Hapkido background of GM Duk Gun Kwon?

[jefemaestro]

Does anyone know about HapKiDo background of GM Duk Gun Kwon?
Who is his master? How long did he study Hapkido?
Is he true 9th Dan - Hapkido? from which Hapkido organization?
(http://www.usntf.com/affiliatedgroups/wtha.php)

How about his Gumdo background?
(http://www.usntf.com/affiliatedgroups/wkga.php)

Please, help!

Jose
jefemaestro
-------------------------------------------------------------

Grand Master Dr. Duk Gun Kwon

Certifications:

• 1997: 9th Dan Black Belt, Hapkido (Internationally Certified)
• 1991: 9th Dan Black Belt, Taekwondo (Kukkiwon Certified)
• 1977: Certified International Master Instructor (Kukkiwon, WTF Certified)
• 1977: Certified International Referee (WTF Certified)
• Graduated Young Nam University
• Finished graduate school--Young Nam University

Source: http://www.usntf.com/about.php

[liamtkd]

Why do you ask? Do you have some reason to doubt his credentials?

[DerAuslander]

Liamtkd, the man asked a question.

Either answer it, or don't post.

[liamtkd]

Liamtkd, the man asked a question.

Either answer it, or don't post.

That seems rather...em...abrupt. This was my first post so forgive me if I don't know all the etiquette. (Early in my martial arts career, I learned that there is a huge difference between etiquette and good manners. One black belt used to be obnoxiously rude in enforcing Korean etiquette at meals out.)

Anyway, I can't answer the question because I don't know the answer. I was curious because the question implied some doubt about the validity of GM Kwon's credentials.

I asked my question because I once attended one of his seminars, organised by one of his students, but never saw or heard anything of him since. That student has now left our organisation and gone his own way, forming his own association.

[dougguod]

I didn't read any implied doubt in jefemaetro's question. I read a reasonable inquiry from someone trying to be an informed consumer. When you ask your friends, "Is that restaurant any good?" are you challenging the chef's credentials?

[Miguksaram]

I know of and have worked with GM Kwon in the past. I never worked with him concerning kumdo, but I have trained with him for TKD and HKD. His TKD credits are legit. He was Illinois State Pres. during USTU days as well as he made the running for President of USTU. He then broke away and formed the USNTF which is still going strong today. As far as his HKD is concerned, I cannot personally attest to his actual HKD credentials, what I can tell you is that, on the mat, he knows his ****. He is an old school instructor.

So why do you ask?

[liamtkd]

I didn't read any implied doubt in jefemaetro's question. I read a reasonable inquiry from someone trying to be an informed consumer. When you ask your friends, "Is that restaurant any good?" are you challenging the chef's credentials?

Of course asking the questions implicitly suggests some kind of doubt, especially the "Is he true 9th Dan - Hapkido?" (my emphasis). Asking that clearly implies the possibility that he might not be a "true" 9th Dan. (BTW, I am not commenting one way or the other. I know nothing about GM Kwon's pedigree.)

And if you ask "Is that restaurant any good?", you are challenging, or at least questioning, someone's credentials.

[dougguod]

Of course asking the questions implicitly suggests some kind of doubt, especially the "Is he true 9th Dan - Hapkido?" (my emphasis). Asking that clearly implies the possibility that he might not be a "true" 9th Dan.

The martial arts world is full self proclaimed masters who are not true high dans. Trying to sort out the legitimate masters from the frauds is entirely reasonable and the way jefemaestro framed his question ("Is GM Kwon qualified?" as opposed to "I suspect this GM Kwon guy is unqualified") is neutral in tone so only someone with something to hide would take umbrage at it.

(BTW, I am not commenting one way or the other. I know nothing about GM Kwon's pedigree.)

So you created an account for the sole purpose of defending the honor of a teacher you know nothing about? Here's where I imply that you're, at best, wasting our time and, at worst, being disengenuous.


And if you ask "Is that restaurant any good?", you are challenging, or at least questioning, someone's credentials.

Not credentials, necessarily. Cooking is a field that allows, even encourages, a lot of personal expression. A chef with a valid degree from the Culinary Institute of
America could still make food that doesn't appeal to consumers due to be being too wrapped up in his/her own ego and doing things for the sake of "art" rather than taste. Conversely, a cook with no formal training could produce outstanding meals.

[DerAuslander]

That seems rather...em...abrupt. This was my first post so forgive me if I don't know all the etiquette. (Early in my martial arts career, I learned that there is a huge difference between etiquette and good manners. One black belt used to be obnoxiously rude in enforcing Korean etiquette at meals out.)

Welcome to Bullshido. This is the this site is.

I asked my question because I once attended one of his seminars, organised by one of his students, but never saw or heard anything of him since. That student has now left our organisation and gone his own way, forming his own association.

Then why wasn't your first post,

"I attended one of his seminars, but don't know much beyond that. What sort of information were you looking for?"

[liamtkd]

Welcome to Bullshido. This is the this site is.


Then why wasn't your first post,

"I attended one of his seminars, but don't know much beyond that. What sort of information were you looking for?"

That isn't logical. If I "don't know much beyond that", why would I ask what he was looking for?

And that is not why I signed up. I was doing a search for something else and this thread came up. We had some problems with GM Kwon's student (whom I mentioned) and I was curious about his background. The decidedly non-neutral tone of jefemaestro's question "Is he true 9th Dan - Hapkido" piqued my curiosity. It's the "true" that makes it non-neutral and suggests some skepticism.. A neutral question would be to ask who or what awarded him the 9th dan, not to question whether or not it was "true".

I hope that asking questions out of curiosity is not a waste of anyone's time. Asking questions when you already know the answer is the province of lawyers.

BTW, I was not defending GM Kwon's honor. Nor was I attacking it. I only asked a question. In the Land of the Free, that is allowed.

Bottom line: the question "Is he true 9th Dan - Hapkido" has still not been answered.