'Balancing physical, mental training key for taekwondo'
Lee Soon-ho, the grand master emeritus of the American Taekwondo Association (ATA), speaks about the fundamental basics of the Korean martial art, in an interview in Seoul, Wednesday. / Korea Times photo by Lee Min-hyung
By Lee Min-hyung
Lee Soon-ho, the Grand Master Emeritus of the American Taekwondo Association (ATA), hopes to raise awareness of the spiritual side of the Korean martial art in more countries.
The 77-year-old Korean-American taekwondo instructor has dedicated more than four decades to introducing the martial arts in the United States, since he moved to the country in 1970.
Even after retiring from the top post at the largest taekwondo organization there in 2011, he remains passionate over his plan to spend the rest of his life promoting the way forward for taekwondo.
“The fundamental basis for taekwondo comes from balancing physical and mental training,” he said in an interview, Wednesday. “To create a great balance between them is the core value behind taekwondo. We do not want to build people into bullies.”
The ATA was founded by his older brother Lee Haeng-ung in 1969. Soon-ho moved to the U.S. the next year to help his brother and promote the taekwondo spirit for the American people.
As the martial art became more popular in the country, he organized an annual trip for ATA members to Korea where taekwondo originated.
“Our American students wanted to know more about Korea, as we have stressed the importance of the origins of taekwondo,” he said. “In 1987, we visited Korea with our 200 American instructors. We have since visited Korea every year before I retired in 2010, holding exhibition matches at some of the country’s historic landmarks such as Haeinsa Temple or Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province.”
After passing on his Grand Master title to his younger brother Ho-in in 2010, he has devoted himself to educating instructors to sustain the organization for more generations to come.
“I am giving seminars for instructors in not just the U.S., but other ATA-licensed locations in such countries as Canada or Australia,” he said. “My current goal is to support and educate ATA instructors, making sure they can also hand down their role to the next generation one day.”