Grand Master Dr. Ken Min
Legendary Master
Ken Min and University Taekwondo
Chronological Activities in the USA
University of Georgia, as Graduate Student in Physical Education taught Korean Karate-Taekwondo as well as Club Activities, numerous demonstrations of taekwondo at half-time University of Georgia basketball championships and at Atlanta NBC Television Station. (1964-1966)
University of Montana, taught taekwondo as Physical Education credit course as well as Club activities. (1966-1967)
As Assistant Professor at Eastern Montana College, I taught taekwondo as a Physical Education course as well as Club Team that participated in numerous local and regional taekwondo championships which I founded. Northwest Region Taekwondo is still very active and has produced many national and international champions through the University of Montana and other universities and colleges throughout the state of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. (1967-1969)
University of California, Berkeley, (1969- )
Taught Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced and Competitive Taekwondo as Physical Education credit courses.
Created Taekwondo Club Team that competed in local, regional, national and international championships.
1970
Organized 1st UC Open Taekwondo Championship which celebrates its 45th anniversary in 2014.
Organized United States National Collegiate Taekwondo Association and served as Founding President.
Provided numerous Taekwondo Clinics and demonstrations through the State of California and Northwestern Regional colleges and universities such as University of Oregon, Oregon State, Washington State University, University of Wyoming, University of Idaho, Boise State University, Rocky Mountain College, etc.
Developed Western Collegiate Taekwondo Championship.
Organized and hosted California Collegiate Taekwondo Championship.
Published “Taekwondo and Judo Organization at the Collegiate Level”, Journal of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and Physical Educator.
Served as Executive Advisor, Northwestern University Taekwondo/Karate Conference.
1972
Organized Northern California Collegiate Taekwondo Championship.
Served as Executive Secretary, California Taekwondo Instructors Society.
Organized Northern California Collegiate Taekwondo Conferences at UC Berkeley, Sacramento State and Stanford.
Attended American Taekwondo Association as Secretary General, New York City, NY (6/26/72).
Founded and served as Executive Secretary, National Collegiate Taekwondo Coaches Association.
Hosted All Cal 9-Campus Taekwondo Championship.
Hosted Korean Little Angels Taekwondo Demonstration Team.
Served as Coordinator, Northern California Collegiate Taekwondo Conference.
Executive Secretary, American Collegiate Taekwondo Coaches Association.
Lecturer and Demonstration of Taekwondo, University of Georgia, 4/8/73, University of Montana, 8/16/74, University of Oregon, 8/22/74, Boise State University 8/20/74.
KGO Radio Appearance, 12/2/73
Received “Coach of the Year” award, American Collegiate Taekwondo Coaches Association.
Establishment of US official Taekwondo NGB (National Governing Body) through AAU/USOC which I spearheaded as Tenured Faculty of the Physical Education at the University of California, Berkeley and personal connection I made at the University of Montana and Eastern Montana College. USA is the first country to establish an official Taekwondo NGB outside of Korea.
Berkeley Hosted Bay Area Collegiate Taekwondo Championship.
Certified as International Taekwondo Referee
Organized Bay Area Collegiate Taekwondo Coaches Clinic.
Attended as President, US National Collegiate Taekwondo Championship, Thibodaux, La. (4/17/76)
Hosted Western Collegiate Taekwondo Championship, Berkeley Campus.
Recognized in “Who’s Who in Martial Arts in the USA”.
Technical Director, Far Western Collegiate Taekwondo Association.
Host, Bay Area Collegiate Taekwondo Championship.
Hosted Western Collegiate Taekwondo Championship.
UCMAP Hosted 3rd National Collegiate Taekwondo Championship.
Organized 1st Taekwondo and Other Korean Martial Arts Summer Camp at the University of Montana, Missoula, Montana. The camp has continued every year, with the exception of the Olympic years, and has grown into one of the best martial arts camps wilderness experiences in the Western United States.
Submitted proposal for Collegiate and Women’s Committee of the World Taekwondo Federation.
1980
Organized 1st UCMAP Expo which included Taekwondo, Judo, Wushu, Karate, Yongmudo and Tai Chi.
UCMAP Hosted 8th Western Collegiate Taekwondo Championship.
Served as first Chairman, Collegiate Committee, World Taekwondo Federation and reappointed every four years until 2006.
1982
Served as Collegiate Committee Chairman, US Taekwondo Governing Body, United States Olympic Committee.
UCMAP Hosted Western Collegiate Taekwondo Championship.
UCMAP Hosted Korean Collegiate Taekwondo Team.
UCMAP Hosted Western Collegiate Taekwondo Championship.
Served as Coordinator, Organizing Committee, 1st World University Taekwondo Championship as Chairman of University Committee of the WTF.
Served as Vice President, Organizing Committee, 1st International University Taekwondo Championship held in Kukmin University, Seoul, Korea.
Presented paper on Taekwondo Reaction Time at 1st Academic Symposium held in conjunction with the 1st International University Taekwondo Championship of the World Taekwondo Federation.
1985
Served as Mission Leader for the UC Taekwondo Goodwill Tour to Mainland China. The tour by invitation of Beijing University and the Chinese Sports Federation, Peoples Republic of China. Introduced Taekwondo for the first time in Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai, and included members of USTU, AAU, and the UC Berkeley Taekwondo Team.
UCMAP Hosted 1st FISU World University Taekwondo Championship, 21 countries participated. FISU World University Championship has been held every two years since 1986 throughout the world at different locations primarily Europe, Pan Am and Asian continents.
Served as Member of Education Committee, USOC from 1986 until 1992.
Served as Member of Technical Research Committee, Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Technical Headquarters)
1988
Served as Member, International Evaluation Committee representing the WTF at the Seoul Olympics, responsible for sports of Taekwondo, Judo, Boxing and Sailing.
Served as US Team Ambassador for 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Site Inspection Visit, Santander, Spain as FISU Technical Commissioner.
Attended as Chairman of Technical Committee,
2nd World University Taekwondo Championship,
Santander, Spain.
Served as a Member of US Consulting Group for Barcelona Olympics, Barcelona, Spain.
1990
Served as Chairman of Instructor Certification Committee and Taekwondo Instructor for Certification Symposium of Taekwondo NGB of USOC and organized Certification Symposiums in Berkeley, CA, Chicago IL, and Hartford, CN and National Symposium at Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, CO.
Organized Taekwondo Demonstration for Opening Ceremony of United States Olympic Sports Academy at Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO.
Presented Demonstration at USOC Adopt-a-Sport, AAHPERD Convention in San Francisco. Presented Taekwondo and Other Martial Arts in a School Setting.
Hosted Korean Collegiate Taekwondo Team.
Site Inspection Visit, Guadalajara, Mexico for 3rd World University Taekwondo Championship as FISU Technical Commissioner.
Attended as Chairman, Technical Committee for 3rd World University Taekwondo Championship, Guadalajara, Mexico.
UC Berkeley Taekwondo and Yongmudo Teams trained at Kyung Hee University and Yongin University, Korea.
Presented The Changing Politics of the Olympic Movement at the Year of 2000 Olympic Centennial Congress, Paris, France as the representative from The World Taekwondo Federation.
1995
UC Taekwondo Team won 14th National Collegiate Taekwondo Team Title, its 6th consecutive win, at New York University, New York.
Received Taekwondo Coach of the Year award (3rd time).
Chaired 1st WTF Academic Symposium and presented Taekwondo Philosophy in the Olympic Movement held in conjunction with the 12th World Taekwondo Championship, Manila, Philippines. The symposiums were continued at the 13th World Championship, Hong Kong; 14th at China and 15th Edmonton, Canada which were organized by the University Committee of the WTF.
Site Inspection Visit, St. Petersburg, Russia as FISU Technical Commissioner for 5th World University Taekwondo Championship.
Establishment of Endow Directorship at the University of California, Berkeley by sponsorship of Korean Government as Taekwondo and Other Martial Arts Endow Director in Honor of Dr. Ken Min.
Served as Acting Executive Representative of FISU and Chairman of Technical Committee, 5th World University Taekwondo Championship, St. Petersburg, Russia.
UCMAP hosted National Collegiate Taekwondo Championship.
Attended Winter Universiade, Junju Muju, Korea as FISU staff member.
Presented paper at Chinese Physical Education College and National Collegiate Sports Association in Taiwan, Chinese Taipei.
Presented paper on International Peace and Harmony through Olympics and Unversiade at elite Korean Overseas Scholar Conference hosted by the National Korean Study Institute.
Presented paper, Taekwondo as Universal Setting Focused through UCMAP, at Korean Martial Art Research Conference organized by Yongin University.
1998
Site Visit for 5th World University Taekwondo Championship, Colima, Mexico as Chair of FISU Taekwondo Technical Commission.
UCMAP Goodwill Training Tour to Korea, 80 participants visited SunKyunKwan University, Yonsei University, Seoul National University, Kongju National University, Gyemung University, and Yongin University.
1999
UCMAP organized Korean Training Tour with visit to Chosun University, Gyemyung University, Kongju University and Yongin University. 79 members participated.
Site Inspection Visit, Koashiung, Chinese Taipei as FISU Taekwondo Technical Commissioner for 6th World University Taekwondo Championship.
Site Visit, Korean National University of Physical Education, Seoul, Korea as Chairman, University Committee to review progress of the 1st World Olympic Taekwondo Congress.
2000
Served as Technical Committee Chair, 6th World University Taekwondo Championship, Koashiung, Chinese Taipei.
Served as Vice President, Organizing Committee, 1st Olympic Scientific Congress, National University of Physical Education, Seoul, Korea representing the WTF as Chairman of University Committee.
Attended site selection hearing for Korea’s proposed Taekwondo Park as a leader in the overseas taekwondo community by invitation of Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Republic of Korea.
UCMAP organized Korea trip for training at Yongin University with visits to Kukkiwon, Kongju National University and Chosun University.
Attended FISU Executive Committee meeting, Tarvisio, Italy as Taekwondo Technical Commissioner and Chairman of 7th World University Taekwondo Championship Organizing Committee.
Attended 22nd Summer Universiade Organizing Committee meeting as Taekwondo Technical Delegate, Daegu, Korea.
Attended Ostende and Brussells, Belgium FISU Technical Commission meeting as Taekwondo Technical Commissioner.
2002
UCMAP hosted 7th World University Taekwondo Championship, Haas Pavilion, University of California, Berkeley. I served as Chairman of Organizing Committee and FISU Taekwondo Technical Commissioner.
Attended as Speaker at 2002 Pusan Asian Games Sport Science Congress, Dong-A University, Pusan, Korea.
UC Taekwondo Team won National Title again, 21 wins out of 27 championships, at National Collegiate Taekwondo Championship
Site Inspection Visit, Daegu, Korea for Taekwondo in the 2003 Summer Universiade as FISU Taekwondo Technical Commissioner.
Served as Chairman, Technical Committee at the 22nd Summer Universiade, Daegu, Korea. Taekwondo was introduced as a Universiade Program.
Site Inspection Visit for 8th World University Taekwondo Championship, Patra, Greece as FISU Taekwondo Technical Commissioner.
2004
Served as Chairman of Technical Committee, 8th World University Taekwondo Championship, Patra, Greece.
Site Inspection Visit for 23rd Summer Universiade, Izmir, Turkey (twice) as FISU Taekwondo Technical Commissioner.
FISU decided at its Executive Committee meeting in Innsbruck, Austria to include Taekwondo in the Universiade to be held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2007.
Served as Chairman, Taekwondo Technical Committee, 23rd Summer Universiade, Izmir, Turkey.
Site Inspection Visit, Valencia, Spain for 9th World University Taekwondo Championship as FISU Taekwondo Technical Commissioner.
Served as Chairman, Technical Committee, 9th World University Taekwondo Championship, Valencia, Spain.
Site Inspection Visit, Bangkok, Thailand (twice) for 24th Summer Universiade as FISU Taekwondo Technical Commissioner.
2007
Served as Chairman, Technical Committee, 24th Summer Universiade, Bangkok, Thailand.
Site Inspection Visit, Belgrade, Serbia for 10th World University Taekwondo Championship and 25th Summer Universiade which will be held in 2009 as FISU Taekwondo Technical Commissioner.
FISU Executive Committee held in Torino, Italy confirmed the eight optional sports for 2009 Belgrade Universiade, including taekwondo, which is four consecutive inclusions in Summer Universiade as an optional sport since 2003 and will include Poomsae as an official medal sport.
Attended as Chairman, Technical Committee, 10th World University Taekwondo Championship, Belgrade, Serbia.
Site Inspection Visit for 2009 25th Belgrade Summer Universiade as FISU Taekwondo Technical Commissioner.
Made proposal for Compulsory Status of Taekwondo in Summer Universiade to President George Killian of FISU and Dr. Chungwon Choue, World Taekwondo Federation President.
2009
Served as Chairman, Technical Committee for 25th Summer Universiade, Belgrade, Serbia which for the first time included Poomsae as an official medal program.
President Choue (WTF) hosted a reception for the FISU Family at Belgrade, Serbia.
Site Inspection Visit for 11th World University Taekwondo Championship, Vigo, Spain as FISU Technical Commissioner.
FISU Executive Committee Meeting at Erzurum, Turkey, November 12-14, 2009 passed resolution to add Taekwondo as a Compulsory Sports Program from 2017 27th Summer Universiade, Chinese, Taipei.
2010
Served as Chairman, Technical Committee, 11th World University Taekwondo Championship, Vigo, Spain.
Site Inspection Visit, Shenzhen, China (three times) for 26th Summer Universiade as Technical Committee Chairman.
2011
Attended as Chairman, Technical Committee, 26th Summer Universiade, Shenzhen, China. Largest number of countries (74) and participants (644).
Site Inspection Visit, Pocheon, Korea for 12th World University Taekwondo Championship as FISU Technical Commissioner.
Attended as Chairman, Technical Committee, 12th World University Taekwondo Championship, Pocheon, Korea. The largest number of countries (47) and participants (518).
Site Inspection Visit, Gwangju, Korea for 28th Summer Universiade as Taekwondo Technical Commissioner.
Site Inspection Visit, Hohhot, China for 13th World University Taekwondo Championship as FISU Technical Commissioner.
Planned Site Inspection Visit for 29th Summer Universiade, Taiwan, Chinese Taipei as FISU Taekwondo Technical Commissioner which will introduce taekwondo as an official FISU Program.
Second Site Inspection Visit, Gwangju, Korea for 28th Summer Universiade as FISU Taekwondo Technical Commissioner.
Chairman of Technical Committee for final 13th World University Taekwondo Championship, Hohhot, China (since Taekwondo was promoted to official program of the Summer Universiade, the World Championship will be discontinued).
13th WUTC will add 5 Men and 5 Women Team Competition for the first time which means one athlete will be able to win 5 medals (Individual Gyeorugi, as a member of Team Gyeorugi, Individual Poomsae, Team Poomsae and Mixed Team Poomsae).
It was a rewarding experience as a physical educator focused on martial arts to fulfill my ambitious goal to serve athletes who will have an opportunity similar to other major FISU and Olympic sports.
All of my educational and professional involvement was focused on one field and I strongly believed that organization from grass roots to global co-operation could facilitate successful implementation of my objective.
My professional journey began with the founding of the United States National Collegiate Taekwondo Association in 1970, the first Taekwondo organization in a university setting. I served as President (1970-1972); Secretary General (1972-1976); again as President (1977-1986) and served as Chairman of the WTF University Committee (1981-2008) which was appointed by the Executive Committee every four years. Also, I will have served as Taekwondo Technical Commissioner of FISU since 1986 through the 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiade. This position was reappointed by the FISU Executive Committee every four years.
Needless to say, I could not have accomplished these ambitious goals I started in 1970 without the understanding and strong support of my family, the University of California Martial Arts Program and, finally, FISU leadership under three different presidents and the World Taekwondo Federation leadership under two different presidents. This endeavor was not a job but my life’s commitment.
Compiled March 27, 2014 by Ken Min