Chong Chul Rhee

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Chong Chul Rhee

C. C. Rhee, c. 2007
Born c. 1935
Korea
Residence Flag of Australia Sydney, Australia
Martial art practiced Taekwondo
Rank 8th dan taekwondo
This is a Korean name; the family name is Rhee.

Rhee Chong Chul (이종철; 李鐘鐵; c. 1935–) is the founder and head of Rhee Taekwon-Do,[1] which is widely publicised as Australia's first and biggest taekwondo school.[2][3][4] Rhee is ranked 8th dan, holds the title "World Master," and claims the title "Father of Australian Taekwondo."[1][2][3][4] He is one of the twelve original masters of taekwondo[5] of the Korea Taekwon-Do Association (KTA).[1]

Rhee was born in Korea during the period of Japanese occupation from 1910–1945. As a youth, he trained in martial arts, basketball, boxing, gymnastics, and weights.[1] Rhee was an instructor in the Korean Marines for three years, teaching unarmed combat to the Marine Commandoes, Marine Brigade Headquarters, and the Marine 2nd Infantry Division.[1] Under the direction of the KTA, he helped introduce the art of taekwondo to Southeast Asia—most notably in Malaysia and Singapore, but also in Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Brunei.[6]

Rhee was the first taekwondo master sent to Australia by the Republic of Korea, and was ranked around 5th dan at the time.[2] He founded Rhee Taekwon-Do in Adelaide, South Australia, around 1965.[1] Two of his brothers later joined him, and assist in managing parts of the school.[3] Rhee was promoted to 8th dan in the early 1980s.[4] He personally conducts Rhee Taekwon-Do grading examinations across most of Australia and in New Zealand four times each year.

Rhee has worked towards the reunification of Korea, serving as a member during the third through ninth terms—and as Chairman for the eighth term—of the Oceania Division of the Advisory Council for Democratic and Peaceful Unification.[7] He has also served as Chairman of the Seoul Olympics Supporting Committee and founding President of the Korean Community Hall Construction Supporting Committee.[7] The Republic of Korea awarded Rhee the Dongbaeg Medal (동백장) in 2003 for promoting taekwondo and Korean culture over the past 33 years.[8]

Rhee is listed as a pioneer in Asia (1950s and 1960s) and Australia (1970s) in Chang Keun Choi's list of taekwondo pioneers.[9]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

^  The Korea Taekwon-Do Association (KTA; 1961) predated both the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF; 1966) and the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF; 1973).[10][11] The modern KTA is closely aligned to the WTF.[12]

^  Rhee's rank at various times is indicated in photographs released by Rhee Taekwon-Do. These photographs appear in Rhee Taekwon-Do membership booklets and in Rhee Taekwondo magazine, which was published internally from the 1970s to the 1990s. Rhee also appears in photographs released by former Rhee Taekwon-Do members, such as Hans Fricke and Graham Healy.[13][14][15]

^  Chong Hyup Rhee and Chong Yoon Rhee are both 7th dan masters in Rhee Taekwon-Do. The former is based in Victoria and the latter is based in New South Wales.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e An interview with World Master Chong Chul Rhee, 8th Dan, The Father of Australian Taekwon-Do (Originally from an Australasian Fighting Arts article in March 1985.) Retrieved on 13 June 2007.
  2. ^ a b See the Martial Arts section of the Yellow Pages telephone directory from any Australian state capital city since at least the 1980s.
  3. ^ a b See the back cover of Australasian Fighting Arts since at least 1995, including volumes 17(6) from 1995, 18(4) from 1996, and 19(1) from 1997.
  4. ^ a b See any of the Rhee Taekwon-Do regional websites listed in the External links section of this article.
  5. ^ A tribute to the original masters Retrieved on 13 June 2007.
  6. ^ See any Rhee Taekwon-Do membership booklet.
  7. ^ a b Former Chairmen of the ODCC Retrieved on 24 April 2003; link has expired, as at 15 July 2007.
  8. ^ Chong, S. (2003): '호주 태권도 대부' 이종철씨, 국민훈장 동백장 서훈, The Sydney Korean Herald (28 January 2003). Retrieved on 15 July 2007.
  9. ^ Choi, C. K. (2007): Tae Kwon Do Pioneers Retrieved on 15 March 2008.
  10. ^ Korea Taekwondo Association: History Retrieved on 3 September 2007.
  11. ^ Kim, S. J. (2006): History of Taekwondo Retrieved on 28 July 2007.
  12. ^ Korea Taekwondo Association: Organization Retrieved on 3 September 2007.
  13. ^ Fricke, H. J. (2004): 35 years down memory lane … with Rhee International Tae Kwon Do (1970–1979) Retrieved on 1 January 2005; link has expired, as at 26 July 2007.
  14. ^ Healy's Video Gallery Retrieved on 17 April 2008.
  15. ^ Condensed time line history of Master Graham Healy Retrieved on 17 April 2008.

[edit] External links