ATA-WA taekwondo founder and pioneer – Mr Sok Pong Kim (1944-1999)

The Australian Taekwondo Academy in WA was founded by Mr Sok Pong Kim in 1975. Sadly he passed away in April 1999, but not without leaving a legacy for his students to continue after him. This article, reproduced from an article written by Kim Seng in 1992 and titled "The West's Taekwondo Pioneer" as a tribute to him.

Mr Sok Pong Kim, 7_^th dan Chief Instructor, is the first Korean to start Taekwondo in Perth Western Australia. He opened the Kim Australian Taekwondo Academy in 1975 with the one single gym and the Academy has now grown to more than 50 branch clubs in most parts of the Perth Metropolitan and country areas of Western Australia.

The Academy teaches the basic elements of Taekwondo as being martial art first and foremost, then, self defence, Olympic sport, fitness (physical as well as mental) and the cultivation of discipline. Mr Kim believes in imparting his learnings and experiences in his 40 years in the art and sport of Taekwondo to all Academy members. There have been well over 10,000 members in WA who have learned Taekwondo through Mr Kim and the network of the Academy Instructors. Mr Kim has graded more than 600 black belts in WA since 1975. Seven of Mr Sok Pong Kim's students, six to 4^_th dan and one to 5_^th dan in the last 5 years. Mr Kim was promoted to 7_^th dan in 1981. (footnote: Mr Kim was 8_^th Dan kukkiwon at the time of his death).

The Academy has produced numerous Australian Champions and seven of his students have represented Australia in WTF World, Asian and World Cup championships during its 18 year history, the most significant when Jinho Jo, now a Head Instructor, was selected as one of two Australians to compete in the inaugural 1988 Olympics in Seoul. Mr Kim, himself has been Australian team coach or Australian Head of team on seven occasions since 1982.

The Academy's structure is unique as there are now seven officially qualified Chief Instructors who are still part of the Academy. Mr Kim's vision of a 'family' of clubs all sharing the same objectives can be achieved under this structure. The Academy currently has over 40 Instructors spreading the 'word' of Taekwondo in WA.

The Academy founded the Australian Taekwondo Association (WA division) in 1982 and has been the main driving force in initiating and implementing all ATA (WA) activities, events, promotions and development. In fact, all ATA (WA) activities are initiated and managed by the Academy senior members since the formation of the ATA (WA).

THE BEGINNING

So how did it all start? Mr Kim started to learn Taekwondo in Korea at the age of 12 and within two and a half years had gained his 1_^st dan black belt. By the time he was 22 he had been promoted to 4_^th dan and had trained under some excellent Instructors in Korea.

Mr Kim earned his 4_^th dan in 1965 and was soon called into the Korean Army demonstration team to do service in Vietnam. During his term with the Korean army Mr Kim also instructed at the Saigon University and Vietnam Police headquarters. After leaving the Korean army demonstration team in 1968, he instructed the United States Army, Navy, and Air force personnel in Camrhan Bay and Longbin in South Vietnam.

In 1973 he was invited to teach in the USA by some of his US black belts, but decided to migrate to Australia because of a desire to promote and impart the martial art of Taekwondo to Australians. Our gain is USA's loss, as Mr Kim was very successful in starting his network of clubs and also producing sporting champions and successful martial artists, sport coaches, sport administrators and sport officials. Mr Kim arrived in Sydney in 1975 via Perth and started instructing Taekwondo. He was keen to relocate to Perth after taking an immense liking for the tranquil and serene city of Perth. Together with wife, Carol Kim, they set forth to relocate to the golden west in 1975 and remained in WA since. The Kims have 3 lovely daughters.

SIGNIFICANT SUCCESSES BY ACADEMY MEMBERS

The Academy has made significant progress in the development of Taekwondo as a martial art and sport in WA. Personal goals for members have been achieved and so too have the Academy's goals in the years. Mr Kim has been overseeing the development and achievement of Graeme McEwan and Raffaele DiRenzo, two members who were part of the original class of 1975. They have now graduated to Head Instructor level with their promotions to 5_^th dan and 4_^th dan respectively. Mr Kim is equally proud of his other five Head Instructors, Nghia Truong, Jinho Jo, David Darling, Kim Seng and John Harlowe, who graduated to 4_^th dan in the last 5 years.

Seven members have progressed to International level competitions representing Australia. The most significant was Jinho Jo who competed at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. Jinho advanced to the quarter finals. Jinho Jo also won silver medals at the WTF Asian Championships in 1984 (Philippines), 1986 (Darwin) and bronze medals in 1988 (Nepal) and 1990 (Taiwan). Other Academy successes at the International level include silver in 1988 (Nepal), and bronze in 1984 (Philippines).

John Scheepans, 3_^rd dan, Con Manetas, 2^_nd dan and Colin Sutherland, 2^_nd dan teamed up in 1984 and won silver at the World martial arts demonstration championships held in Tokyo. The trio were invited to these championships after some very good displays of demonstrations in WA and Australian events.

Alan Day Snr, Tony Cutler and Kim Seng received awards from the Chungdo Kwan Taekwondo Institute (Korea) and Asian Taekwondo Union (Tony and Kim) for their work in the advancement and development of Taekwondo in the Western Australian sporting community (WA government sports organizations and general public).

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS HOSTED OR PLANNED BY THE ACADEMY

Through Mr Kim's network of contacts in the Australian Taekwondo Association, the World Taekwondo Federation and the Asian Taekwondo Union, the Academy organized and hosted two Australian National Championships (1984, 1990), and one Korean demonstration team visit to Perth (3 demonstrations in 1991).

With successes of these events, Mr Kim was successful in securing the approval of Mr Ke Hyung No, 8_^th dan ATA President, to launch an Australian bid for the WTF 1993 World Taekwondo Championships. The bid was very well advanced with WA government endorsements and assistance. The bid was short listed to two countries but unfortunately the verdict went to New York, USA. Mr Kim has a vision to see Western Australia host a major WTF world class level championships. Unperturbed, he is keen to mount another bid for the World or Asian championships or an International sports festival in the near future. It has been Mr Kims' dream to offer the best in Taekwondo to the martial arts community in WA.

Mr Kim invites the ATA Technical Director, Mr Young Youl Oh, 7_^th dan, to Western Australia each year to conduct the NCAS coaching and referee courses. This ensures all the Academy members receive the most current developments for coaching and refereeing in WTF and ATA endorsed courses.

THE FUTURE

The growth of the Academy has seen a need to expand the base teachings of Taekwondo to include new management techniques, new teaching and coaching methods, and new ways to develop Taekwondo to the fullest. Martial arts in today's world is a big industry, and the industry must cater for the participants and the art in developing martial arts towards sports. Taekwondo is very advanced with its progress towards inclusions as an official medal sport for the Olympic Games and as early as the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Taekwondo was on display as a demonstration sport in the 1988 and 1992 Olympics.

The Academy is shaping its objectives and directing its development to meet the universal thrust for Taekwondo advancement, and in so doing to also be in total compatibility with the basic Taekwondo elements of martial art, self defence, Olympic sport, fitness and discipline. The tradition of Taekwondo has always been as a martial art; today's development must be for the betterment of the art. It appears that this development in today's society is shaping towards sport i.e. as an Olympic sport. The development of Taekwondo as a sport has much to offer as there is endless science and sport development available to shape the Taekwondo of the future.

There is continuous development in Taekwondo, and below is a brief summary of its history:

1. The basic survival of human needs and existence in 2333 BC on the Korean peninsula;
2. The offence and defence of nations in 37 BC during the period of the 3 kingdoms of Silla, Koguryo and Baekje;
3. The transformation of Taekwondo for the populace in early times who practiced it for self defence and for sporting games and festivals;
4. The revitalization and redevelopment of Taekwondo after the Japanese occupation in the early 1900's, 1940's and 1950's;
5. The development of the poomsae in the 1960's (Hyungs), the Palgwes's and black belt poomsaes in 1968, and the Taegeuk’s in 1972;
6. The advancement of Taekwondo as an International sport in 1975 by the GAISF, and its acceptance as an Olympic sport in 1980 by the IOC. The final inclusion of Taekwondo as a full medal sport for the Olympic Games is anxiously awaited by the 130 member countries of WTF.

Mr Kim believes that Taekwondo must continue developing; the same way as an Instructor would develop a Taekwondo student, otherwise Taekwondo would remain stagnant and would not grow. Of course we must not deviate from the main principles of the martial art for it is this tradition that makes Taekwondo unique to other martial art or sport. We must not freeze time and only teach yesterday's Taekwondo, we must make advancements but we must never forget the tradition and the martial art values that need to be taught and cultivated in the true martial art spirit of Taekwondo.

Members of the Academy have made achievements in dan promotions and reached world class level competitions. Mr Kim's next goal would be to have trained members to win at world class competitions, in particular the Olympic Games, and also to participate in world class competitions as an official or administrator. Above all it is always Mr Kim's wish that the Academy member develops into a person with respectable martial art values.

Mr Kim would like to see his Academy members reach the achievements he personally has reached, or even surpass his own personal achievements. And that will be total satisfaction to the man who has dedicated his life to the development and advancement of Taekwondo and the Academy in Western Australia.

Footnote:

It is pleasing to note that many of his students have achieved many successes, including representing Australia at the Olympics as players and coach, representing Australia as players and coach or as International Referees at World Championships, World Cups, Asian Championships, Oceania Championships and many other international championships. (footnote 2008: Six of his direct students have reached 7_^th dan black belt).

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