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Grand Master Ji, Seong Young
PEACE AWARD My life began in 1964 in Ansung, South Korea. During my young childhood years I began practicing Tae Kwon Do at the age of 9. After high school, I enrolled at Kyunghee University to continue my Tae Kwon Do education. Kyunghee University was the world’s first university to offer a bachelor’s program in Tae Kwon Do Education.
After graduating within the inaugural class of Kyung Hee University in 1990, I was able to take my education and experience to the United States of America and teach under the guidance of Grandmaster Woo Jin Jung. Following three years of teaching in the Midwest, I was able to open my own American Tae Kwon Do dojang in 1996 at Lilburn, Georgia. My main philosophy for my dojang is: no matter someone’s physical ability, mental ability, racial/cultural background, or age, everyone can do Tae Kwon Do. I believe Tae Kwon Do is a tool to educate others and is a tool I am proud to wield. In 2007 the North Korean Demonstration Team participated in the Goodwill Tour by Tae Kwon Do Times magazine here in the United States. The purpose of this tour was to promote harmony, friendship, and peace between North Korea and the United States of America. Georgia was one of the four locations of the tour and I was humbly chosen as the host for Georgia. I organized the historical event and on October 14th, 2007 the North Korean Demonstration Team performed for our local community at the then Gwinnett Center. After the demonstration, the North Korean Demonstration arrived at my dojang and watched our dojang’s demonstration team perform. It was a life changing moment as a Korean practitioner and teacher because of the rare scenario of an American demonstration team and a North Korean demonstration team being in the same space and exchanging respect for each other through Tae Kwon Do. In 2011 I was invited, along with other North Korean, South Korean, and American Masters/Grandmasters to visit North Korea. One of the locations we visited that impacted me greatly was Chon Ji or as popularly known, “Heavenly Lake.” Being at Chonji with the other Masters/Grandmasters caused me to reflect upon the significance of this setting and how it represents peace and unity for all, especially in regards to the current division of North and South Korea. |
