Master Kim
Han-Chang
The official date of introduction of Taekwondo in Argentina is 1967. It
was then that Kim Han-Chang,
Choi Nam-Sung and Chung Kwang-Duk arrived and settled in Buenos Aires. They
got into contact with Judo
instructor Norberto Aspera and initially started teaching their "Korean Karate"
in Judo academies. In prior times
there had existed other Korean nationals teaching karate, but never developed
schools of their own. On the contrary,
these three instructors -who were in their late twenties- reported to the
International Taekwondo Federation under
Gen. Choi Hong Hi. A fourth instructor that started teaching around that
time is Lee Chong-Seo, who had advanced
ranking in Moo Duk Kwan.
Master Kim Han-Chang is a university graduate in Foreign Relations, very
articulate, and highly skilled in his kicking
techniques. He started learning in the Chung Do Kwan in Seoul under Son Duk-Sung,
Um Kyu-Un and Park Hae-Man,
and he recalls frequent visits by General Choi, who acted as honorary president
of the school. Master Kim received his
third Dan in 1966. Of slender physique and fine technician, he became famous
through his flying scissors kick in the cover
of the second issue of Yudo Karate magazine. Among his first students were
Eiriz, Balza (the first Argentine-born
black belt), Diehl, Grispino, R. Villalba (who along with G. Poletti contacted
Master Hwang Hyun-Chul in the U.S. and
introduced Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do to Argentina by 1974), Busca, A. Villanueva,
Somoza, Desimone, García,
Fuentes, Tajes and Neer (who later settled in the Neuquén region and
published a book about the martial arts as a
philosophies for life). Kim, today ranked as Kuk Ki Won 9th Dan, is currently
semi-retired from teaching activity but
serves as consultant to several organizations. After the local ITF-WTF split
that occurred in 1979, Kim strengthened his
ties with his original Chung Do Kwan school and his teacher Park Hae-Man,
and ever since he has followed the approach
taken by the World Taekwondo Federation. Master Kim has been always been
beyond political disputes and therefore
he is much appreciated by all people in Argentine martial arts as a genuine
gentleman and, ultimately, the father of
Argentine Taekwondo. - Photos and Text Submitted by Manuel
E. Adrogué |