Taekwondo, a self-defense art using hands and feet to repel an enemy, has been developed independently over 20 centuries in Korea. Its origins can be traced to the three kingdoms period in Korean history In Koguryo, the ancient kingdom to the north, mural paintings discovered among the ruins of the royal tombs, built between 3 AD and 427 AD, show scenes of Taekwondo practices. In the southeast portion of Korea, the smallest kingdom known as Silla, one can see two giant statues in Taekwondo stances which guard the meditating Buddha at the Sokkuram ruins located at Kyongju

The earliest known style of self-defense in Korea was called Soo Bak Do. Loosely translated as the way of punching and butting, Soo Bak Do was most popular among the peasant and city dwellers as a sport and a form of unarmed self-defense Later, during the three kingdoms period, in approximately the fifth century AD, a cadre of young aristocrats came together as a special class of military leaders and warriors to defend the Korean kingdom of Silla. Known as the HwaRang or flowering youth, these Korean aristocrats combined the principles of Soo Bak Do with the adapted fighting styles of wild animals found in the Korean wilderness. The result was the creation of a martial art known as Taekwondo

During the Yi dynasty, 1392-1910, the court religion was Confucianism, which encouraged scholarly and literary pursuits and ignored the martial arts. Taekwondo was still widely practiced until the start of the Japanese occupation in 1910 when all fighting arts were prohibited and forced underground.

Today, Taekwondo is the most recognized Korean martial art. Taekwondo first came to be recognized as a system of self-defense in the 1950s, when a group of leading Korean martial artists came together and unified their various art forms under a single style of hand and feet fighting They named their style Taekwondo, and in the last 30 years, have developed it into one of the most effective styles of unarmed self-defense in the world today.

In the dojang, the students not only develop their bodies, but minds as well. With the physical exercise of stretching, strengthening, drilling, and sparring, the Taekwondo student learns respect for the instructors, senior students, classmates, and themselves. The development and cultivation of good character and a correct attitude is the central theme in the teaching of Taekwondo.

The study of Taekwondo is a very fulfilling experience. As an art form, you study traditional (yet ever evolving) movements passed from generations of martial art masters. As a philosophy, you practice the virtues of respect, humility, and self-discipline. As a form of physical fitness, you stretch, strengthen, tone, and coordinate your body. As a sport, you are given an opportunity to safely and regularly demonstrate your martial art skills without unnecessarily endangering others, and as a form of self-defense Taekwondo teaches you a complete and effective means by which you can protect yourself and those in need.

On June 25, 1961, the Korean Tae Soo Do Association was formed and was recognized on that date by the Korean Amateur Athletic Union. The following October, Taekwondo became an official event at the 43rd Annual National Athletic meet. In March of 1965, the name was officially changed to the Korean Taekwondo Association. The six major schools represented were Ji Do Kwan, Moo Do Kwan, Chang Moo Kwan, Song Moo Kwan, Chung Do Kwan, and Han Moo Kwan.

Today, Taekwondo has spread worldwide and had appearances at the Olympics in 1988, 1992, and 1996. Taekwondo is now an official Olympic full medal sport. Watch for Taekwondo in Sydney, Australia in 2000.