Mission  |  Fundamental Values  |   Vision  |   Objectives

At that time, nine countries were involved: Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, West Germany, USA, Turkey, Italy, and Egypt. Taekwon-Do is now taught in almost every country in the world, and General Choi is recognized as the Father of Taekwon-Do.

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• coordinating and certifying Taekwon-Do activities such as competitions and seminars
• setting and enforcing high quality standards for technical and teaching
• identifying and collaborating with affiliated organizations, such as Continental Federations, National Associations, and Allied National Associations
• providing assistance to local Taekwon-Do organizations
• Certification for Black Belt holders, international instructors and umpires

Practitioners of Taekwon-Do (TKD) recognize that they are forever students of our Founder, General Choi Hong Hi. The ITF and its affiliated organizations will strengthen and promote the legacy of General Choi as described in his Encyclopedia of Taekwon-Do, notably the twenty-four patterns and the philosophy.

The ITF belongs to all its members; it must work for its members and with its members to provide the services they need and want.

The ITF and its affiliated organizations are always open to suggestions from members and encourage innovative ideas.

The ITF and its affiliated organizations are and must remain free of all political influence.

All qualifications and promotions within the ITF and its affiliated organizations will be attributed according to merit and in conformity with well-established criteria.

The respect of hierarchy authority is an important principle in all martial arts. All members of ITF will respect those who are their seniors in the organization, particularly their teacher. On the other hand, the seniors will treat their students and other juniors with respect and fairness.

In his speech to the 14th Congress Meeting in Warsaw (Poland) in June 2003, newly-elected ITF President, Master Trân Trieu Quân outlined the vision the new ITF team has for the organization. The following is an excerpt from that speech:

• Taekwon-Do is a Sport

To improve ITF Taekwon-Do as a martial art, there will be increased emphasis on the traditional core values and protocol. The teaching of self-defence our "raison d'etre" will be improved. We will use seminars, documentation, videos, and other means of communication to spread knowledge of ITF Taekwon-Do, reaching out to new markets and to new participants, particularly women

• Taekwon-Do is a Way of Life

We have already started working on a Code of Ethics based on the Do. In future, we will use all the resources available to us to teach the whole ITF Taekwon-Do: the technical and the Do. By studying the Do, our students will grow in understanding of the “why”, not only the “how”.

The ultimate purpose of life is the search for happiness. Many people suffer because they do not have the proper value system that leads to a balanced life and happiness. We have a solid philosophy and the tools to apply it in our lives. Now we must put in place a structure to teach the mental and spiritual aspects of ITF Taekwon-Do to our students so that they will be able to achieve a balanced life and happiness.

I have been teaching ITF Taekwon-Do as a way of life for many years and I believe we can help people to find a balance between family life, school or work, and ITF Taekwon-Do. Teaching this approach will open many doors to us.

• Taekwon-Do can be a Tool for Social Development

We hear a lot about efforts to reduce poverty in the world. By educating people with ITF Taekwon-Do values and practices, and by showing them that there is hope of improving their quality of life, we will be making an important contribution.

The ITF can develop programs such as intensive instructor training for the unemployed and ITF Taekwon-Do courses offered at affordable prices. Starting with small-scale projects, our success will attract the attention and support of international development agencies and governments around the world. In Canada we have had excellent results with this type of program, and we will assist you to implant pilot projects in your countries.

There is a lot of work to be done in this area, but there is also an enormous potential for improvement.

By striving to develop all four facets of Taekwon-do to the maximum, we can realize our full potential as individuals and as an organization.

Working together, we can do great things!

Objectives

• Promote and develop Taekwon-Do as a means of building a better society on a foundation of peace, freedom, and justice
• Regulate the teaching of Taekwon-Do as well as the development of new methods and practices
• Improve the quality of Taekwon-Do instruction by applying high standards of ethics, conduct, education, and achievement
• Establish and maintain the highest standards of professional ethics and conduct for all members of the ITF
• Coordinate ITF Taekwon-Do activities around the world
• Resolve disagreements and conflicts between members
• Operate the ITF in countries around the globe without discrimination on any basis; this includes race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and political beliefs.