Meaning of Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a martial art sports that trains trainees to execute bare-handed defense and attack techniques characterized by different types of kicks for the purpose of self-defense and self-realization. This definition includes the purpose, techhiques, practice, and self-understanding of Taekwondo as a a martial art sport.

Purpose

Taekwondo is an activity of self-defense and self-realization, which are both the materialization of the Taekwondo spirit, including the abstract concepts Geukgi and Hongik, to fit the practice situation.

Techniques

Taekwondo consists of bare-handed defense and attack techniques characterized by different types of kicks. Taekwondo techniques are distinguished from other martial arts techniques based on five characteristics.

• Defense and attack techniques
• Bare-handed techniques
• Techniques of Sparring from a distance
• Techniques characterized by kicking
• Kicking techniques of hitting method

Practices

Suryeon(Practice) has the following meaning: with repeated practice, a practitioner removes the unnecessities that impede their execution of techniques and trains to perform the techniques efficiently; ultimately, practice has the condensed purpose of maturing to become a better human being.

Martial art sports

Turning martial arts into sports in the course of modernization of Korean traditional martial arts, and was completed with modern Taekwondo. In that sense, Taekwondo can be said to be a martial art sport characterized by openness, entertainment, competitiveness, institutionalized rules, and excellent physical ablilities.