About GTF Taekwondo
A traditional martial art and a modern sport — built on technique, discipline, and spirit.
GTF Taekwondo is a scientifically grounded system of unarmed self-defense that develops both body and mind. It is at once a centuries-rooted Korean martial art and an independent competitive sport with its own program.
What "Taekwondo" Means
The name is formed from three Korean syllables that together describe a path of training the body and the spirit.
A kick delivered in a jump or in flight — striking with the foot.
The fist — striking or breaking with the hand.
The art, or "the way" — the path of truth, wisdom, and self-perfection.
This emphasis on the legs traces back to Korea's warrior tradition, where fighters had to defeat not only opponents on foot but mounted riders. The jumping kicks once used to unseat a horseman remain the most demanding and spectacular part of the art.
Competitive Disciplines
GTF Taekwondo features a full competitive program with individual and team events.
Hyong
Formal patterns performed individually, as a team, or in pairs.
Sparring
Full combative matches between opponents.
Stop-Point
Controlled scoring on clean, halted strikes.
Power Breaking
Breaking boards to measure striking power.
Special Technique
Breaking boards with jumping kicks at height.
Special-Abilities Events
Para-taekwondo: hyong, team hyong, and technique.
History and Origin
GTF Taekwondo owes its existence to Grandmaster Park Jung Tae, a IX dan black belt and one of the finest students of taekwondo founder General Choi Hong Hi.
First taekwondo demonstration in Vietnam.
Travel to North Korea to develop taekwondo.
Teaching taekwondo in Japan.
Developing taekwondo in China.
Moscow: helps organize the first taekwondo seminar in the USSR.
Founds the Global Taekwondo Federation (GTF) in Canada.
Grandmaster Park passes away; his wife, Mrs. Linda Park, leads the federation.
GTF was created in 1990 as a protest against excessive political interference in a sporting organization. It was conceived from the start as a non-political body, independent of outside pressure. By then Park Jung Tae's name was already known worldwide as a synonym for technical excellence, and after his death Linda Park carried his work forward.
Global Taekwondo Federation
The GTF is the parent international body overseeing the worldwide development of GTF Taekwondo.
President
Mrs. Linda Park (honorary IX dan black belt)
Technical Director
Grandmaster Hwang Ha (IX dan black belt, Germany)
Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, the GTF unites national federations from 39 countries, with another 27 countries working under agreement as potential members. Every national federation develops GTF Taekwondo as an independent sport in its own right.
The Belt System
GTF Taekwondo uses a ranking system of 19 grades that map the entire journey from beginner to master.
10 colored belts — student grades (gup)
9 black belts — master grades (dan)
- The dan grades follow a ternary system: the number 3 is especially revered in the East, and three squared yields the "mystical" number 9 — so IX dan is the highest grade.
- Belt width: 5 cm; thickness: 5 mm.
- The stripe is sewn 5 cm from the end of the belt.
- On black belts, the grade is marked with Roman numerals.
Meaning of the Belt Colors
Each color carries deep meaning, marking a stage in the student's path — from a blank page to mature mastery.
White
The color of snow, of new life, and of a blank page on which the student has yet to write the first lines of taekwondo. The belt of beginners.
Yellow
The color of the rising spring sun and the morning dawn — the start of a long road. The student has set out on the right path but is only taking the first steps.
Green
The color of nature in bloom and of summer. The planted seeds have sprouted but are still small and weak; the student begins to perceive taekwondo and the self as one whole.
Blue
The color of the sky and the ocean depths. The student grasps the vastness of the world and climbs to new technical heights while descending into the philosophy of the art.
Red
The color of ripe fruit and the autumn harvest. The holder looks back on the road traveled and sets new goals; red also warns against overestimating one's strength.
Black
The color of wisdom that unites all colors of the spectrum. Its holder has passed every grade — from white to red — and has mastered the technique, morality, culture, and etiquette of taekwondo.
White
The color of snow, of new life, and of a blank page on which the student has yet to write the first lines of taekwondo. The belt of beginners.
Yellow
The color of the rising spring sun and the morning dawn — the start of a long road. The student has set out on the right path but is only taking the first steps.
Green
The color of nature in bloom and of summer. The planted seeds have sprouted but are still small and weak; the student begins to perceive taekwondo and the self as one whole.
Blue
The color of the sky and the ocean depths. The student grasps the vastness of the world and climbs to new technical heights while descending into the philosophy of the art.
Red
The color of ripe fruit and the autumn harvest. The holder looks back on the road traveled and sets new goals; red also warns against overestimating one's strength.
Black
The color of wisdom that unites all colors of the spectrum. Its holder has passed every grade — from white to red — and has mastered the technique, morality, culture, and etiquette of taekwondo.
White
The color of snow, of new life, and of a blank page on which the student has yet to write the first lines of taekwondo. The belt of beginners.
Yellow
The color of the rising spring sun and the morning dawn — the start of a long road. The student has set out on the right path but is only taking the first steps.
Green
The color of nature in bloom and of summer. The planted seeds have sprouted but are still small and weak; the student begins to perceive taekwondo and the self as one whole.
Blue
The color of the sky and the ocean depths. The student grasps the vastness of the world and climbs to new technical heights while descending into the philosophy of the art.
Red
The color of ripe fruit and the autumn harvest. The holder looks back on the road traveled and sets new goals; red also warns against overestimating one's strength.
Black
The color of wisdom that unites all colors of the spectrum. Its holder has passed every grade — from white to red — and has mastered the technique, morality, culture, and etiquette of taekwondo.
White
The color of snow, of new life, and of a blank page on which the student has yet to write the first lines of taekwondo. The belt of beginners.
Yellow
The color of the rising spring sun and the morning dawn — the start of a long road. The student has set out on the right path but is only taking the first steps.
Green
The color of nature in bloom and of summer. The planted seeds have sprouted but are still small and weak; the student begins to perceive taekwondo and the self as one whole.
Blue
The color of the sky and the ocean depths. The student grasps the vastness of the world and climbs to new technical heights while descending into the philosophy of the art.
Red
The color of ripe fruit and the autumn harvest. The holder looks back on the road traveled and sets new goals; red also warns against overestimating one's strength.
Black
The color of wisdom that unites all colors of the spectrum. Its holder has passed every grade — from white to red — and has mastered the technique, morality, culture, and etiquette of taekwondo.
The Five Tenets
Taekwondo cultivates five qualities that form the moral foundation of the art and a required part of every training session.
Courtesy
Ye Ui
Mutual respect, good manners, and observance of hierarchy and etiquette.
Integrity
Yom Chi
Telling right from wrong and feeling remorse when one is in the wrong.
Perseverance
In Nae
Setting a goal and pursuing it relentlessly toward refinement and mastery.
Self-Control
Guk Gi
Mastering oneself in the dojang and in life: "The strong one conquers himself, not others."
Indomitable Spirit
Baekjul Boolgool
Acting honestly and standing firm against injustice, regardless of the odds.
Grading and Examinations
Advancement in GTF Taekwondo is earned through a belt examination that tests far more than physical skill.
The path runs from 10th gup up to 1st gup, then onward through 1 to 9 dan.
Technique is assessed by level: basic movements, the hyong for the corresponding belt, sparring, and breaking or special technique.
Theory and dojang etiquette are examined alongside technical skill.
Promotion weighs not only technique but also the candidate's moral character and conduct.
Higher dan holders found misusing taekwondo in fights are subject to penalty, and all black belts are registered with their local federation.
Hyong — Formal Patterns
A hyong is a set sequence of movements performed against imaginary opponents — the heart of formal taekwondo practice.
The Training Process
Sessions take place in dedicated halls with wooden flooring and follow a consistent structure from start to finish.
Dojang Etiquette
The dojang is the training hall, and observing its etiquette is required both inside and beyond its walls.
Spiritual Culture and Philosophy
Taekwondo places strong emphasis on spiritual culture — the pursuit of becoming an exemplary person through constant discipline of the mind. Its moral foundation draws on classical virtues, rooted in General Choi Hong Hi's Encyclopedia of Taekwondo.
Humanity
The capacity to feel compassion and to love people.
Righteousness
Shame at unjust acts and faithfulness to one's duty.
Courtesy
Respect and good manners in dealings between people.
Wisdom
Telling right from wrong, above all within oneself.
Trust
The ability to keep one's word and promises.