Taekwondo originated in Korea 2,000 years ago. "Tae" means foot; "Kwon" means fist; and "Do" means the way. Literally, Taekwondo translates to "The way of the foot and fist."
Taekwondo's roots can be traced back over 2,000 years into the history of Korea. During the 6th century A.D., the Korean peninsula was divided into three kingdoms; Koguryo, Paekje and Silla - which was the smallest. The 24th king of Silla, Chin Heung, formed a group of warriors to protect the kingdom. These warriors were called the HwaRang. Archaeological findings such as murals and sculptures from this area and time period depict techniques and fighting stances that are probably the first forms of Taekwondo.
The HwaRang warriors, under the direction of Won Kang, a Buddhist monk and scholar, became known for their bravery and fighting skill. The Silla Kingdom was able to defeat the kingdoms of Paekje and Koguryo and unified Korea into a single country known as Koryo.
During the Yi dynasty, Korea fought off several Japanese attacks. In 1910, Korea fell to the Japanese. During this time Koreans were introduced to Japanese forms of martial arts, and combined techniques emerged.
In 1945, Korea was liberated, and the martial arts flourished, with many different styles and teaching techniques. In 1955, instructors, historians, and members of high society met to standardize instructional methods, and unify the art. They chose the name Taekwondo.
In 1973, the World Taekwondo Federation was established by Dr. Un Yon Kim. Located in Seoul, Korea, the Kukkiwon (headquarters) is the governing body that controls testing and testing requirements, preserves Taekwondo's roots, and promotes the study of Taekwondo all over the world.
The popularity of Taekwondo continues to grow world wide, and since the year 2000, Taekwondo has been an Olympic event.
