There Is Only One Moo Duk Kwan®

From humble beginnings in Japanese occupied Korea, Hwang Kee founded his first Moo Duk Kwan® martial art school in Yong San Ku on November 9, 1945. He soon became one of the most widely renowned and respected martial artists in Korea.

From 1953 to 1964 Hwang Kee began expanding his martial art schools and the Moo Duk Kwan name that he created and the fist logo that he designed were displayed by instructors affiliated with him to identify them as legitimate sources of instruction and training in his legendary martial art system.

In 1964 the Moo Duk Kwan's growth had made it the largest and most successful martial arts organization in Korea. However, a political move by a military leader seeking to unify all Korea's martial art schools under one name resulted in the ministry of education filing legal action to dissolve Hwang Kee's Korean Soo Bahk Do Association and to eliminate his hugely successful Moo Duk Kwan school's unique identity.

Under attack from a government official attempting to usurp his organization’s name and reputation, Hwang Kee resolutely defended his Moo Duk Kwan from dissolution by fighting his legal battle all the way up to the Korean Supreme Court and continuing on through an appeal process where he won the right to retain his organization as well as his Moo Duk Kwan's name and logo, thereby ensuring his schools and his art’s unique identity for future generations.

Hwang Kee's unflagging dedication to his principles and his unwavering courage in the face of daunting and overwhelming odds exemplified his embodiment of the philosophy that he embraced and taught in his Moo Duk Kwan schools.  His resolution never wavered in protecting that which was his and he never retreated in his battle to preserve the unique identity of his Moo Duk Kwan.

His action nearly fifty years ago still provides a sterling example of resolve and Moo Do Ja Seh that all Moo Duk Kwan^® practitioners can aspire to exemplify in our actions today.

Hwang Kee and his successor H.C. Hwang Kwan Jang Nim have only authorized those to use the Moo Duk Kwan^® name and logo who have committed themselves to maintaining the standards of technical excellence  and philosophical understanding expected of Moo Duk Kwan^® instructors, studio owners and practitioners.

As with all things of great value, there have always been and will continue to be, unscrupulous individuals endeavoring to use the Moo Duk Kwan's famous name and logo to their advantage without authorization. Those engaging in this form of "identity theft" seek to benefit from the Moo Duk Kwan's rich history, its stellar reputation and the global recognition of its name and years of goodwill associated with the Moo Duk Kwan's identity.