

When the action ended all the performers were called to the stage for a final bow. This “world premiere of a special martial arts show demonstrating the historical and cultural importance of martial arts for peaceful interaction”* concluded with a special award. Dr. Chang Ung, IOC Member and President of the ITF, was presented with a lifetime achievement award for his work in moving this laudable goal forward. This was the first lifetime award ever by Society (UN) Magazine. Afterwards both performers and the spectators were treated to a catered dinner that included cuisine from all three of the East Asian countries represented in the show.

TKD Times has long supported using martial arts to unite the world. Under Grandmaster Jung Woo Jin’s leadership, they were instrumental in the first two ever-cultural exchanges between Americans and North Koreans on US soil in 2007 and 2011.* While this cultural exchange took place in neutral Austria, Taekwon-Do again brought North Korean and Americans together. This time it was not only the North Korean performers and American spectators, but staffs of both Embassies assigned to Vienna. Another first for “Taekwon-Do Diplomacy”, which started back in 1959 when General Choi led the ROK Army’s Taekwon-Do Team from South Korea to Vietnam and Taiwan! 

Demonstration participants take a bow

Please check the website* for more updates from the scene by our TKD Times correspondent who is traveling with the team.

* From the engraved invitation of the Society (UN) Magazine 

*Visit http://www.usnktkd.com for more complete information, including photos, videos and letters of appreciation for those first ever-cultural exchanges between the USA & DPRK

*http://www.www.taekwondotimes.com

Dr. George Vitale encourages readers to comment on the above stories & to bring to his attention any mistakes, oversights, added information or any other corrections by posting a comment on the blog.

DPRK TOUR - NORTH KOREANS TRAIN WITH AND TEACH THE LOCAL STUDENTS

NORTH KOREANS TRAIN WITH AND TEACH THE LOCAL STUDENTS

 Dr. George Vitale

The Chosun National ITF Taekwon-Do Team trains with and teaches the Czech students. The training session was so popular that it had to be held in 2 public school gyms, with each side switching so all participants could benefit from exposure to all the team members!

Text & Photos Below:

After the training the Czech Taekwon-Do students in Prague everyone sat down for a Korean BBQ dinner, complete with home made Kimchi, compliments of Grandmaster Hwang Ho Yong's wife! Grandmaster Hwang is a graduate of the 2nd Special Instructors Course that the ITF held in North Korea. The class ran for 7 months in 1982, 6 days a week, with more that 8 hours training a day. The course was taught by an ITF Master from South Korea, Lim Won Sup, who was the Pioneer of Taekwon-Do in Scandinavia (Sweden). Grandmaster Lim was also a member on the historic 7th ITF Demonstration Team that General Choi Hong Hi led to the DPR Korea in September of 1980. After the successful introduction of the Original Taekwon-Do there, the North Korean Instructors trained by General Choi and his ITF helped spread the military style of Taekwon-Do that he created along with soldiers under his command in the ROK Army in the 1950s around the world. Grandmaster Hwang is the Pioneer of Taekwon-Do in the Czech Republic, when it was still Czechoslovakia back in 1987!

After departing from Prague the team was driven to Havirov in the eastern part of the Czech Republic, approximately 25 miles from the border with Poland. Here the team performed again before a standing room crowd. The spectators again were thrilled and lined up to take pictures with the team and to get their autographs on the broken wooded boards, programs, posters and anything else they could get their hands on to have the Korean team members sign. As was the case in Prague, the Czech Taekwon-Do Federation donated all ticket sales and monies raised at the demonstration to the 5 orphanages that they have had a 7 year relationship with.

After the show the team was taken to dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant before retiring back at the Hotel Rudolf for a much-deserved night of rest. After breakfast the team departed for another 4-hour drive through snow covered mountains to their next stop, in Nitra, Slovakia.

JOINT TRAINING AND SHARING WITH THE CZECH STUDENTS TOOK PLACE ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2013

EXHIBITION IN HAVIROV TOOK PLACE ON WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2013

Dr. George Vitale encourages readers to comment on the above stories & to bring to his attention any mistakes, oversights, added information or any other corrections by posting a comment on the blog.

INFO - CHOSUN NATIONAL TEAM MEMBERS

CHOSUN NATIONAL TEAM MEMBERS

Korean Taekwon-Do Committee's Demo in front of ITF Headquarters with Mr. Kim Hyong Rak, ITF Treasurer

 

LEE Cheol Jun              (6^th Degree – VI Dan)

SONG Nam Ho             (5^th Degree – V Dan)

CHA Geum Seok           (4^th degree – IV Dan)

KIM Myong Gul            (4^th Degree – IV Dan)

JIN Hak Min                   (4^th Degree – IV Dan)

KIM Uk Chol                  (4^th Degree – IV Dan)

LEE Suk Hyang               (2^nd Degree – II Dan)

JU Hyun Ee                      (2^nd Degree – II Dan)

KIM Chol Gyu                 (6^th Degree – VI Dan Team Leader & Secretary General-Korean Taekwon-Do Committee, former International Instructor to Greenland and Austria)

VITALE G.                       (8^th Degree – VIII Dan Invited honorary team member travelling with team & First American to earn a Doctorate from North Korea)

DPRK TOUR - NORTH KOREAN TEAM KICKS IT OVER TO CHARITY

NORTH KOREAN TEAM KICKS IT OVER TO CHARITY

 Dr. George Vitale 

The Chosun National ITF Taekwon-Do Team stared the day with an early breakfast and then checked out of their Vienna Hostel on a cold, brisk day. They loaded into the vehicles and took off on a 4-hour drive from Vienna to Prague (Praha), the capital city of the Czech Republic. Prague is their largest city with a population of about 1.3 million. The team made it to their hotel that will serve as their new lodging for the next couple of days just in time for lunch. After settling in and resting for a while, they then made the trek to the venue of the next performance.

  

The show was held on a Monday evening in an arena that has seats for 1,100 spectators. A member of the organizing staff expressed early on that they were afraid of what the turnout numbers would be. But it was clear when the team pulled up by the lines that were already standing in line waiting to enter, that they would have a good showing. However it was not apparent until the doors opened and the seats all started to fill up how good a showing it would be. With no available arena seating left, some chairs were added. It was estimated that close to 1,500 people filled the arena in what turned out to be a standing room only event!

When the exhibition ended there wasn’t a disappointed viewer to be found. The evening started with the Chosun team doing their warm-ups. They then cleared the floor to make way for the local youngsters who represent the future of Taekwon-Do in the Czech Republic. The audience watched the children perform Dan Gun Tul. This pattern is named after the holy, legendary founder of Korea who was their first King back in 2,333BC. These junior students started by reciting the student oath and ended by sitting together in a quiet meditating state. This is another example of the power of Taekwon-Do, as it gets students to think about and make promises, as well as taking some time to think, reflect and focus.

The demonstration contained the usual crowd-pleasing techniques from the spectacle flying high combination kicks and powerful self-defense scenarios. The team also performed the same pattern (Dan Gun) the children did. When the show ended the spectators and children’s team swarmed the Chosun team members to have their picture taken with them and to get then to sign autographs on the program, tickets, broken boards and other mementos of this special night. What an opportunity it was for the junior students to meet their heroes from across the globe in such a personable way!

Perhaps the highlight of our wonderful first day in this historic city of Prague was when over dinner we discovered that all the proceeds for this event would go to charity. Mr. Martin Zamecnik, the President of the Czech Taekwon-Do Federation and member of the ITF Technical and Education Committee explained that all the proceeds of the tickets sales would go to the orphanages that they work with. Instructor Zamecnik advised that it was not just the profit left after their expenses, but every single penny taken in. The Czech ITF Taekwon-Do Federation covered all the expenses related to hosting the team from both their budget and by raising money through sponsor’s donations for this charitable cause. Additionally the Czech Black Belt students volunteered all of their time for the event and will continue to do so in the various support roles needed to be the gracious hosts the Czechs are demonstrating they are!

 

    

President Zamecnik told us that they have a special relationship with 5 local orphanages going back about 7 years. They have in place a program where the youngsters can train in Taekwon-Do for free courtesy of their local affiliated ITF Taekwon-Do DoJangs (schools). The Taekwon-Do schools also donate all the equipment needed to train and insure safety, including the DoBok (Taekwon-Do practice suit or uniform). The Czech ITF Taekwon-Do Federation covers the yearly organizational fee and any related testing costs. One of the children that performed before the over capacity crowd was a 7 year old girl who is currently a green belt. Her 2 sisters are also enrolled in this wonderful program. The oldest sister (16) is a member of the Czech National Junior Team. While their middle sister is 12 years old and she is preparing for her Black Belt test.

    

General Choi Hong Hi, the principle founder of Taekwon-Do envisioned his Korean Martial Art of self-defense as having the ability to build a more peaceful world. The Czech ITF Taekwon-Do community is certainly contributing to this laudable goal by the teaching example they set, work they do, the important programs they support, including hosting this fantastic cultural exchange with the Chosun National Team. They should be commended for advancing TKD Times and Grandmaster Jung Woo Jin’s vision of uniting the world through Martial Arts!

    

Please keep checking back on our website for further reports as the Chosun Team from the DPR Korea continues it Goodwill tour of Central Europe. Today the team members will tour this historic city and then train with the Czech students. A dinner of Korean Barbeque and a sampling of local dishes prepared Korean community in Prague and the families of the students that will be served in the DoJang will follow the training. The next stop is Harirov in the Czech Republic, near the border with Poland for a show on Wednesday February 20. The final show will be in Nitra Slovakia on Friday February 20, 2013, before returning back to ITF Headquarters in Vienna Austria.

EXHIBITION IN PRAGUE TOOK PLACE ON MONDAY FEBRUARY 18, 2013

www.TAEKWONDO.cz

www.TKD.cz

www.SONKAL.cz

www.CHOI.cz

Dr. George Vitale encourages readers to comment on the above stories & to bring to his attention any mistakes, oversights, added information or any other corrections by posting a comment on the blog.