Chapter 17: Growth

Also in 1959, Choi published his first work on Taekwondo, entitled Taekwondo Guidelines, and he was appointed the deputy commander of the Second Army in Tae-gu.

Choi was elected president because of his position as a general in the Korean Army (under a military regime) and because he promised the heads of the original kwans that he would promote Taekwondo. He also had the support of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Sports, which was the official sport governing body in Korea. However, the country was poor and had other more pressing concerns than spending valuable resources on martial arts. Because the government failed to come through with the things Choi had promised, he fell into disfavor with the other kwan heads.

General Choi was accused of being autocratic and not consulting other kwans in decisions. Black Belts holders from all civilian kwans had to retest for their black belts when they joined the army. Only members from Ohdokwan and Nam Tae Hi's Chungdokwan were exempted. General Choi said that Jidokwan, Changmookwan, and other schools had different structural forms from the Ohdokwan and Chungdokwan so the military needed to test their members. Choi was also accused of dispatching instructors without consultation. General Choi had extreme power because his military positions and the backing of the Liberal Party of President Syngman Rhee, so he overshadowed all the other master of other kwans.