Dong Keun Park
Encyclopedia
Park Dong Keun also known as D. K. Park, is a South Korean master of taekwondo
. He holds the title "Grandmaster," the rank of 9th dan
in taekwondo, and was undefeated as a taekwondo fighter in more than 200 championship competition. Park introduced the martial art of taekwondo to Thailand in 1966, before settling in the United States of America, and was the taekwondo coach of both the US National Team and the US Olympic Team.
Park moved to Thailand in 1966 at the personal request of King Bhumibol of Thailand
to teach taekwondo to the Thai royal family and US military forces.
, USA, in 1970, and on September 1, 1971, founded the D. K. Park Tae Kwon Do School, also the birthdate of his daughter, Jane. Later that year, he appeared on television on the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson
. Park established the taekwondo program at New York University
in 1973. In 1975, he became the first instructor to have two students (Gerard Robbins and Dennis Robinson) win official USA National Taekwondo Championships titles, and both of them competed in the 2nd World Taekwondo Championships in Seoul, South Korea. Park was the head coach for the US National Team in 1979 at the 4th World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. In 1982, he was named Coach of the Year by the Amateur Athletic Union
.
From 1982 to 1996, Park served as Coaching Committee Chairman of the United States Tae Kwon Do Union
. He was the technical coach for the US Olympic taekwondo team at the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul. This was taekwondo's inaugural appearance at the Olympic Games as a demonstration sport. Park became head coach for the US Olympic taekwondo team at the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona. In 1993, he was head coach for the US Team at the World Championships (1 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze), and in 1994 at the Goodwill Games
in Saint Petersburg
, Russia, resulting again in 1 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals.
magazine named Park as its Man of the Year. In 1998, Park was inducted into the Tae Kwon Do Times Hall of Fame. In 2006, his first book was published: Tae Kwon Do basics, techniques and forms: The indomitable martial art of Korea (co-authored with Allan Schein). On 6 April 2007, he was inducted into the Taekwondo Hall of Fame
. He is a Life Member of USA Taekwondo. Park continues teaching taekwondo at his school in New Jersey.
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"...
. He holds the title "Grandmaster," the rank of 9th dan
Dan (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...
in taekwondo, and was undefeated as a taekwondo fighter in more than 200 championship competition. Park introduced the martial art of taekwondo to Thailand in 1966, before settling in the United States of America, and was the taekwondo coach of both the US National Team and the US Olympic Team.
Early life and career in Asia
Park was born in Jeollado, Korea, during World War II. He was a member of the South Korean National Team from 1959–1966, and served as team captain from 1964–1966. He was the South Korean National Champion from 1962–1966. On his retirement, he was inducted into the Korean Amateur Athletic Association's Hall of Fame as the only undefeated taekwondo champion from more than 200 matches.Park moved to Thailand in 1966 at the personal request of King Bhumibol of Thailand
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand. He is known as Rama IX...
to teach taekwondo to the Thai royal family and US military forces.
Career in North America
Park moved to Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, USA, in 1970, and on September 1, 1971, founded the D. K. Park Tae Kwon Do School, also the birthdate of his daughter, Jane. Later that year, he appeared on television on the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
. Park established the taekwondo program at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1973. In 1975, he became the first instructor to have two students (Gerard Robbins and Dennis Robinson) win official USA National Taekwondo Championships titles, and both of them competed in the 2nd World Taekwondo Championships in Seoul, South Korea. Park was the head coach for the US National Team in 1979 at the 4th World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. In 1982, he was named Coach of the Year by the Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
.
From 1982 to 1996, Park served as Coaching Committee Chairman of the United States Tae Kwon Do Union
USA Taekwondo
USA Taekwondo is the national governing body of Taekwondo for the United States Olympic Committee and as such is the official Member National Association of the World Taekwondo Federation in the USA. It began in the 1970s as the AAU National Taekwondo Association, and later broke away from AAU...
. He was the technical coach for the US Olympic taekwondo team at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Taekwondo at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Taekwondo was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. It was the first time that the sport was included in the Olympic program; it would become an official sport twelve years later at the 2000 Games....
in Seoul. This was taekwondo's inaugural appearance at the Olympic Games as a demonstration sport. Park became head coach for the US Olympic taekwondo team at the 1992 Summer Olympics
Taekwondo at the 1992 Summer Olympics
Taekwondo was a demonstration sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. It was the second time that the sport was included in the Olympic program; it would become an official sport eight years later at the 2000 Games....
in Barcelona. In 1993, he was head coach for the US Team at the World Championships (1 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze), and in 1994 at the Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
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, resulting again in 1 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals.
Later life
In 1997, Tae Kwon Do TimesTae Kwon Do Times
Tae Kwon Do Times is a magazine devoted to the martial art of taekwondo, and is published in the United States of America. While the title suggests that it focuses on taekwondo exclusively, the magazine also covers other Korean martial arts...
magazine named Park as its Man of the Year. In 1998, Park was inducted into the Tae Kwon Do Times Hall of Fame. In 2006, his first book was published: Tae Kwon Do basics, techniques and forms: The indomitable martial art of Korea (co-authored with Allan Schein). On 6 April 2007, he was inducted into the Taekwondo Hall of Fame
Taekwondo Hall of Fame
The Taekwondo Hall of Fame ® is an international organization of technical advisors who are themselves members of the World Taekwondo Federation , International Taekwon-Do Federation , and other major taekwondo entities...
. He is a Life Member of USA Taekwondo. Park continues teaching taekwondo at his school in New Jersey.