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GRAND MASTER HAENG UNG LEE
He was born in Manchuria, China on July 20, 1936,
and soon after World War II, his family relocated in Korea. Beginning
his martial arts training in 1953, he received his first degree
black belt in 1954. He graduated from high school and entered the
Korean Army as a Taekwondo trainer for special troops in 1956.
He retired from the army three years later to open a Taekwondo
school at Osan Air Force Base.
While teaching at his school on the military base,
Grand Master Lee met and trained American serviceman Richard Reed.
When it came time for Reed to return to the states, he invited
Grand Master Lee to join him. Grand Master came to the United States
in 1962, established himself as a Taekwondo instructor in Omaha,
Nebraska where he and (now) Senior Master Reed became partners
in a martial arts school, and became a U.S. citizen in 1973. In
1969, he founded the American Taekwondo Association (ATA). Taekwondo
schools began opening all over the country. During his years in
Omaha, Grand Master wrote the first instructor manual which was
introduced in 1973. This manual provided information and procedures
that standardized the inner workings of each ATA school.
In 1976, the first of many Grand Nationals, now
known as the Songahm Taekwondo World Championships, was held in
Omaha. In 1977, the ATA was relocated to Little Rock, Arkansas,
where an average of 200 Taekwondo students annually were completing
their instructor certification. It was in 1980 that Grand Master
Lee and the ATA achieved another first in the martial arts field
by introducing a computerized record-keeping system. This innovation
made it quick and reliable to keep the rank history as well as
other pertinent information about the many, many thousands of members
of the ATA. To increase the opportunity for communication with
Grand Master Lee and other staff members, Grand Master had a toll-free
telephone number installed for school owners and members to use.
Also in 1980, the ATA started its first ongoing publication. Beginning
with a tabloid entitled "ATA News," Grand Master has
continued to change and improve the publication to what we know
today as "The Way of
Traditional Taekwondo." This is a quarterly magazine
that keeps the Songahm Taekwondo students around the world informed
on upcoming events, apprised of new programs, and up-to-date with
articles on the physical and mental aspects of Songahm Taekwondo.
With the growing number of schools in the ATA,
Grand Master Lee recognized that to help support all the new school
owners and to enhance their ability to succeed, business support
was going to be very important. In 1978, Grand Master Lee introduced
the first ATA School Operations Manual and started to provide more
professional and complete business support. This support has continued
to grow and expand through the years. January of 1998 saw the birth
of the ATA Black Belt Academy Franchise (please see other pages
on this site for more information).
Through the early years of the ATA, the Chang
Hun style of forms (used by the International Taekwondo Federation)
was used as part of the curriculum. Even though this style was
widely accepted in the Taekwondo community, Grand Master Lee knew
that these forms were strongly influenced by the Japanese style
of martial arts and did not truly reflect Taekwondo or the strength
and beauty of its kicking techniques. After much research and input
from association seniors, Grand Master Lee introduced the Songahm
style of Taekwondo to the world. It was a very early Saturday morning,
August 13, 1983 atop Songahm Mountain in Arkansas that Grand Master
Lee taught the first group of 300 masters and instructors Songahm
#1, Songahm #2, and Songahm #3.
Through the next couple of years, higher rank
forms were introduced at major events until the system of Songahm
Taekwondo was completed with a total of 18 different forms. One
of the unique characteristics of the Songahm style of Taekwondo
is that when the pattern of each form is laid atop each other,
it creates the Songahm Star. This is an eight pointed star with
a ninth point in the center. This star touches all the major direction
points and when the points are connected, it forms a perfect circle.
A perfect circle is representative of every person's goal: perfection.
Even though we can never truly achieve perfection, through hard
work, perseverance, and a continual thirst for self-improvement,
we can make progress toward this goal. Another significant aspect
of the Songahm forms and the patterns that they make is that each
form ends in the same place that it begins. This represents many
facets of our lives. We start each day at home and end each day
at home. We come into this world to our parents (or family) and
during great times and down times, we return to our parents (or
family). Our lives are governed by a path, that has a beginning
point and the same ending point.
In 1987 another first occurred when Grand Master
Lee took 203 masters and instructors to the birthplace of Taekwondo,
Korea, for an instructors educational camp which lasted ten days
at Haein Temple. During the trip, these instructors were able to
visit many important and beautiful sites as well as receive special
training on the very ground that Taekwondo originated. Another
Korean camp took place in 1991. On this trip, the instructors were
afforded the opportunity to visit the famous "Tiger" Division
military base. Each year during April, Grand Master takes a group
of instructors and students to visit Korea during the time of the
Choong Moo Memorial event. This is a very special day to the Koreans
to the extent that even the President of South Korea attends the
yearly ceremony. It was during this trip in 1991 that Grand Master
Lee and the ATA donated a monument to the Choong Moo Memorial Center.
Through fund-raising efforts, the members of the ATA were able
to show their respect for this famous Korean military general with
a one of a kind, nine foot tall by four foot wide beautiful rock
monument which stands on the Center's grounds today. This trip
is still available every year and students who are interested in
attending can visit with their instructor to get information.
In 1990, then Master H.U. Lee, tested before his
Songahm family for the distinguished rank of 9th Degree Black Belt.
A petition was signed by over 100,000 members of the ATA for Master
Lee to be honored with the title of Grand Master. The year of 1990
was significant because it marked the completion of the development
of the 17 Songahm Taekwondo forms that would take a student from
White Belt through testing for 9th Degree Black Belt. It had taken
Grand Master Lee 20 years to complete this part of his vision for
traditional Taekwondo. Let it be understood by all that Grand Master
was not "given" this title, he earned it. Grand
Master H.U. Lee is now heralded by the world to be the first and
only Master in history to acquire the rank and honor of 9th degree
Grand Master under public documentation
The ATA helps numerous charitable organizations,
especially the Muscular Dystrophy Association. For three consecutive
years - 1987, 1988, and 1989 - the ATA received the Muscular Dystrophy
Association Award and has donated over $1.5 million to help fight
the illness. ATA fund-raisers are also held for the D.A.R.E. Program,
Arkansas Children's Hospital, and Arkansas Special Olympics. Grand
Master Lee is also involved in the Sister City Program between
Little Rock and Hanam City, Korea. Currently, Grand Master Lee
and the ATA are working with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
in their fight against breast cancer.
In 1991 the H.U. Lee Scholarship Foundation was
established to help deserving young adults pay for their college
tuition. The ATA members themselves have been raising and donating
money to this foundation through fund-raisers and other activities.
Each year at the Songahm Taekwondo World Championships, these scholarships
are presented and at this past years event, over $8,000 was awarded
to worthy High School seniors that showed dedication both to their
academic career and their Taekwondo career.
In 1999, Grand Master Lee once again acted on
his motto, "Today not possible, Tomorrow possible," when
he escorted a group of instructors to the communist state of North
Korea. He is recognized by state officials as being one to
help bring peace between the two Koreas. The President of
Korea, Dae Jung Kim awarded Grand Master Lee with the highest Humanitarian
Award possible, and the President of the United States, Bill Clinton,
sanctioned close advisor, Mayor Jim Dailey, to messenger a personal
letter to the family of ATA at Grand Master Lee's funeral.
In 1992, Grand Master Lee introduced a series
of books called "The Way of Traditional Taekwondo." The
first volume to be introduced was the White Belt book. This was
followed by the Orange Belt book, then the Philosophy and Traditions
book. (At this time, the volumes through and including the First
Degree Black Belt book are available. When completed, this series
of books will offer the student a complete library of forms, one-steps,
and self-defense techniques from White Belt to 9th Degree Black
Belt, plus the much needed information of each technique
and how it is to be properly executed. In 1997, a video series to complement
these books was started. The set of videos is completed up through and including
the Red belt video. These books and videos are available through any ATA affiliated
school or club.
In 1988, Grand Master received the High Profile
Award from Arkansas Business. Through the years he has also received
other honors including Key of the City Awards from Omaha, Nebraska;
Corpus Christi, Texas; Little Rock, Arkansas; Evansville, Indiana;
Tallahassee, Florida; and Panama City, Florida. Because of his
support of the city of Little Rock with his many civic activities
and the impact that the Songahm Taekwondo World Championships has
on this city, the Little Rock Convention and Visitor's Bureau has
presented Grand Master with the Kaleidoscope Award in 1994 and
the Crystal Award in 1996. Recently, Grand Master Lee was presented
with the most prestigious Highest Profile Award of any Korean outside
of Korea by the President of the Republic of Korea (1996); and
was the recipient of the Korean Broadcasting System's Cultural
Promotion Award (1997) which is valued at approximately $100,000.
In November of 1997, Grand Master Lee was named to the Arkansas
Athletic Commission. In 1999, after being a nominee for several
years, the ATA and Grand Master Lee were awarded the prestigious
Arkansas Business of the Year Award by the state of Arkansas.
Grand Master H.U. Lee's personal motto, "Today
not Possible, Tomorrow Possible," has made him successful
in many ways. The international media recognized his prestigious
feats as a human being and his humanitarian efforts. The
Korean media has produced many shows and full-length documentaries,
including the award winning "Success Story," by KBS on
the life and achievements of Grand Master Lee. In the United
States, he made appearances on many news programs and talk shows
including "Live With Regis and Kathy Lee!," The Jerry
Lee Lewis Show, and ABC's "Good Morning America." His
son, L. Taekwon Lee produced and finished a full hour documentary
film on Grand Master Lee's life and the story of the ATA titled "Today
Not Possible, Tomorrow Possible," which has not been released
to the public. He is now in the works of producing a full-length
feature film on his legendary father.
After 64 years of humanitarian efforts and achievements,
Grand Master Lee passed away on October 5, 2000 after a valiant
battle against cancer. Over 3,000 students and members
of his international family gathered in his beloved hometown of
Little Rock, Arkansas to wish him farewell at his beautiful funeral
ceremony. Grand Master Lee is survived by his wife
Mrs. Sun Cha Lee and four children, David, Flora, Lisa, and L.
Taekwon. Many Grand Masters of martial arts including Grand Master
Joon Rhee and Grand Master Bong Soo Han, gathered to pay respect
to Grand Master H.U. Lee They formally sanctioned a
petition to elevate the Songahm Grand Master to 10th degree black
belt, Eternal Grand Master, the highest position attainable outside
the philosophy of Songahm Taekwondo. The American Taekwondo
Association is inherited by the hundreds of thousands of students
across the world and overseen by the ATA Business Council and the
Master's Council, whose members were hand selected, and foundations
were formed by the Eternal Grand Master of Taekwondo, Haeng Ung
Lee.
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