The USTGS is pleased to provide the following highlights and photographs from our 5th Annual Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony & Banquet. These awards offer an annual tribute to honor Taekwondo's finest, in order to preserve our great heritage. We recognize the outstanding contributions that men and women have offered the Taekwondo community at large over the course of its modern history. We are pleased to offer this pictorial and highlight presentation for your enjoyment. We are sure that attendees will also value the preservation of these memories as they occurred at this historic event.
Please click on all pictures for a larger view in a new window.
2010 USTGS Hall of Fame Awards Recipients
The 2010 5th Annual Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony & Banquet was held at the Double Tree Hotel in Dallas, Texas on April 24, 2010.
2010 Hall of Fame Recipients with their Presenters
Highlights from Our 5th Annual Event
Grandmaster of the Year Award
GM Moon Sung Lee began Taekwondo training in high school in South Korea. He distinguished himself at Korea University in Seoul, where he entered in 1958, by being among the top five of Korea University's Taekwondo team for three years. During his military service, he taught Korea's field troops as a member of the elite Military Instructors Corps. In 1969, GM Lee emigrated to the United States, and in 1972, he founded Moon S. Lee Taekwondo Institute in Astoria, New York. He has dedicated his life to creating Taekwondo champions, not only in the world of sports, but in everyday life. He encourages developing a strong character and deep mutual respect through Taekwondo training. He is founder and past president of the Korean American Youth Foundation. In 2007, GM Lee was the recipient of the Highest Honor from Korea. It is for these and many other achievements that we recognize GM Lee with this honor.
Outstanding Leadership Award
GM Won Chik Park is the 2010 recipient of the Outstanding Leadership Award. GM Park was born in 1940 in Korea and began Taekwondo training in 1954 at Pusan Jidokwan under Great Grandmaster Hyong Chong Park. He founded the Won Park Institute of Taekwondo in Seoul, South Korea in 1968. Four years later, he emigrated to the United States, first to Detroit, MI, and finally to Fort Worth, TX. GM Park has been instrumental in promoting Taekwondo through many leadership roles; including Founder and Tournament Director of the Fort Worth International Taekwondo Championships, Founding President of Texas Taekwondo Association from 1981-1987, and Tournament Director and Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 10th US National Junior Olympic Taekwondo Championships in 1990. He is Founding President of the US Taekwondo Grandmasters Society, remaining active with this organization in such roles as Chairman of the US Taekwondo Museum and Hall of Fame Building Committee and Honorary President. His new memoir, Grandmaster, was published this year. We honor GM Park for his outstanding leadership.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Grandmaster Ho Young Chung is the 2010 winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Born in 1940 in Kyung Sang Nam Do, Hap Chun Kun, South Korea, GM Chung began Taekwondo Jidokwan training in 1954 at Han Kook Chae Yook Kwan, in Seoul. By 1962, he was assigned to the US Army 202 Transportation Division in Inchon, Korea, as the head Taekwondo instructor. From 1965-1966, GM Chung served as the Kyung Ki Do Taekwondo Association Vice President. After emigrating to the United States, he established the Tiger Chung Taekwondo Association Academy in Detroit, Michigan and Sarnia, Canada in 1970. GM Chung served as the Team Canada Head Director for the 1st Taekwondo World Games in Seoul, Korea. From 1974-1976 he served as the Taekwondo President for the Michigan AAU. GM Chung has impressed audiences for years with his skillful Taekwondo demonstrations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the USTGS. For these and many other lifetime achievements, we honor GM Chung.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Grandmaster Sun Hwan Chung is the 2010 winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award. He has been practicing martial arts since he was eight years old. Before establishing himself in the United States, GM Chung served as an instructor for the Korean Military Personnel and taught martial arts to soldiers on active duty in Vietnam. GM Chung was also a Korean Army free-sparring instructor and he served on the Korean police force as a self-defense instructor. In 1984, he was awarded 'The Keys To the City of Miami' by the city's mayor and was recognized several times as the Master Instructor of the Year by other Taekwondo schools and by the Pan American Moo Duk Kwan society. In addition to running his Taekwondo and Hapkido training centers in Kalamazoo, Michigan for the last 40 years, GM Chung is also teaching at numerous colleges and schools. His teachings have been spread far and wide. He has also written a textbook on Oriental Martial Arts United II entitled DongYang Moo Sool Do. Congratulations GM Chung.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Grandmaster Seoung Eui Shin is the winner of the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award. GM Shin was born in 1942 in Ham Kyung Nam Do, Korea. In 1955, he began the study of Taekwondo in Seoul under the instruction of Grandmaster Kang Myung-Kyu. In 1965, Shin received his bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Choong An University in Seoul, and later that year he entered the Republic of Korea Army as a Second Lieutenant. He served until achieving the rank of Military Police Captain four years later. In 1969, GM Shin became a full-time instructor for the Moo Duk Kwan in Seoul, and President of the Young Deung Po Taekwondo Association. By the time Shin came to America in 1974, he had 100 students at the rank of black belt, 40 of whom had reached 4th Dan or higher. His lifelong goal has been to use his martial art to help others. In 2009, he conducted a mission trip in which he and his students ministered to the spiritually and financially impoverished population in the Yucatan area. Thank you for your contributions, GM Shin.
Literary Achievement Award
Grandmaster Kim Soo is the winner of the 2010 Literary Achievement Award. GM Kim Soo began his martial arts training as a child in Korea. He was promoted to 1st-Degree Black Belt when he was 13 years old. During high school, he began teaching and dedicating his life to spreading martial arts throughout the world. While in college he founded Kwon Bop Martial Arts club at Han Kuk University of Foreign Studies. Since earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian Languages and Literature, Grandmaster Kim founded the karate club at Kon Kuk University and the Korean Taekwon Karate Academy in Seoul, Korea; taught the bodyguards of former Republic of Korea President Syng Man Rhee, members of the Korean Military Intelligence Agency, and personnel of the U. S. Armed Forces. He also served as the first Korean correspondent for Black Belt Magazine, authored three best-selling books on Taekwondo forms, and promoted more than 600 Black Belts. He has been very active in the Houston, Texas martial arts community for decades. GM Soo is the youngest 10th Dan Black Belt in the world today.
Ambassador of Taekwondo Award
Grandmaster Roy Kurban is the 2010 recipient of the Ambassador of Taekwondo Award. GM Kurban began Taekwondo training in 1965 and by 1968, he was awarded 1st Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo in Dallas, Texas. In 1970-1971, hile stationed with the US 8th Army in Seoul, Korea, GM Kurban trained under GM Won Chik Park. In 1973, GM Kurban established his martial arts school, American Black Belt Academy, in Arlington, TX. During the 1970s he was a formidable competitor and was ranked among the top 7 fighters during that era, by Black Belt Magazine. Also during this time, he distinguished himself as a peace officer instructor in the North Texas area. He established an accredited Taekwondo course for the Physical Education Department of the University of Texas Arlington in 1982, which is still recognized today. GM Kurban served as a Justice of the Peace from 1991-2006 in North Texas. He remains active in the martial arts community by conducting seminars, as well as serving as Vice Chairman of the USTGS Taekwondo Museum Building Committee.
Peace Award
GM Jung Ohm Hwang is the 2010 winner of the Peace Award. GM Hwang was born in 1958 and began martial arts training at age 7 in Sunsan, Kyun Sang Bok Do. After competing on some Judo teams during middle school, he began Olympic training in earnest. In 1978, he earned a full scholarship to Yong In University. At age 18, he won a position on the Korean National Judo Team and entered the Olympic Training Center to train for the 1980 Olympics, but these Moscow Games were boycotted. In 1984, GM Hwang won the Silver Medal in Judo at the Los Angeles Olympic Games. He and his family emigrated to the US, where he opened his first school in Tennessee in 1988. He served as an International Referee at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. In 1990, he earned his Master's Degree in Education at the University of Tennessee. In 2007, he participated in the North Korean Goodwill Tour with GM Jung, President of the Taekwondo Times. They invited the North Korean National Taekwondo Demo Team on a tour of the United States. GM Hwang has contributed to the community by raising funds and donating time for many charitable causes. We recognize his wonderful achievements to humanity.
Coach of the Year Award
GM Yeon Hwan Park is the 2010 winner of the Coach of the Year Award. GM Park trained in Korea, and was an undefeated Korean national champion of Taekwondo from 1971 to 1975 He moved to the African nation Lesotho where for two years he trained their secret service and special police. In 1980, he emigrated to the US. In 1988 at the Seoul Olympics, he led the USA Women's Team to first place and the USA Men's Team to a second place finish. GM Park has served as president of the New York State Taekwondo Association and the secretary-general of the United States Tae Kwon Do Union. He is the former vice president of the United States Tae Kwon Do Union and the publisher of USA Taekwondo Review. Park is a professor and lecturer and has co-authored Black Belt Tae Kwon Do and Tae Kwon Do, Third Edition, as well as 12 other books on the martial art. His latest book, Tae Kwon Do, My Life and Philosophy was published in 2009. In 2008 he was elected President of the US TKD Union. We honor GM Park for all of his contributions to Taekwondo.
Competitor of the Year Award
Master Han Won Lee is the 2010 recipient of the Competitor of the Year Award. Master Lee was born in Korea in 1962. He began Taekwondo at age 14 under USTU Past President Hwa Chong in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Master Lee was a successful competitor for many years. In 1986, he was awarded USTU Male Athlete of the Year. He was on the USA National Team for eight years and competed in the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games. He won a Bronze Medal in the 1988 Olympic Games and was Team Captain in the 1992 Olympic Games. Master Lee has served as a WTF International Referee since 1990. He has been coaching since 1993, when he assumed the position of US National Coach at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 1996, he chose to open a martial arts school in Castle Rock, Colorado. In 2000, he served as Official USA TKD Coach for the 2000 Olympic Games. Presently, he concentrates his time in the local martial arts community. Congratulations Master Lee.
© 2010 US Taekwondo Grandmasters Society, all rights reserved.

