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History of Hapkido  Hapkido is a Korean Martial Art familiar to most people knowledgeable in the Martial Arts field. Not many people, however, actually know of its origins and more importantly, what makes it unique. Hapkido was derived from Daito-ryu-Aikijutsu, combined with a blend of Korean TaeKyeon. Aikijujutsu was brought over from Japan to Korea in 1946 after World War II by Young-Sool Choi, the founder of Hapkiyoosool. Choi studied with the same Master of Aikijujutsu (Sokaku Takeda) as did Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido. Choi, Young-Sool taught a man named Ji, Han-Jae. Ji, Han-Jae started his own school and added kicks and strikes from the art of TaeKyeon creating a new form of martial art. In that school, our current president Chang, Young-Shil learned Hapkiyoosool being taught under the names of Hapkisool or Hapkiyoosool. "Sool" means "technique". "Do" means "way". Hapkido is a way of life, Hapkiyoosool are the techniques. Choi, Young Sool (1904-1986), one of the most influential people in the development of modern Korean martial arts, was born in Chung Buk province in Korea. Choi's parents died when he was very young. In 1913 he was taken to Japan from Korea by a Japanese candy maker. Choi was eight or nine years old at the time. The candy maker ultimately abandoned Choi. Choi eventually ended up at a Bhuddist temple, where a man named Takeda Sokaku took him to use as a house servant. Takeda Sokaku was the 32 bloodline member of Daito Ryu Aiki Ju Jutsu, and was very well known throughout Japan for his extraordinary skills, especially that of sword techniques. According to Choi he studied with Takeda for 30 years, mainly in a unknown cave somewhere in the mountains of Japan. Although this has not been proven we do know that Choi learned something incredible during his time in Japan. In 1946 after Takeda's death, Choi returned to Korea and settled in Daegu. After a year of working as a bread salesman on the street, Choi managed to save enough money to begin raising pigs. In order to feed his pigs, he would get up early every morning and travel to the Suh Brewery Company to obtain free leftover grain chaff.  In 1947, Bok-Sub Suh, who was a black belt in Yudo and the president of the Suh Brewery company, witnessed a fight from his second floor office window. He watched in amazement as a man defended himself against several attackers, with little effort. Suh was very impressed with, and curious about, what he had observed. He sent his office clerk to bring this man to his office. The man turned out to be Choi. Suh asked Choi what kind of martial arts he practiced. Without really answering the question, he asked Suh to grab him by the lapel. When Suh grabbed the lapel, Choi easily executed an elbow lock and threw Suh to the floor. Suh immediately grabbed Choi's lapel again, and was simply thrown to the floor a second time. After being defeated twice, Suh begged for Choi to teach him, promising him more free chaff, as well as payment for lessons. When Choi agreed, Suh prepared a dojang at the brewery. It was during the next few years that Choi would begin to establish himself as an outstanding and well-respected martial arts instructor. He called his art Hapki Yoo Sool (Korean pronunciation of Aiki ju-jutsu). Choi continued to teach up until his death in 1986. Through this time many great practitioners of Hapkido have spread the art throughout the world. We thank everyone that has contributed to spreading the art, and educating future generations to come.
History of the International Hapkido Federation  Myung Jae-Nam: Myung was born on 31 December 1938. He began his Hapkido training in 1958 under the direction of Ji, Han Jae at Ji's Joong Boo Si Jang studio in Seoul. He trained next to several other influential Hapkido Masters, including: Han, Bong Soo and Choi, Sea Ho. Myung was one of the original Masters on the board of directors of the Korea Hapkido Association and was awarded his 8th Dan by Ji, Han Jae in 1972.
Prior to this, however, it is interesting to note that in 1965, Myung, Jae Nam was the only master of Hapkido to heartily welcome a Japanese Aikido instructor, Hirata Sensei, who was touring Korea. The less than warm reception for a visiting Japanese Sensei was obviously due to the remaining Korean distaste for the Japanese due to Japanese occupation. For the next several years, Myung exchanged techniques with the man. Myung eventually formed an alliance with Japanese Aikikai. In 1969, when Grandmaster Myung formed his own organization and named it, Han Kuk Hapkisool Hae, the certificates he issued had the name of Aikido's founder, Uyeshiba Morihei on them in association with his own.
From that point forward, until his death in 1999, Myung, Jae Nam was the Korean representative for Aikikai. In his version of Hapkido there are many Aikido based techniques.
From 1969 forward his organization continued to evolve. In 1972 he moved the location of his headquarters from Inchon to Bukchang-Dong, Chung-Ku, in Seoul and renamed his organization Han Kuk Hapki Hae, The Korea Hapki Association. In 1974 he changed the name to Kuk Jae Yong Meng Hapki Hae. This organization is more commonly known as, The International Hapkido Federation.
 front, second row, second from left (GM Jang Young-Shil), next to right (Seijuro Masuda - Aikikai) second row 6th from left (GM Myung Jae-Nam), next to right(GM Myung's wife).
1968 grand opening 1968
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