Is there a Korean govt recognized head of Hapkido?

[DerAuslander]

I don't think Kukkiwon governs Hapkido too does it?

No, the Kukkiwon is strictly Taekwondo.

Is there a govt recognized organization that issues Hapkido dan certifications because it looks to me its just lots of small organizations out there.

No, there is no government recognized organization.

[DerAuslander]

from what i understand all hapkido ranks from korea go thru the goverment.

No Hapkido, Taekwondo, or any other KMA rank goes through the government.

infact several hapkido federations are under an audit review for certifying americans with ther black belt certificates and forging the goverment seal to avoid paying the tax.

No, they aren't because there is no government seal on the black belt certificates.

Post proof of this audit and/or a certificate with a government seal on it.

[DerAuslander]

Would the head guy be Ji Han Jae?

No, it would not be Ji Hanjae.

[DerAuslander]

what about the kido hae?

No, it would not be the Kidohae. The Kidohae, or more properly Hanminjok Hapgido Musul Hyuphoi, is an organization recognized by the government, under Seo Insun, but it is not the only Hapgido governing body.

[DerAuslander]

Variations with Hapkido forms? I didn't think HKD had forms.

Those closely associated with Guksul have the Guksul forms, such as the Gidohoi, and some other schools of Hapgido have created new forms.

[Spug]

meh, got trollshidoed because somehow i posted it without the last paragraph that stated that since HKD is so fragmented and without a solid curriculum, there really isn't any major org that is trying to rein it all in.

Not sure what you mean by getting "trollshidoed", but what you're saying here is definitely correct.

Hapkido is like humpty-dumpty, and has been for quite a while. It was every man for himself well before Choi Yong Sul even passed away. IMO hapkido will never be unified because it's way too fragmented, and the heads of most of the individual kwans have no interest in submitting to some type of overall authority.

Not that that's inherently bad.

[TheWanderingTaoist]

Variations with Hapkido forms? I didn't think HKD had forms.

Hapkido has what is referred to as hard and soft forms. There are several. I've heard of others like the chopstick, flute, bo and white crane forms that various Hapkido kwans teach.

[DerAuslander]

Hapkido has what is referred to as hard and soft forms. There are several. I've heard of others like the chopstick, flute, bo and white crane forms that various Hapkido kwans teach.

Some schools of Hapkido have these forms.

They are not "Hapkido" forms, in the sense that karate has kata.

[kimyuseok]

For some time the only three organizations that were recognized by the government were the IHF, the KHF and the Kidohae. Recognition didn't mean a lot, unless you wanted to become a police officer, in that case you needed a black belt certificate from one of these three organizations.
Later the South-Korean government gave his blessing to several other organizations as well. I think there is a total of about 10 organizations which hold this recognition right now.

It is also good to know that there are 2 types of organizations in Korea. Jadanbeopin and Jaedanbeopin. Jadanbeopin are privately owned organizations, jaedanbeopin have stricter government control. The WTF is a jaedanbeopin, the only hapkido organization of this kind is the IHF (gukje yeongmaeng hapgi hwe) of the late Myung Jae Nam.

In the last few years a few of the bigger hapkido organizations in Korea have come together and they are making plans to issue dan certificates that are recognized by all of them. Some kind of uniform dan certificate.
Not sure how much progress they are making.

[technonaut]

I've heard that Korean Hapkido Federation is the biggest of the lot.

FWIW, we don't do forms either.