
Grand
Master Park was born in Korea. He studied Tae Kwon Do under the Late
Grand Master Dong-Ju Lee. Grand Master Park also studied for many
years under Grand Master Sun Ki-Song.
Grand Master Park participated in the first National Tae Kwon Do Championship
competition ever held in Korea. He arose in the competition as Champion
of the Kyung-Pook Providence. He was appointed captain of the Korean
National Team that competed against the champion Japanese team in
Taegu City. During this time of his life he also earned a black belt
in Judo.
Grand Master Park attended Kyung-Pook University in Taegu in 1966.
He was awarded a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. In this same time
frame he joined the Korean Army as a Lieutenant.(ROTC)
Grand Master Park in 1967 he was assigned as Tae Kwon Do instructor
of the South Vietnamese Army. While serving in the South Vietnam he
was captured and became a prisoner of war of the VietCong. Young Master
Park seized an opportunity to utilize his skill in Tae Kwon Do and
Hapkido and managed to escape.
When Grand Master Park returned home to Korea he was recognized as
a National War Hero. He later published an autobiographical account
of his Vietnam experiences entitled: Through the Jungle of Death
Grand Master Park began Hapkido training in 1958. This training included
three years of private lessons from Late Grand Master Yong-Sool Choi,
the Founder of Modern Hapkido. Grand Master Park earned his Sixth
Degree in Black Belt in 1970. Eight years later he was awarded the
Seventh Degree Black Belt from Grand Master Choi.
Grand Master Yong-Sool Choi personally gave Dr. Park his Blessing
and Official authorization to build an Hapkido organization in America
in 1972. Upon his arrival in the United States Dr. Park opened a School
in New York City. Which subsequently relocated to Florida.
The prestigious Eight Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, which includes
the title of Grand Master, was awarded to Dr. Park in 1982 by The
World Tae Kwon Do Federation (Ku Ki Won).
In 1985 he founded the United States Hapkido Association and World
Traditional Hapkido Federation. A year later he published a book entitled:
Traditional Tae Kwon Do.
It has text and photographic instruction of this martial art, from
white through blue belts. He later produced a series of instructional
video tapes on Hapkido.
Presently Grand Master Park resides on the west coast of Florida and
presides over his school, teaching his skills and knowledge to a wide
variety of age groups. He frequently travels to branch schools located
in Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, New York, South Carolina, Alaska,
Florida, and Puerto Rico conducting demonstrations and lending his
expertise too much sought after seminar