Kukkiwon

Kukkiwon

국기원
Kukkiwon headquarters in Seoul
Formation	1972/1973
Type	GO
Purpose	Martial art and sport
Location	Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul, South Korea
Official language	Korean
President	Ung Suk Yun
Parent organization	Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Website	www.kukkiwon.or.kr/

Kukkiwon (Korean: 국기원; Hanja: 國技院; lit. 'National Sport Headquarters'), also known as World Taekwondo Headquarters, is the central institution and the highest technical authority of Taekwondo, as well as the headquarters of the World Taekwondo Academy (WTA). The organization operates under the supervision of the International Sports Division of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, and works closely with World Taekwondo (WT, formerly the World Taekwondo Federation). Kukkiwon is responsible for the regulation, promotion and development of Taekwondo at both national and international levels.

Kukkiwon is located at 635 Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul, South Korea. The central training hall (originally called the Central Dojang) and the organization were officially named “Kukkiwon” on February 6, 1973. In May 1973, the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA) and Kukkiwon hosted the first World Taekwondo Championships, which were attended by 200 athletes from 17 countries. Kukkiwon has maintained a permanent Taekwondo demonstration team since September 1974.

Kukkiwon
Hangul	국기원
Hanja	國技院
RR	Gukgiwon
MR	Kukkiwŏn

Entrance gates, 2010

Presidents

The President of the Kukkiwon is the head of the institution and is responsible for defining its strategic direction. In carrying out these duties, the President is assisted by a board of directors and works in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) of South Korea. Originally established as a foundation, the Kukkiwon was reorganized as a sports organization in February 2010. As a result, official records use two separate numbering systems: one referring to the Kukkiwon as a foundation and another referring to the Kukkiwon as a public sports organization following its incorporation under the MCST.

Over the years, the method of selecting the President has changed. Initially, the position was appointed by a limited group of designated officials; later, a more democratic electoral system was introduced, granting voting rights also to non-Korean representatives holding high dan ranks.

The actual president of Kukkiwon is Uno Suk Yin, which was elected on 1 November 2025.

No.			President	Term			Notes
No.	Kukkiwon foundation	Kukkiwon organization		Start	End	Length
1	1 - 8	-	Un Yong Kim (1931 - 2017)	7 August 1974	9 January 2004	29 years, 5 months	Seventh president of the Korea Taekwondo Association (KTA), founder of the World Taekwondo Federation and creator of the Kukkiwon Demonstration Team.
2	9 - 10	-	Woon Kyu Uhm	2 March 2004	17 September 2009	5 years, 6 months	Elected unanimously as President of the Kukkiwon, he worked to address the internal divisions left by his predecessor.
3	11	-	Seung Wan Lee	16 January 2010	3 June 2010	5 months	Strongly opposed to the incorporation of the Kukkiwon into the MCST, he attempted to preserve the institution's independence. His position caused internal tensions, and he resigned in protest.
4	12	1	Won Sik Kang	4 June 2010	27 May 2013	2 years, 11 months	During his term, he faced tensions resulting from the incorporation of the Kukkiwon into the MCST, which transformed the institution from a foundation into a public sports organization. Kang nevertheless succeeded in reconciling internal factions and restoring unity.
5	13	2	Kyu Hyung Lee	28 October 2013	31 December 2013	2 months	At the time of his election, he was still an active Taekwondo instructor and professor at Keimyung University. Despite this, the national and international Taekwondo communities considered him unsuitable for the position, leading him to resign.
6	14	3	Man Soon Jeong	6 February 2014	26 May 2016	2 years, 2 months	During his term, he focused on improving fairness in dan and Poom promotion examinations and strengthening Taekwondo education systems by introducing examinations for international referees and instructors. He also promoted greater cohesion within the Taekwondo community in South Korea and abroad.
7	15	4	Hyun Duk Oh	3 June 2016	8 January 2019	2 years, 7 months	Oh's election was criticized, particularly by the America Taekwondo United, because he held a fifth dan rank, whereas previous Kukkiwon presidents had traditionally been Grand Masters. Further distrust was related to internal tensions within the Kukkiwon and his involvement in the creation of a dan promotion test system. Oh remained in office until his arrest for violations of the Political Funds Act.
8	16 - 17	5 - 6	Dong Sup Lee	29 January 2021	31 October 2025	4 years, 9 months	First President elected through a general election system. He worked extensively to reform the Kukkiwon and restore unity within the organization. Due to his dedication and commitment as President, he was nicknamed "Mr. Taekwondo".
9	18	7	Ung Suk Yun	1 November 2025	incumbent	–	Second President elected through a general election system and current head and representative of the Kukkiwon.

Dan and Poom Certificates

As of July 2026, the Kukkiwon has issued more than 12.3 million Dan and Poom certificates, consolidating its central role within Taekwondo. These certificates are recognized worldwide as the most prestigious rank certifications in Taekwondo. Only holders of Kukkiwon-issued Dan and Poom certificates are eligible to participate in international competitions organized by World Taekwondo (olympic competition included).

Over the years, the Kukkiwon has renewed the design of its Dan and Poom certificates. In order to ensure the highest quality standards, surveys were conducted, the issuance system was reorganized, new color combinations were developed, different types of paper were researched, and various printing techniques were tested. A distinctive feature of the redesigned certificates is the clear graphical differentiation between rank levels, which are divided into five categories:

• 1st to 4th Poom, for youth practitioners;
• 1st to 3rd Dan, for instructors;
• 4th and 5th Dan, for masters (Sabum);
• 6th and 7th Dan, for high-ranking Dan holders (Godanja);
• 8th and 9th Dan, for grandmasters (Dae-Sabum).

Global Distribution of Dan and Poom Certificates

Distribution of Poom ranks in South Korea (dark blue) and in the rest of the world (light blue), updated January 2026. Logarithmic scale.

Distribution of Dan ranks in South Korea (dark brown) and in the rest of the world (light brown), updated January 2026. Logarithmic scale.

The total number of Kukkiwon Dan and Poom certificates worldwide exceeds 12.3 million. Poom holders represent approximately 6.7 million certificates, while Dan holders account for approximately 5.6 million, reflecting the widespread growth of Taekwondo, particularly among younger generations.

The majority of certificate holders are South Korean citizens, accounting for 84% of Poom holders and 82% of Dan holders. The remaining certificates are distributed internationally, representing 16% of Poom holders and 18% of Dan holders. Among foreign countries (excluding South Korea), the largest numbers of certificate holders are found in the United States (25% of foreign certificates), followed by China (21%), Taipei, India, Canada, Vietnam, Australia, and Indonesia.

Distribution of Poom Ranks

Approximately half of all Poom certificates correspond to 1st Poom, followed by 2nd Poom, which represents more than 30% of the total. 3rd Poom accounts for around 14%, while 4th Poom represents approximately 6%.

Poom ranks are automatically converted into Dan ranks upon reaching the required age: 1st to 3rd Poom are converted at the age of 15, while 4th Poom is converted at the age of 17. Despite being introduced relatively recently in 1999, the number of 4th Poom holders has stabilized. More than 98% of 4th Poom holders are South Korean citizens.

Distribution of Dan Ranks

Among Dan ranks, 1st Dan is the most common rank among adult practitioners, representing approximately 74% of all Dan holders. When Poom ranks are also considered, 1st Dan is the most widespread rank in Taekwondo overall. Then 2nd Dan accounts for approximately 13% of Dan holders, while 3rd Dan represents around 8%. From 5th Dan onward, the number of holders decreases significantly, reaching only 1,587 holders of 9th Dan worldwide. The vast majority of 9th Dan holders are South Korean citizens (1,227).

Distribution of Dan and Poom Certificates by Country

The following table shows the number of Kukkiwon Dan and Poom certificates issued in selected countries with significant Taekwondo communities. Data are updated to July 2026. Certificates belonging to individuals registered under another country, even if they reside there, are excluded; this notably excludes many Korean masters living abroad.

Country	1st Poom	2nd Poom	3rd Poom	4th Poom	1st Dan	2nd Dan	3rd Dan	4th Dan	5th Dan	6th Dan	7th Dan	8th Dan	9th Dan
Australia	18,610	3,813	747	123	12,519	5,149	2,619	1,205	573	237	157	48	14
Canada	31,181	6,458	1,059	257	21,056	7,861	3,749	1,630	777	236	146	44	14
United Kingdom	6,485	1,538	211	41	6,864	2,915	1,478	672	339	133	46	17	3
United States	263,248	48,501	8,318	2,048	118,856	44,192	23,859	10,032	4,200	1,721	1,153	327	134

Honorary and Posthumous Dan Ranks

The Kukkiwon has the authority to award honorary Dan ranks, up to 10th Dan, to individuals who have made significant contributions to the development and promotion of Taekwondo, including people who are not practitioners of the martial art. The 10th Dan exists exclusively as an honorary distinction and does not require the completion of an examination.

The first honorary 10th Dan award was presented on 18 September 1986 to Juan Antonio Samaranch, then President of the International Olympic Committee. Since then, numerous internationally recognized figures have received honorary Dan ranks from the Kukkiwon.

Posthumous honorary 10th Dan awards have also been granted to individuals who made significant contributions to the development and global spread of Taekwondo, including Woon Kyu Uhm, second president of the Kukkiwon, and Chong Woo Lee, former president of World Taekwondo.

In agreement with the Kukkiwon, World Taekwondo has also awarded honorary 10th Dan ranks to prominent figures. These include Pope Francis, who received the distinction in May 2017, and Pope Leo XIV, who was awarded an honorary 10th Dan in June 2026 during the Taekwondo Grand Prix in Rome.

Recipients of honorary 9th Dan from the Kukkiwon include several presidents of the United States, such as Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. Similar recognitions have also been awarded to heads of state from countries including the Philippines, Uzbekistan, Peru, Turkey, and Nepal.

Events

Flagpoles and flags of the World Taekwondo Federation (now World Taekwondo) and of the Korean Taekwondo Association at the Kukkiwon

Main article: World Taekwondo Championships

Kukkiwon World Taekwondo Hanmadang (World Taekwondo Hanmadang) first held in 1992.

Source:

• No Year Period Place
• 1 1992 9th Dec.~11th Dec. The 2nd Olympic Gym
• 2 1993 9th Dec.~11th Dec. KBS 88 Gym
• 3 1994 26th Nov.~28th Nov. Jamsil Students Gym
• 4 1995 26th~28th Aug. KBS 88 Gym
• 5 1996 29th Nov.~1st Dec. KBS 88 Gym
• 6 1997 27th~30th Nov. Jamsil Students Gym
• 7 1998 31 Jul~2nd Aug. The 2nd Olympic Gym
• 8 1999 16th Dec. Kukkiwon
• 9 2000 13th~15th Dec. Kukkiwon
• 10 2001 13th~15th Nov. Kukkiwon
• 11 2003 26th~29th Nov. Kukkiwon
• 12 2004 4th~7th Nov. Kukkiwon
• 13 2005 1st~4th Nov. Kukkiwon
• 14 2006 1st~4th Nov. Muju County, Jellabukdo
• 15 2007 1st~4th Nov. Suwon, Gyeonggi
• 16 2008 16th~20th Jul. Anaheim, U.S.A
• 17 2009 12th~15th Aug. Dangjin ChoonNam
• 18 2010 8th~11th Dec. kukkiwon
• 19 2011 10th~13th Dec. Namyangju City, Physical Education Culture Center
• 20 2012 28th~31st Aug. kukkiwon
• 21 2013 28th~31st Aug. Daejeon Chung-Moo Sports Hall
• 22 2014 28th~31st Aug. Pohang Gymnagium
• 23 2015 30th Jul ~ 2nd Aug. Pyeong Taek Ichung Cultural
• 24 2016 3rd ~ 6th Aug. KUKKIWON
• 25 2017 29 July ~ 1st Aug AnYang Gymnasium
• 26 2018 28 July ~ 31 July Halla Gymnasium
• 27 2019 26 July ~ 30 July YongPyong-Dome
• 2020, 2021 and 2022 Not Held.
• 28 2023 Seongnam World Taekwondo Hanmadang Contest Outline 2023.05.21 15:26
• 29 2024 Mungyeong World Taekwondo Hanmadang Contest outline 2024.04.29 16:56
• 30 2025 Kukkiwon World Taekwondo Hanmadang Thursday, July 17 to Saturday, July 19

See also

• Korean martial arts
• Sport in South Korea

External links

• Kukkiwon official website (in Korean)
• Kukkiwon official website Archived 2014-02-18 at the Wayback Machine (in English)
• Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (in Korean)
• Kukkiwon at Google Cultural Institute