Young Il Kong

Young Il Kong (born 1943) is a South Korean master of taekwondo and one of the twelve original masters of taekwondo of the Korea Taekwon-Do Association.[1][2][3] He holds the rank of 9th dan.[4][5][6] Following a career in the South Korean military, he emigrated to the United States of America in the late 1960s.

In this Korean name, the family name is Kong.
Young Il Kong
Born1943 (age 77–78)
Korea
ResidenceLas Vegas, Nevada, USA
StyleTaekwondo
Teacher(s)Choi Hong Hi, Nam Tae Hi
Rank9th dan taekwondo (ITF)

Early life

Kong was born in 1943 in Korea, during the period of Japanese occupation.[4] He began training in martial arts in 1952, starting with Shotokan karate.[4] In 1958, he moved to Won Joo.[4] Kong won a scholarship to study at Kyung Hee University, and while in its Physical Education College, was required to train in judo.[4] From 1963–1967, he served in the South Korean army, attaining the rank of Sergeant.[4][5][6] Kong trained in taekwondo under Choi Hong Hi and Nam Tae Hi.[4] Through the late 1960s and 1970s, Kong was a key member of the taekwondo demonstration teams that accompanied H. H. Choi around the world.[7]

United States

Kong moved to the United States of America just before or in 1968.[8] He and his younger brother, Young Bo Kong, founded the Young Brothers Taekwondo Associates in 1968,[8] which is now located in Houston,[9][10] Las Vegas, and Pittsburgh. In an interview, Y. B. Kong said that he arrived in the United States in 1972.[11] In 1973, Kong held the rank of 7th dan.[12] Kong has another brother, Young Joon Kong, who also competed and was involved in teaching taekwondo,[13] but retired and became a golfer.[14]

Kong was promoted to the rank of 9th dan in 1997 by H. H. Choi in Poland.[5][6] He has two sons, Andy and Douglas,[4] and appears on Chang Keun Choi's list of taekwondo pioneers.[15]

See also

References
  1. Choi, H. H. (1972): Taekwon-Do: The Korean art of self-defence. Mississauga: International Taekwon-Do Federation.
  2. Park, S. H. (1993): "About the author." In H. H. Choi: Taekwon-Do: The Korean art of self-defence, 3rd ed. (Vol. 1, pp. 241–274). Mississauga: International Taekwon-Do Federation.
  3. A tribute to the original masters (c. 2007). Retrieved on 13 June 2007; link has expired, as at 1 July 2011.
  4. Anslow, S. (2004): An interview with Grand Master Kong Young Il, IX degree Retrieved on 8 January 2010.
  5. World Taekwon-Do Alliance: Grand Master Kong Retrieved on 22 February 2009.
  6. Pioneers of Taekwon-Do: Grand Master Kong Young Il Retrieved on 13 January 2010.
  7. Cox, S. (c. 2004): The history of Taekwon-Do and its founder Retrieved on 3 February 2010.
  8. Young Brothers Tae Kwon-Do Institute: History Retrieved on 29 January 2010.
  9. http://impactnews.com/blogs/cy-fair-impacts/now-open%3A-young-brothers-tae/ Retrieved 16 April 2014
  10. https://local.yahoo.com/info-18993261-young-brothers-tae-kwondo-houston Retrieved 16 April 2014
  11. Barcousky, L. (2005): Master of self: Grand master says Tae Kwon Do reaches beyond physical skill Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (10 April 2005). Retrieved on 29 January 2010.
  12. International Taekwon-Do Association Slovenia: ITF history Retrieved on 3 February 2010.
  13. Wilson, T. (2001): World's fastest kicker Black Belt (April 2001). Retrieved on 31 January 2010.
  14. Wilson, T. L. (2001): The Kong Family Tae Kwon Do Times (July 2001). Retrieved on 31 January 2010.
  15. Choi, C. K. (2007): Tae Kwon Do Pioneers Retrieved on 15 March 2008.
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