History

Myung Jae Nam

Kuksanim, Myung Jae Nam, Founder IHF

Hap Ki Do comes from over 2000 years of Korean martial art tradition. Its history is widely misunderstood, and often misconstrued to be new martial art or compounded from many different styles as it encompasses so many practices, but this is not the case. Hap Ki Do, or more importantly the practices and philosophies of Hap Ki Do, are those of the original Korean martial arts, and reach back to the beginning of the martial way. Over centuries of practice it has improved and evolved to adapt itself to the needs of the individual, and although the name is contemporary, the art, history and tradition of its practice are over two millennia old.

International H.K.D. Federation

Kuksanim Myung Jae Nam Founder the International H.K.D. Federation and Grand Master Choi’s teacher, began studying the martial way in 1948. by 1962 he had started teaching in Incheon from his school called Jeong Do Kwan (정도관) ,  and n 1973 he founded his own federation, called Dae Han Kuk Hapki Hwe (대한국합기회). In October 1974, while still maintaining his own organization, he assisted in the forming the Dae Han Min Kuk Hapkido Hyop Hwe (대한민국합기도협회, Republic of Korea Hapkido Association). He was appointed the executive director and remained with that organization until 1980.

In August 1974, he again changed the name of his own organization to Kuk Je Yon Maeng Hapki Hwe (국제연맹합기회), which is known in English as the International H.K.D. Federation. In the same year he co-founded the Korean Hapkido Association.

By 1981 the IHF was recognized by the Korean government and in August 1993 the I.H.F. opened the International hapkido hankido world headquarters (국제연맹 합기도 한기도 세계본부) near the city of Yongin.

Upon the passing of Myung Jae Nam in 1999, his son Myung Sung Kwang, assumed leadership of the International H.K.D. Federation.