Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 07:29:04 -0800 From: the_dojang-request@martialartsresource.net Subject: The_Dojang digest, Vol 10 #559 - 8 msgs X-Mailer: Mailman v2.0.13.cisto1 MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Errors-To: the_dojang-admin@martialartsresource.net X-BeenThere: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.13.cisto1 Precedence: bulk Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net X-Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net X-Subscribed-Address: kma@martialartsresource.com List-Id: The Internet's premier discussion forum on Korean Martial Arts. List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Unsubscribe: , List-Help: Status: RO X-Status: X-Keywords: Send The_Dojang mailing list submissions to the_dojang@martialartsresource.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/the_dojang or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to the_dojang-request@martialartsresource.net You can reach the person managing the list at the_dojang-admin@martialartsresource.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of The_Dojang digest..." <<------------------ The_Dojang mailing list ------------------>> Serving the Internet since June 1994. Copyright 1994-2003: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource The Internet's premier discussion forum devoted to Korean Martial Arts. 1600 members. See the Korean Martial Arts (KMA) FAQ and the online search engine for back issues of The_Dojang at http://MartialArtsResource.com Pil Seung! Today's Topics: 1. Bernard on GM Byrne........... (George Peters) 2. Master Timmerman on breaking... (George Peters) 3. RE: EXTREME MARTIAL ARTS (Michael Shawn) 4. Re: softening (Michael Whalen) 5. Re: XMA (J T) 6. XMA (Hapkido Self Defense Center) 7. KHF (Hapkido Self Defense Center) 8. more ITF stuff (Ray Terry) --__--__-- Message: 1 From: "George Peters" To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 00:14:14 -0500 Subject: [The_Dojang] Bernard on GM Byrne........... Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Good Sir, Yup, it was a roundhouse. Have not seen him lately as he started his own federation. He used to belong to the International Tang Soo Do Federation and always came to almost any tournament put on by GM C.S. Kim in Pittsburgh. I have seen almost any type of break he does, and he has always been most impressive. What impressed me the most about him was he was so personable and down to earth to exchange pleasantries or to answer a technical question. Wish I could have seen him fight in Japan when on various occasions he defeated whatever "champion" they put in the ring with him. Last time he came to Pittsburgh, he also did an 11 board reverse punch. Respectfully, George _________________________________________________________________ Browse styles for all ages, from the latest looks to cozy weekend wear at MSN Shopping. And check out the beauty products! http://shopping.msn.com --__--__-- Message: 2 From: "George Peters" To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 00:32:51 -0500 Subject: [The_Dojang] Master Timmerman on breaking... Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Good Sir, I agree with you, and would add that there is a quite lengthy conditioning period prior to even attempting such a feat. I have some permanently injured parts to attest to this, and try to pass along these sometimes extremely painful lessons to my juniors. One of the hard things, particuraly when one is young is to realize the extended period for bone mass to develop and for connective tissues to catch up with muscle growth. This applies to any kind of training it would seem, I had my own son by the ear(325lb D tackle) last summer to slow down on throwing weight on a bar and let everything else catch up and had him doing some contact drills to build bone mass prior to leaving for summer training his freshman year in college. The look on his face showed his feelings, but when he saw the extent of injuries incurred by many others, he took the time to call home and say "thanks Dad". Sometimes anyone who trains(young or older) does not stop to consider just how long "forever" is.(me included). Thank you, sir, for putting things in a realistic perspective. I sometimes forget that young people also read the posts herein. Respectfully, George _________________________________________________________________ Winterize your home with tips from MSN House & Home. http://special.msn.com/home/warmhome.armx --__--__-- Message: 3 From: "Michael Shawn" To: Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 00:44:07 -0600 Subject: [The_Dojang] RE: EXTREME MARTIAL ARTS Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net I watched it and agree with Ray, it was allot of special effects,fake fighting,and more importantly a BIG promo for Tom Cruise's Samurai movie more than anything else. MS -----Original Message----- From: the_dojang-request@martialartsresource.net [mailto:the_dojang-request@martialartsresource.net] Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2003 7:55 AM Message: 2 From: Ray Terry Subject: Re: [The_Dojang] Extreme Martial Arts To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2003 20:53:44 -0800 (PST) Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Saw it. Was very disappointed. Given the build up I was expecting a lot. All I saw was a lot of flash, very little real content... IMHO Ray Terry rterry@idiom.com --__--__-- Message: 4 From: "Michael Whalen" To: "dojang digest" Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 08:17:00 -0600 Subject: [The_Dojang] Re: softening Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Does anyone have any suggestions for softening a newly purchased heavyweight uniform? Would greatly appreciate it. yes. Use it,often. michael whalen KSWnut --__--__-- Message: 5 Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 06:54:57 -0800 (PST) From: J T To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: [The_Dojang] Re: XMA Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net "those guys were awesome gymnasts but IMO not martial artists..." Sir, with all due respect, you really shouldn't make snap judgement on them based on one segment that you see about them. Craig Hennsington is 16 year old straight 'A' student and one of the top competitors out there. He is well versed in the systems open and tradtional forms. He spends his freetime at the school teaching and working out, which is about 5 hours a day. Pretty much lives there. When you approach him he is extremely humble and very friendly eager to help in anyway. I do not know Matt or Mike personally, however, I used to compete against Mike many years ago. When you approach him he too is extremely nice and open. So though you may not like the division of XMA in the tournaments, please do not make such a negative statement about someone who you do not know or have not trained with. Thank you. With respect, Jeremy __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New Yahoo! Photos - easier uploading and sharing. http://photos.yahoo.com/ --__--__-- Message: 6 From: "Hapkido Self Defense Center" To: Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 10:24:19 -0500 Subject: [The_Dojang] XMA Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net <<>> I must confess that I fell asleep in my chair about 10 minutes after I realized that the show was about a very young person in American sport karate. I did however, get a good nap, so the show was not a complete waste! :) Jere R. Hilland www.HapkidoSelfDefense.com --__--__-- Message: 7 From: "Hapkido Self Defense Center" To: Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 10:42:18 -0500 Subject: [The_Dojang] KHF Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net The KHF to me was just one of the big 3 in Korea. Other than Master Whalen, I personally knew no one of high rank in that organization. Master Whalen is a supporter and friend of the USKMAF, just as Master Timmerman and Master Booth. But about a year ago, I was approached by one of the individuals on the previously posted list who was supposedly promoted to 6th dan to support his organization. He also made some comments to justify not having time in rank I found disturbing. I informed him politely that I wanted nothing to do with this specific individual in Florida. The reasons were obvious, he promoted himself while bad mouthing others. In my opinion, this was not proper behavior for someone of any rank. So when he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar recently, why did everyone not see that coming? I guess the folks involved could not see the forest because they were standing to close to the trees. While I have ZERO affiliation with the KHF, I do wish them well and it will take a great deal of time before they recover from credibility damage. But I am confused as to why the KHF president would appoint a 6th dan when 3 qualified AND experienced 7th dan were around? Jere R. Hilland www.HapkidoSelfDefense.com --__--__-- Message: 8 From: Ray Terry To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net (The_Dojang) Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 08:08:13 -0800 (PST) Subject: [The_Dojang] more ITF stuff Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net INTERNATIONAL TAEKWON-DO FEDERATION (ITF) ( PRESIDENT: MR. CHANG UNG ) ADDRESS: DRAUGASSE 3, 1210 VIENNA, AUSTRIA. TEL: +43-1-2928476 Fax: +43-1-2925509 Date: 5th November 2003 --------------------------------- From: Grand Master Leong Wai Meng Vice President of ITF Chairman of Consultative Council, ITF To : Dr. Jacques Rogge President of International Olympic Committee Chateau de Vidy 1007 Lausanne Switzerland Fax. : +41-21-621 62 16 Subject: The International Taekwon-do Federation (ITF) Dear Dr. Jacques Rogge, Kindly allow me to introduce myself. My name is Leong Wai Meng. I hold a Grand Master 9th Dan Black Belt. My position in the ITF is the Vice President of the International Taekwon-do Federation (ITF) with whom your esteem IOC colleague Mr. Chang Ung is the President. I am also the Chairman of the Consultative Council of our Federation. I am writing to you because I believe you have received a letter from Master Tran Trieu Quan, the President of a breakaway group claiming to be ITF. As Chairman of the Consultative Council of the ITF, I can inform you that the content of Master Tran’s letter was incorrect and misleading. The purpose of Master Tran’s letter is to discredit and injure a very good and highly qualified and dignified person like Mr. Chang Ung whom he has never met, and to destroy the original ITF that Mr. Chang Ung represents. It is therefore important for me to give you a complete overview of the ITF situation so that you are able to form a qualified and informed opinion. Hence, this will be a long letter and I beg you kindly to be patient. The purpose of the ITF Consultative Council. The ITF Consultative Council was formed in January 2002 at an ITF Extraordinary Congress in Vienna, six months before our most beloved Founder and former President General Choi Hong Hi passes away. The reason this Council was formed was that the Founder General Choi knew that He was very ill and nearing to pass on. He knew that when He dies there would be problems to the succession of the ITF Presidency. He knew that there were some groups within the ITF leadership who were obedient while He was alive but would be rebellious when He dies. He also knows that the ITF Constitution at that time has no clauses covering many emergency issues. He was worried of misuse and opportunists’ plots for power after His death. It was for these reasons that the ITF Consultative Council was formed. The ITF Consultative Council is like a mini Congress, the voice of the ITF world membership. The Council at that time consisted of seven high ranking Masters and officials representing the various Continents. Thus, the Council represented and still represents the opinion, interests, voice and wishes of the various Continents. It acts on behalf of the ITF world membership in time of emergencies and in cases where the situations and issues are not covered by the ITF Constitution, and that are difficult to deal with through the ITF Constitution, like for example the quick passing of our President General Choi Hong Hi and the power struggle that followed. The ITF Constitution has since been updated after His death. After the death of President General Choi Hong Hi, if the then Interim President Mr. Russell MacLellan who takes care of matters until the next Congress was to act correctly and righteously, then the subject of succession at the next ITF Congress would have proceeded smoothly. But when a small group within the Interim President’s circle escalate problems with the intention to seize power for themselves, and they are the same people sitting on top of the ITF Constitution, Headquarters, communication and information channels, bank and credit card accounts, etc., then this has become very dangerous to our organization. This was exactly what our Founder and former President General Choi feared. A calculated preamtive strike on the leadership position before it could be challenged democratically at the ITF Congress. When such a plot was discovered, the ITF Consultative Council swings into action. The three main groups involved in this controversy, all laying claims to be the legitimate ITF. They are identified as follow: 1. The first group is the original ITF with Mr. Chang Ung as its President. It has national associations in over 100 countries worldwide affiliated to it and has over 80% of the original Executive Board members, during the time of General Choi Hong Hi, on its present Board. Mr. Chang Ung is the choice of General Choi Hong Hi to succeed Him as ITF President. It had original ITF national representatives from 72 countries attending its last Congress and over 800 participants to its World Championship, in Thessaloniki in Greece in June 2003. Therefore it had 72 member countries endorsing Mr. Chang Ung as the President of ITF. It means that President Mr. Chang Ung and his original ITF has the endorsement of the majority of the ITF world membership. We shall herein call this group the “Original ITF” for the rest of this letter. Who is Mr. Chang Ung? I don’t need to introduce him to you since you and the IOC have already known him for over 10 years. 2. The second group is formed by three breakaway members of the original Executive Board of the Original ITF. It is headed by Master Tran Trieu Quan as its President. These three members broke away from the mother organization only after the passing of General Choi. It has a small handful of members in some countries. Its strength is based mainly in Europe. It had slightly more than 20 Delegates attending in person in its last Congress in Warsaw in Poland in June 2003 and had about 10 countries represented by proxies. Please bear in mind that a number of the representatives were not original ITF people. Their group got help from some WTF friends or Karate friends in order to inflate the numbers at their Congress. In fact, many of the participants who came to participate in their World Championship in Warsaw did not even know how to use ITF sparring equipment. At the same time, it had only about 100 participants at its World Championship. It clearly shows that this group hasn! ’t got the support and endorsement of the ITF world membership from the figures shown. We shall herein call this group the “Breakaway ITF Group” for the rest of this letter. The Original ITF, which is the mother organization, will always have its door open for all the members of this group to come home. Who is Master Tran Trieu Quan? Master Tran is our very good friend for the past 30 years. He is indeed a very good person and we all have very high respect for him. Master Tran is from the former South Vietnam. During the Vietnam War he was an army officer. He has suffered tremendously under the North Vietnamese Communists and he was imprisoned for a long time. Therefore today Master Tran Trieu Quan is a very strong crusader of anti-communism in his life mission. He has told the ITF leadership many times that we must never trust the communists and we should never work with the communists. We do understand and respect his anti communist stance. 3. The third group is formed by General Choi’s son Master Choi Jung Hwa. General Choi and the ITF Congress expelled Master Choi Jung Hwa in January 2002. Anyway, most of the small groups of members that had followed him have already returned to the Original ITF and most of his right hand people have also left him and rejoined the Original ITF. Hence, there is no need to talk about this group which I believe is quite irrelevant. Also, Master Choi Jung Hwa is the blood and flesh of our beloved Founder General Choi, therefore we have got no wish to involve his group into this conversation. We would rather let him have his peace. We wish him well and success in his life. The Original ITF, which is the mother organization, will always have its door open for members of this group to return home. What is the ITF? Just as the United Nation is the Federation of all Nations of the world, or as the IOC is the “United Nation” of all the international sporting bodies, the ITF is the “United Nation” of all ITF style Taekwon-do organizations in the world. Just like the United Nation and the IOC, our policy is ALL INCLUSIVE, whether our members are capitalists, socialists or communists, be they religious, spiritual, free thinkers or non-believers, they are all welcome to membership. All can co-exist, and we live in harmony and unity in diversity, let all the faiths co-exist so long as they do not extinguish the faiths of others. This is the ideal of the United Nation and the IOC, the ITF shares the same ideal. The ITF is truly a democratic International Organization. We yearn for the merger with the WTF and indeed ideally with all the Martial Arts Organizations of the world. That is why our most beloved Founder General Choi Hong Hi initiated the formation of the International! Martial Games Committee, the “United Nation” of all Martial Arts. For the Breakaway ITF Group under Master Tran Trieu Quan to form an EXCLUSIVE organization, that cannot work with and cannot trust the communists or others, his organization cannot be considered and accepted by the world community as an international body. A truly international organization must be all-inclusive. All members must be given an equal right, equal opportunity, equal recognition and equal respect. By the deathbed of General Choi Hong Hi, in the second week of June 2003 in Pyongyang in DPR Korea, a group of top ITF leaders (including this writer) consisting of more than half of the ITF Executive Committee went to pay our last respect to Him, and to receive His last instructions and blessings. General Choi Hong Hi was dying of stomach cancer and not of brain cancer. Therefore His memory and other faculties were functioning perfectly. He could recall in the minutest details of everyone and of all events, even recalling back 30 to 40 years of history. This proves that although He may be very sick in His stomach, He still has a clear conscious mind and has complete control over His faculty even at His last moments, at 84 years old. General Choi’s last wish. General Choi in his hospital bed on the two occasions that we have visited Him has clearly said, and recorded, that His last wish is to have Mr. Chang Ung to be his successor, that is, to become the president of ITF. All the ITF leaders present bowed and assured our beloved Teacher, our beloved Founder and President, and our most beloved Taekwon-do Father, that we obey His last wish and it shall be implemented. Among those who assured General Choi was the ex-Secretary General. There are two other wishes of General Choi that may interest you. The first is that He wished Mr. Chang Ung would do his best to make serious contact with the WTF and work towards unification. The second wish is ITF participation in the Olympics. However, we need not go further on these two subjects as they are of no concern to this letter. General Choi pass away, the plot begins. Things didn’t happen as it was supposed to be. The ex-Secretary General, when he returned to the ITF HQ in Vienna, he together with three other masters, Master Tran, Master Benny Revera and Master Wim Bos, engaged in a plot to destroy the implementation of the last wish of General Choi. Below are some of the things that they have done to escalate the situation to make it impossible for Mr. Chang Ung, who happen to be from North Korea, to become the President of ITF: 1. The plotters begin to use words like communists or North Koreans whenever they refer to our DPR Korean brothers in Taekwon-do, especially when they mention Mr. Chang Ung’s name. They would do this in their conversations, letters and websites. They are just simply insensitive to people’s feelings. 2. The ex-General Secretary removed US$60,000 in cash from the ITF account to fund the anti Chang Ung activities by the Breakaway ITF Group. This was done before the breakaway. I personally don’t believe he took the money for personal use as he is an honorable man. However, after threats of law suits and after meetings with ITF lawyers, the ex-Secretary General returns part of the money. 3. The ex-Secretary General removed many highly important inventories from the ITF headquarters like computers, records files and data, camera, account records, etc., to his house and started to organize anti Chang Ung activities from there. Till today these inventories are yet to be returned to the headquarters. 4. The ex-Secretary General, a few months before his group broke away from the mother organization, started a new bank account in the name of ITF, addressed to his private home. He ordered all ITF members world wide to sent money for certificates, membership, etc., to this new account. Thus cutting off badly needed funds, which were intended for the Original ITF. The ITF worldwide membership did not know the difference, for they received letters from the “Secretary General” only. They did not know of the plot until later. 5. The ex-Secretary General attempted several times to cut off water, telephone, electricity and heating services to the ITF HQ in Vienna, to make life extremely difficult for the Original ITF officials living there together with their women folks, little children and babies. This in the eyes of the members was a very cruel act, especially in the winter. However, ITF HQ managed to solve the problems and the ex- Secretary General could not succeed. 6. Immediately after the death of General Choi, the ex-Secretary General together with the ex-Chairman of ITF Tournament Committee Master Tran Triau Quan, started to expel or suspend all 9th Dan Korean Grand Masters. Thus making no one of higher rank over them. They also expel or suspend any Master or Instructor who would support Mr. Chang Ung or General Choi’s last wish. They by letters to ITF members would let the members think that they respected General Choi’s last wish, but silently by action they eliminate all Masters and Grand Masters who support General Choi’s last wish. No one could take disciplinary actions against them because the Chairman of the ITF Disciplinary Committee was also suspended by the plotters. 7. A little after General Choi’s death, Mr. Chang Ung, since he was chosen by General Choi as successor to ITF Presidency and majority of the ITF leadership present have approved, took a goodwill visit to the ITF HQ in Vienna. When he arrived in Vienna, the enthusiastic Mr. Chang Ung telephone to the ex-Secretary General to say that he would like to visit him and the ITF HQ and would like to invite him to a dinner. This is because Mr. Chang Ung knows that he will most probably be elected to ITF presidency in the coming ITF Congress. After all, all the signs were pointing to that. However, the ex-Secretary General gave him a very rude reception. The ex-Secretary General’s reply to Mr. Chang Ung on the phone was, “Don’t you know how I am? I am the Secretary General of the ITF. If you want to see me, you will have to make an appointment with me at least a few days before coming”. They didn’t meet. 8. When Mr. Chang Ung arrived in Vienna, the ITF HQ staff was over joy to receive him, for they knew that he was destined to be the future ITF President. So they took the ITF official car which was a Mercedes Benz, to receive him. But the ex-Secretary General came to the scene, saying that Mr. Chang Ung was not the President yet, he took the car and hide it in his house until Mr. Chang Ung left Vienna. So the highly respected IOC member and future ITF President has to humbly take taxis or a borrowed car to move around the town. It was most humiliating for a man of that statue. Whether Mr. Chang Ung is a communist or not, Mother Nature has made him born in North Korea. We cannot discriminate him like that. 9. After Vienna, Mr. Chang Ung went to Monte Carlo to have a meeting with Dr. Un Yong Kim, the Vice President of IOC and the President of WTF. Later, Mr. Chang Ung went to Athens in Greece have a meeting with you, the IOC President. Although part of the discussions was about Taekwon-do, and he being the successor of General Choi, Mr. Chang Ung went to see Dr. UnYong Kim and you in the capacity of an IOC member and not as President of ITF. He has never presented himself as the new President of ITF. However, the ex-Secretary General created a big storm in the ITF saying that Mr. Chang Ung has presented himself as the ITF President even when he was not elected as such yet. Thus, the plotters argued that Mr. Chang Ung, the North Korean communist, misrepresented himself, cannot be trusted and therefore was not fit to be the future ITF President. 10. You see the DPR Korean Taekwon-do Association and the Korean people look to General Choi as a bright jewel of Korea. He makes Korea shines in the world. General Choi was a great Korean patriot and National Hero, He was one of the leaders of Korean resistance to free Korea from Japanese’ over 100 years of colonization. He is undoubtedly the most famous and known Korean person in the world for creating the art of Taekwon-do. He was the last Founder of a major world martial art to be still alive and now has passed away. He was a world renown calligrapher, writer, army general, and Korean Ambassador. Therefore, the Korean Government and the Korean Taekwon-do Committee planned to organize a very grand 100th Day Memorial Service in honor of General Choi. World leaders, ambassadors, martial arts leaders, representatives from other important organizations and ITF representatives from all over the world were invited for this grand occasion. But the then Interim ITF President Mr. ! Russell MacLellan, who was at that time a member of the plotters’ group sent a letter to all ITF NGBs instructing them to boycott this function, indicating that he will not attend. This was a big slap on the face of General Choi and to Korean pride and sentimentality. Mr. Russell MacLellan was preventing ITF members from going to Korea to pay respect to their Master! Just like children being prevented to pay their respect to theirs deceased Parents. This was the most cruel and heartless act! The plotters have gone too far and they were sending the wrong and bad signals to the Korean Taekwon-do Association and to the supporters of General Choi’s last wish and to the ITF world membership. Emergency actions by supporters of General Choi’s last wish – The Special ITF Congress in September 2002. The above ten incidences stated are just a few out of many to mention. All these incidences were giving our membership strong signals of an eminent plot to hijack the ITF by the three masters. The Korean Taekwon-do Association took the initiative to take advantage of the occasion of the 100th Day Memorial of General Choi to organize a Special ITF Congress to implement General Choi’s last wish. They see it as a great honor to General Choi to save his legacy, and to them it was an auspicious time as 100th is an important Korean number. The Korean Taekwon-do Association was not able to organize the Special Congress in accordance to the then ITF Constitution under such difficult conditions with the plotters sitting on the two most important and sensitive positions, they were the Interim President and the Secretary General positions. If they were to follow the Constitution, they would have to get the Interim President to give three months notice to all members. The plotters would certainly kill this project. So the Korean organizer’s only choice was to keep it a secret until all National Delegates have arrived in Pyongyang, DPR Korea before they revealed their plan. The ITF Consultative Council approves the Special Congress. The Korean Taekwon-do Association invited six members of the ITF Consultative Council to a private room to present their plan and their reasons, seeking the Council’s endorsement. The Consultative Council was formed specially to tackle situations such as this faced by the Organization. All the Council members already know by now the plots of the three Masters. The danger of three top leaders misusing the ITF Constitution and their positions in the leadership, to terrorize the membership in order to size power. In light of all the evidence presented, and the danger that if swift actions were not taken right away, there will never be a chance for justice and General Choi’s last wish can never be implemented. This is because the plotters will surely destroy this initiative if it is not taken in Pyongyang. So after deep discussion and contemplation, the ITF Consultative Council, the voice of the ITF World Membership, ga! ve its unanimous consent and blessings to the immediate organization of the Special ITF Congress. The Consultative Council had two conditions to the organizers of the Special Congress. One was that it could only go ahead if there was more than one third of the ITF membership supports it, which is at 35 countries. The organizers came back with 46 countries supporting. The other was that the Chairman of the Consultative Council, at the start of the Special Congress, informs the ITF membership that the Special Congress in accordance to the ITF Constitution was carried out improperly, but given the special and delicate situation, the ITF Consultative Council gives its approval for the Congress to proceed, and the Council wishes that General Choi’s last wish to be successfully carried out. So the Special Congress went ahead. Truth is above technicalities and the cunning use of facts. General Choi’s last wish successfully carried out. At the Special Congress, there was only one candidate nominated for the President position. There was no other candidate applied. Everyone present, through inner wisdom and intuition knew the ultimate choice and outcome. This was based on our deep love and respect for the Founder and His choice, His last wish. So there was no opposition in this case. When it comes to voting time, it was just a matter of a standing ovation, in acceptance of the only candidate as Mr. Chang Ung walks onto the podium. There were a few national delegates who earlier supported the plotters and were against the “North Korean communist” Mr. Chang Ung, as they said. But they were only a few, you could count them with your five fingers, and they didn’t field any candidate. The funny thing was that the atmosphere was so greatly charged emotionally that the few opposing delegates joined all the others and stood up and endorsed Mr. Chang Ung! A few of th! em now realized their mistakes and have remained with the Original ITF today. Mr. Chang Ung’s Presidency legitimized twice. Due to the breaking away by the Breakaway ITF Group, I as Chairman of the ITF Consultative Council was working with both sides to try to bring the two parties to rejoin. So I arranged for an official meeting between Mr. Russell MacLellan the Interim President and Mr. Chang Ung on the 15th and 16th of November 2002 in Vienna. The ITF Board of Directors was to have a meeting on the 16th November 2002 in Vienna. On the 15th November, Mr. MacLellan and Mr. Chang Ung met for the first time face to face. At this meeting, Mr. Russell MacLellan may have realized that General Choi was right to choose Mr. Chang Ung as successor, or he must have realized that Mr. Chang Ung is a capable man. Mr. Russell MacLellan said to Mr. Chang Ung, “Mr. Chang Ung, I will step back as President so that you will have a free hand to run the ITF”. When this news was brought up at the ITF Board of Directors meeting the next day, everyone was overjoyed. The ITF Board of Directors at once accepted Mr. Russell MacLellan’s offer. So when the Interim President Mr. Russell MacLellan made the offer and the ITF Board of Directors accepted the offer, Mr. Chang Ung’s position as President has now become even more legitimate. In June 2003 in Thessaloniki, Greece during the ITF Congress, National Delegates from 72 countries officially endorsed the Presidency of Mr. Chang Ung, thus fully completing the whole process to legitimize his position. Recognition of the Original ITF by the Austrian Authority. Please find enclosed documents from the Austrian Authority recognizing the ITF with Mr. Chang Ung as President, address at Draugasse 3, 1210 Vienna, Austria. False declarations by the Breakaway ITF Group. Master Tran in his letter stated that Mr. Chang Ung and the ITF staff haven’t got permission to work at the ITF HQ in Vienna and therefore must leave the building. Indeed the ITF staffs have their permits, otherwise how can they be staying there for so long. Mr. Chang Ung’s ITF lawyers can provide you with the necessary documents if you need them. After all, Mr. Jacques Rogge, you have known Mr. Chang Ung for so many years, he is an honorable and honest gentleman. Do you think Mr. Chang Ung would go so low as to do such a thing? These ITF officials are all very qualified and talented professionals. They can go to any country and could easily get a work permit. Master Tran declares in his website that their Breakaway ITF Group has now got recognition from the Austrian Authority just as the Original ITF. This was indeed a mistake made by the Austrian Authority. This is because Mr. Chang Ung went to the Austrian Authority and asked them why they have recognized two ITF organizations in Austria. The Chief of Department told Mr. Chang Ung, “Mr. Chang Ung, we have only recognized one ITF, that is yours. Look, we have only one file on your ITF. There is no other ITF”. So as they flip through Mr. Chang Ung’s ITF file, they noticed an application letter written on a letter head similar to Mr. Chang Ung’s ITF letter head. It was a letter from the Breakaway ITF Group. So the Chief questioned the officer in charged, the officer replied that he thought it was from the same ITF and therefore sent them the necessary document, it was a mistake. The matter has now since been corrected. In Austria, the Government recognizes only Mr. Chang Ung’s ITF! . Master Tran’s Breakaway Group remains unrecognized. Master Tran in his latter to you claims that Mr. Chang Ung has withdrawn US$150,000 from the ITF account illegally. That is incorrect. Mr. Chang Ung as the President of the Original ITF can of course withdraw money out of the ITF’s account. All big withdrawals are done with the ITF Executive Committee’s consent. After all, most of the money mentioned by Master Tran was raised by Mr. Chang Ung for the ITF through his good organizational sense and business skills, his experience as an IOC member for so many years and his good connections to loyal sponsors. Mr. Chang Ung is an indispensable asset to the ITF. It shows that General Choi’s choice of Mr. Chang Ung as His successor is right. The plotters are dead wrong! They truly owe Mr. Chang Ung an apology for all the wrong they have done to him just because he is a North Korean. This is selective as well as collective discrimination. It is not fair. After all, Master Tran doesn’t know the man, Master Tran knows him only as a Nor! th Korean Communist. It would be justifiable for the Breakaway ITF Group to change its name to any but ITF. We are not against Master Tran and his people. We only want his group not to confuse the world with another ITF. We would even be happy to help them and have interactions with them. After all, we have the same Taekwon-do Father. Master Tran and his people are definitely good people. They have all contributed the most active part of their lives in the propagation of Taekwon-do. All of them are good friends, good teachers and good leaders. Perhaps they may have gone through life with special experiences that made them made such decisions and to take such actions. This we understand and we forgive them and we continue to love them, for we are all one. Their attacks on us are welcomed, for every problem they create for us, is a lesson and a challenge for us, and we have to search deep into our Heart and make contact with our collective Conscience to understand why. We indeed thank them for all the “problems” they so kindly present to us. We will return their negativities with our unselfish brotherly love. May they be successful in their lives along the righteous path, may they be happy, prosperous and healthy. We pray that no harm will come to them and their love ones. Wherever they may be, they will always remain in our Hearts. Dear Mr. Jacques Rogge, I hope this letter is not boring you too much. But it is necessary for you to know the whole truth and have an overview of the situation. I hope it is of some use to you. Thank you for your kind attention. Love All, Serve All Help Ever, Hurt Never Yours sincerely, Grand Master Leong Wai Meng, 9th Dan Vice President of ITF Chairman of the Consultative Council of ITF. Copies to: 1) Mr. Chang Ung, President of ITF. 2) ITF HQ, Vienna, Austria --__--__-- _______________________________________________ The_Dojang mailing list The_Dojang@martialartsresource.net http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/the_dojang http://the-dojang.net Old digest issues available @ ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com Copyright 1994-2003: Ray Terry and http://MartialArtsResource.com Standard disclaimers apply. Remember September 11. End of The_Dojang Digest