International Taekwon-Do Federation

The International Taekwon-Do Federation, commonly known as the ITF, is an international voluntary sports organization established by Choi Hong Hi in Seoul on March 22, 1966. It was created to promote the worldwide development of Taekwon-Do, coordinate affiliated national and regional organizations, and preserve the technical, educational, and philosophical system developed by its founder. The federation is not a commercial consumer brand in the usual sense; its principal activities concern instruction, certification, ranking, instructor standards, tournaments, seminars, and the administration of an international martial-arts network. The ITF system covers several connected areas of practice. Students learn fundamental exercises, patterns known as tul, sparring, self-defence applications, power breaking, and special techniques. The official syllabus contains 24 patterns, whose names and structures commonly refer to Korean history, historical figures, or ideas associated with Taekwon-Do. Patterns are performed according to prescribed lines and technical principles, and are intended to develop movement quality, balance, timing, power, and understanding of application rather than functioning only as choreographed routines. The federation also maintains a coloured-belt progression and nine black-belt degrees, with promotion authority dependent on rank and the relevant instructor or promotion committee. ITF competition traditionally includes continuous point sparring, patterns, power breaking, and special techniques. In sparring, controlled hand attacks to the head and body and kicks to the body or head are scored according to the applicable ruleset. Competitors generally use approved hand, foot, and head protection rather than a full torso hogu, and bouts emphasize controlled technique rather than full-force contact. Rules, ring dimensions, equipment, and scoring details can vary among organizations that use the ITF name, particularly after the federation's post-2002 fragmentation. The federation's institutional history is closely connected to the political and organizational history of Taekwon-Do. After the South Korean government withdrew support from Choi's federation and established the World Taekwondo Federation, Choi moved the ITF's headquarters to Vienna, Austria. The Vienna base became the principal institutional center associated with the organization during the latter part of his life. Disagreements among senior instructors and affiliated bodies had already produced departures and independent organizations, but the succession crisis following Choi's death in 2002 created a more consequential and lasting division. Several groups subsequently claimed to represent the continuing ITF. The Vienna-associated organization recognized Chang Ung as successor and later identified Ri Yong Son with its leadership. A separate organization associated with Trần Triệu Quân, later led by Pablo Trajtenberg and Paul Weiler, developed its own legal and administrative structure after an Austrian court dispute concerning the Vienna headquarters. Choi Jung Hwa also maintained a separate organization, originally connected with Toronto and later based in the United Kingdom. These bodies operate independently, with separate governance, championships, and affiliated memberships, while each asserts continuity with Choi Hong Hi's teachings. Consequently, descriptions of current leadership, membership, headquarters, and official activities must be read as potentially faction-specific.

The International Taekwon-Do Federation was founded in Seoul on March 22, 1966, by Choi Hong Hi. Its purpose was to organize and promote the international spread of Taekwon-Do, a Korean martial art whose techniques, patterns, terminology, teaching methods, and philosophy Choi helped codify. The federation developed an international network of instructors and affiliated organizations and became responsible for coordinating competitions, seminars, technical standards, rank recognition, and instructional certification. The ITF's educational system is structured around fundamental movements, patterns, sparring, self-defence, breaking, and special techniques. Patterns, or tul, are formal sequences performed along a prescribed diagram and ending at the point where they began. The official curriculum recognizes 24 patterns, a number symbolically connected with the hours of a day. Their names and movement structures draw heavily on Korean history and historical figures. Students progress through six coloured-belt grades—white, yellow, green, blue, red, and black—and then through nine black-belt degrees. Promotion to advanced degrees involves increasingly senior examiners, while promotion to the highest degrees is handled through specialized promotion procedures. Competition is another central part of the federation's work. ITF-style championships commonly include patterns, continuous point sparring, power breaking, and special techniques. The sparring format permits controlled hand attacks to the head and body and kicks to the body and head, with points differentiated by the type and target of the technique. Excessive contact, attacks outside permitted targets, holding, sweeping, attacking a fallen opponent, and other conduct are penalized. Competitors typically use approved protective equipment but do not wear the type of full-body chest protector associated with some other Taekwondo rulesets. Exact rules and equipment have not been completely uniform across all organizations using the ITF designation. During the federation's later history, political circumstances affected its institutional location. The South Korean government ultimately withdrew support from Choi's organization and established the World Taekwondo Federation, now known as World Taekwondo, to continue the international development of Taekwondo through a different institutional framework. Choi, who had been exiled from South Korea, moved the ITF's headquarters to Vienna. The Vienna headquarters became the principal base of the organization associated with Choi during the final period of his leadership. The ITF also experienced internal departures and organizational disagreements before the major succession crisis. Several founding masters and instructors left to establish independent bodies, reflecting disputes over leadership, policy, teaching, and organizational direction. The crisis became acute as Choi Hong Hi approached the end of his life. At a 2001 congress, his son Choi Jung Hwa was selected to succeed him in 2003, while Choi remained president during the transition. The succession arrangement was later challenged after disagreements concerning North Korean financial support and the possibility of outside influence. Choi Hong Hi convened an emergency meeting in 2002 without his son and withdrew the earlier succession decision. Choi Jung Hwa rejected that action and continued to assert a claim to the presidency. Choi Hong Hi died in June 2002. At a memorial event in Pyongyang, North Korean officials presented Chang Ung as the successor, reportedly on the basis of instructions attributed to Choi. Part of the membership rejected the appointment as inconsistent with the ITF constitution and held a separate congress that elected Trần Triệu Quân. The resulting dispute produced three principal organizations: a Vienna-associated body linked first to Chang Ung and later to Ri Yong Son; an organization associated with Trần Triệu Quân, subsequently led by Pablo Trajtenberg and Paul Weiler; and an organization led by Choi Jung Hwa, initially based in Toronto and later in the United Kingdom. Legal proceedings over the Vienna headquarters favored the Chang Ung-associated organization. The other organization relocated its legal seat to Spain and maintained its main administrative office in Lublin, Poland. The three bodies have since operated separately, with distinct governance arrangements, championships, and networks of member nations. All claim to preserve the teachings and legacy of Choi Hong Hi, but the fragmentation means that the name International Taekwon-Do Federation does not always identify a single universally accepted governing entity. The Vienna-associated organization remains connected with the Austrian headquarters and the website supplied for this dossier, although current institutional details should be verified against official federation records.

• 2002

  Leadership crisis and organizational split

  [1]International Taekwon-Do Federationen.wikipedia.org

  Following competing succession claims and Choi Hong Hi's death, multiple organizations asserted continuity with the ITF.

• 2002

  Vienna headquarters dispute

  [1]International Taekwon-Do Federationen.wikipedia.org

  Austrian court proceedings favored the Chang Ung-associated organization in a dispute concerning the Vienna headquarters.

• 2001

  Succession plan announced

  [1]International Taekwon-Do Federationen.wikipedia.org

  An ITF congress selected Choi Jung Hwa to succeed his father in 2003, with Choi Hong Hi remaining president during the interim.

• 1986

  Juche replaced Ko-Dang in the pattern syllabus

  [1]International Taekwon-Do Federationen.wikipedia.org

  The pattern Ko-Dang, also known as Go-Dang, was retired and replaced by Juche in the official pattern tradition associated with Choi Hong Hi.

• 1966

  ITF established in Seoul

  [1]International Taekwon-Do Federationen.wikipedia.org

  Choi Hong Hi founded the International Taekwon-Do Federation to promote and coordinate the international growth of Taekwon-Do.

A tradition-focused international governing and educational body for the Taekwon-Do system associated with General Choi Hong Hi.

• Martial-arts curriculum · 1966

  ITF Taekwon-Do syllabus

  The federation's instructional system combines fundamental exercises, patterns, sparring, self-defence, breaking, and special techniques. It is designed to provide a structured path from beginner training through advanced black-belt education and instructor development.

• Technical curriculum

  Official patterns

  The ITF tradition includes 24 official patterns, or tul. Each pattern has a prescribed sequence, diagram, technical purpose, and historical or philosophical reference. Students use them to develop precision, balance, timing, power, and understanding of Taekwon-Do movement.

• Sport competition

  ITF competition format

  ITF championships commonly combine patterns, continuous point sparring, power breaking, and special techniques. Sparring rewards controlled hand and kicking techniques, while penalizing excessive contact, prohibited targets, holding, sweeping, and other infractions.

• Certification

  Rank and instructor certification

  The ITF supports a progression from coloured-belt grades to nine black-belt degrees. Promotion authority varies by rank, and advanced promotions, particularly at the highest degrees, require review by senior masters or a promotion committee.

• 2002

  ITF succession and legitimacy dispute

  After Choi Hong Hi's death, competing claims involving Choi Jung Hwa, Chang Ung, and a separate membership congress led to multiple organizations claiming to be the legitimate continuation of the ITF.

  Source

• Dispute over the Vienna headquarters

  A legal dispute over the Vienna headquarters contributed to the institutional separation of the Vienna-associated organization from the organization later administered from Poland and Spain.

  Source

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• 2002

  Competing successor arrangementsOther

  Background

  The planned succession from Choi Hong Hi to Choi Jung Hwa was challenged, and competing claims emerged after Choi Hong Hi's death.

  Action taken

  The Vienna-associated organization recognized Chang Ung, while a separate congress elected Trần Triệu Quân and Choi Jung Hwa maintained his own organizational claim.

  Aftermath

  The ITF name and institutional legacy became divided among three principal organizations.

  Source

• 1986

  Replace Ko-Dang with JucheStrategy

  Background

  The ITF revised its pattern tradition during the development of the modern syllabus.

  Action taken

  Ko-Dang, also called Go-Dang, was retired and Juche was adopted in its place.

  Aftermath

  Juche became part of the 24-pattern syllabus associated with the later ITF curriculum.

  Source

1. 1International Taekwon-Do Federationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2International Taekwon-Do Federation official websiteitftkd.sport
3. 3Taekwon-Do federation database entrydata.taekwondo-itf.com