Ki Ha Rhee
Encyclopedia
Rhee Ki Ha is a South Korean master
of taekwondo
who is widely recognised as the 'Father of British Taekwondo' for introducing this martial art to the United Kingdom since arriving in the 1960s, as well as the 'Father of Irish Taekwondo.' He is one of the twelve original masters of taekwondo
of the Korea Taekwon-Do Association
. Following a career in the South Korean military, Rhee emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1967. He was a notable officer of the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) during Choi Hong Hi
's leadership.
. He is the eldest of seven children of Rhee Yung Ei and Ahn Soon Rae. Rhee's martial arts training began when he was around 7 or 8 years of age, learning judo
from his father, and he was the only one of his siblings to pursue the martial arts. He later learned karate
from one of his schoolteachers.
When Rhee served in the South Korean military forces, he came into contact with Choi Hong Hi and learned taekwondo in the 35th Infantry Division. Rhee was a key figure in the introduction of taekwondo across the world, contributing to demonstrations in many different countries. He later taught taekwondo to the US 8th Army and, in 1964, travelled to Singapore, where he trained Royal Air Force
(RAF) personnel. Through the late 1960s and 1970s, Rhee was a key member of the taekwondo demonstration teams that accompanied H. H. Choi around the world.
at the time. Reportedly, Rhee only planned to stay for two years, but ended up settling there. Rhee founded the United Kingdom Taekwon-Do Association
(UKTA) in 1967, the Republic of Ireland Taekwon-Do Association in 1972, at which time he was ranked 5th dan, and the All European Taekwon-Do Association in 1979. He was promoted to the rank of 7th dan either by 1973 or in 1974, according to different sources. Rhee attained the rank of 8th dan in 1981, and was promoted to 9th dan by H. H. Choi on 1 July 1997 in Saint Petersburg
, Russia.
Rhee is currently Vice President of one of the three ITF organisations. He is listed as the "Founder of Taekwon-Do in Great Britain and Ireland" in the Taekwondo Hall of Fame. He is listed as a pioneer in Europe (1950s, 1960s, and 1970s) in Chang Keun Choi
's list of taekwondo pioneers.
Grandmaster (martial arts)
Grandmaster and Master are titles used to describe or address some senior or experienced martial artists. Such titles may be, to some extent, aligned to the elderly martial arts master stock character in fiction...
of taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
who is widely recognised as the 'Father of British Taekwondo' for introducing this martial art to the United Kingdom since arriving in the 1960s, as well as the 'Father of Irish Taekwondo.' He is one of the twelve original masters of taekwondo
Original Masters of Taekwondo
Original masters of taekwondo is a group of twelve South Korean martial art masters assembled by the Korea Taekwon-Do Association in the early 1960s to promote the newly-established art of taekwondo...
of the Korea Taekwon-Do Association
Korea Taekwondo Association
Korea Taekwondo Association , originally the Korea Taekwon-Do Association, is the first taekwondo organisation. It was founded in 1959, although official South Korean sources give 1961 as its year of establishment. In 1966, some members of the KTA, led by H. H...
. Following a career in the South Korean military, Rhee emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1967. He was a notable officer of the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) during Choi Hong Hi
Choi Hong Hi
Choi Hong Hi , also known as General Choi, was a South Korean army general and martial artist who is a controversial figure in the history of the Korean martial art of taekwondo. Choi is widely regarded as the 'Founder of Taekwondo'—most often by International Taekwon-Do Federation organizations...
's leadership.
Early life
Rhee was born on 20 March 1938 in Seoul, Korea, during the period of Japanese occupationKorea under Japanese rule
Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....
. He is the eldest of seven children of Rhee Yung Ei and Ahn Soon Rae. Rhee's martial arts training began when he was around 7 or 8 years of age, learning judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
from his father, and he was the only one of his siblings to pursue the martial arts. He later learned karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
from one of his schoolteachers.
When Rhee served in the South Korean military forces, he came into contact with Choi Hong Hi and learned taekwondo in the 35th Infantry Division. Rhee was a key figure in the introduction of taekwondo across the world, contributing to demonstrations in many different countries. He later taught taekwondo to the US 8th Army and, in 1964, travelled to Singapore, where he trained Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) personnel. Through the late 1960s and 1970s, Rhee was a key member of the taekwondo demonstration teams that accompanied H. H. Choi around the world.
United Kingdom
In 1967, some of his students in the RAF, who had returned to the United Kingdom, invited Rhee to travel there to teach. He arrived at Heathrow Airport, London, on 2 July 1967, and was ranked 5th danDan (rank)
The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...
at the time. Reportedly, Rhee only planned to stay for two years, but ended up settling there. Rhee founded the United Kingdom Taekwon-Do Association
United Kingdom Taekwon-Do Association
The United Kingdom Taekwon-Do Association was established in 1967 by Korean taekwondo grandmaster Ki Ha Rhee, at that time a 5th dan black belt. This was the start of taekwondo in the UK. The UKTA continues to this day although several groups have splintered from it over the years...
(UKTA) in 1967, the Republic of Ireland Taekwon-Do Association in 1972, at which time he was ranked 5th dan, and the All European Taekwon-Do Association in 1979. He was promoted to the rank of 7th dan either by 1973 or in 1974, according to different sources. Rhee attained the rank of 8th dan in 1981, and was promoted to 9th dan by H. H. Choi on 1 July 1997 in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia.
Rhee is currently Vice President of one of the three ITF organisations. He is listed as the "Founder of Taekwon-Do in Great Britain and Ireland" in the Taekwondo Hall of Fame. He is listed as a pioneer in Europe (1950s, 1960s, and 1970s) in Chang Keun Choi
Chang Keun Choi
Choi Chang Keun , widely known as C. K. Choi, is a South Korean master of taekwondo, and one of the twelve original masters of taekwondo of the Korea Taekwon-Do Association...
's list of taekwondo pioneers.