Korean Swordsmanship

Korean Swordsmanship

In Korean martial arts, sword disciplines are known as Gum Sool (검술, 劍術) or Gum Do (검도, 劍道). The extant schools originate after the end of Japanese occupation (1945) and are heavily amalgamated with the modern Japanese schools of Kenjutsu or Kendo.

Gekiken, the predeceossor of modern Kendo, was introduced to Korea in 1896, giving rise to the Korean variant of Gumdo after 1947. Later Korean schools developed under the names of Shim Gum Do (1965), Haidong Gumdo (1982) and Hankumdo (1997).