By Yoon Chul
Staff Reporter
The World Taekwondo Academy (WTA) will be established as a taekwondo education and research institute that spreads the taekwondo spirit and philosophy all over the world through the highest level of education and training.
The WTA, which is designated by the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), will be located within the Taekwondo Park in Muju, whose ground-breaking ceremony will take place on Friday.
"On the occasion of the 2009 Taekwondo Day, I would like to offer my congratulation on the ground-breaking of the Taekwondo Park," WTF President Choue Chung-won said.
"The World Taekwondo Academy, which will be located within the Taekwondo Park in Muju, Korea, will serve as an international academic center of the WTF for studies, education and research of taekwondo.
"The WTA, the Korean version of the International Olympic Academy for the Olympic sport of taekwondo, will be the home of about 70 million taekwondo practitioners around the world," added WTF President Choue.
The WTF Rules and Regulations stipulates that "the WTF designates the World Taekwondo Academy, hereinafter known as the WTA, in Korea to function as an international academic center of the WTF for studies, education and research of taekwondo."
On Aug. 15, an international symposium on the development of taekwondo curriculum for the WTA took place at the University of California, Berkeley in the United States.
The 2009 International Taekwondo Symposium was jointly organized by the Taekwondo Promotion Foundation, which is in charge of the construction and operation of the Taekwondo Park, and UC Berkeley.
"To promote taekwondo as a systematic education, study and training course, the present educational system related to taekwondo is not enough." Kim Chong-woong said at the 2009 International Taekwondo Symposium.
"To meet these new educational demands, a new educational system is required. That is WTA. The founding of the WTA makes diverse education and training, elevates taekwondo's status and makes original taekwondo's duty perform.
"WTA is an educational institute, where leaders from all social standings, students and professionals related to taekwondo spread its spirit and Olympic spirit, study taekwondoism, enhance Olympic spirit, and deal with subjects related to taekwondo. The aim of founding WTA is to enhance knowledge related to taekwondo and make all countries develop the ability to perform. This aim as an Olympic sport will make taekwondo spread and practice Olympic spirit, enhancing world peace and love for humankind. Also taekwondo practice makes people practice to reach patience and self-control."