Korean Swordsmanship - Gumdo

Gumdo

Following the Second World War, the Tae Han Kum SA Association, predecessor to the Tae Han Kumdohoe (The Korea Kumdo Association) was organized on May 20, 1948. At that time, some 100 masters, including SUH Ching Hac, KIM Yong Dal, HO Ik Yong, Chung Tae Min, Lee Chung Ku, Do Ho Mun, Kang Nak-won, Pak Chong-kyu and KIM Yong-bae met on the grounds of the Changdok Palace and formed the Taehan Kumsa Association. In 1953, the Korean Kumdo Association was founded by Chong Hac Suh in cooperation with Kendo practitioners both in Korea and Japan. Later, Suh would relocate to Bettendorf, Iowa in the United States and establish the World Kumdo Association. After WWII, Gumdo and Kendo were able to diverge again.

The Korea Kumdo Association (KKA) is the de facto governing organization for kumdo in Korea. The art promoted by them, Daehan Kumdo (大韓劍道) is virtually identical to Japanese kendo, which was introduced to Korea during Japanese occupation. Some noted changes were made to the Japanese style to reflect Korean cultural influences and methodology. The KKA has established overseas branches in other countries and have set up kumdo dojangs or schools. Unlike most of the FIK affiliates, including Japan, they wish to see kumdo/kendo become an Olympic sport as with Judo and Taekwondo.

The World Kumdo Association (WKA) - founded around 2001 as a merger of thirteen smaller, rival kumdo organizations, they are critical of the KKA and seek to become a rival to the FIK by having kumdo included in the Olympic games with them as the recognized governing body ahead of the FIK. They are proponents of changes to the format and scoring system, advocating the use of electric scoring as with fencing.