Preface - Introduction - Ancient Beginnings - Korean Geography - Ancient Korea - Three Kingdoms Era - Subak and Sonbae - Subak and Hwarang - Koryo Dynasty - Chosen Dynasty - Korea Divided - Korean War (1950-1953) - Modern Taekwondo - Early Masters - Taekwondo Development - International Groups - Road to Olympics - Sport Taekwondo - Traditional versus Sport - Taekwondo in the United States - Taekwondo Today - References

Wang Kon was well-educated. He instituted many major reforms, such as redistribution of the land so that each farmer owned a piece, relieving the middle class of excessive taxes, universal education, and a rank system of authority based on merit. Wang Kon was skilled in Subak and he actively supported Buddhism, which was still very prominent in Korea. Buddhism was a religious philosophy at odds with the taking of life. The official promotion of this type of belief caused the common people to lose interest in the practice of martial arts.

Meanwhile, only deep within the confines of the palace, the secret techniques of an esoteric and highly developed martial art were practiced in private. This marked the beginning of the Koong-Joong Mu-Sol (Royal Court Martial Arts), which were kept out of the reach of the common people. However, these Royal Court Martial Arts were not something which were suddenly created to fit new circumstances. Rather, they were an integration of ancient martial arts methods that had been handed down for countless generations.

After extending its borders northward, Koryo came into contact and conflict with the Manchurian Chitan Dynasty. In wars, lasting from 993 AD until 1018 AD, Koryo was able to maintain its position, until the Chitan Manchurians invaded Koryo in 1011 AD. In 1022 AD, Koryo gained a definitive peace, by accepting Chitan suzerainty.

The 11th century was marked by a stable government, many Buddhism inspired achievements in scholarship and art, and a distinctive ceramics industry. Then in 1170 AD, a military coup seized control of the country and, by the end of the twelfth century, the Cho family ruled Korea and suppressed Buddhism. The Cho armies fought the Mongolians but they were soon defeated by the sheer numbers of Mongol troops. Internal political conflict and external pressures from the Manchurian Jurchen Dynasty led to government instability. In 1231 AD, Mongols, under the leadership of Kublai Khan (who was greatly civilized by Confucianism), invaded Korea. In 1258 AD, the Cho regime was deposed and the Koryo government was returned to control, under the guidance of the Mongols.

The Mongols allied themselves with the Koryo ruling house by marriage and established a rule that lasted a hundred years. Koryo became a small fragment of the vast Mongol Empire was a full-fledged participant in the Mongol adventure of conquest. Koryo became the launching ground for Mongols attacks against Japan. Mogols forced Koryo to build two huge fleets of ships for an invasion of Japan, however, the invasion was unsuccessful. Thwarted by heavy storms which the Japanese called "divine wind" (kamikaze), the fleets were lost and Mongol power began to wane. The result was more war with large armies struggling to break the yoke of Mongol rule all over Central Asia and Korea. With Mongol power weakened, the Japanese stepped up their harassment of Korea's coastal areas using organized pirate raids. Exhausted by centuries of invasion and a hundred years of Mongol domination, Koryo's government and social structures gradually disintegrated. In 1356 AD, Koryo revolted against Mongolian rule, which brought another period of disorder to the Korean Peninsula.

The 14th century saw the expansion of the Chinese Ming and the contraction of the Mongol Empire. Kublai Khan's forces were weakened by repeated attacks on Japan and by warfare with the Chinese under the Ming Dynasty, so the Koreans, under the leadership of General Yi Song Gye were able to defeat the Mongols in 1364. After years of internal guerrilla warfare, the Koryo Dynasty was over thrown in 1392 AD and the Yi Dynasty, who swore allegiance to the Ming Dynasty of China, came to power.

The Yi Dynasty rejected Buddhism and embraced Confucianism as the national religion. A well functioning Confucian bureaucracy came into existence, which brought about an orderly social structure and rapid educational development.