There have been three stages involved in the evolution of Korean martial
arts. The first stage is known as the Pioneer Stage (1945-1960). Many Korean
martial arts masters, some of whom trained overseas, returned to Korea and
intermingled with masters who had remained in Korea training in the martial
arts.

The second stage is known as the Developmental Stage (1960-1970). During
this period each Korean martial art came under govermental conrtol. This led
to a more standardized method of teaching.

In the third stage, the Maturing Stage (1970-present day), the second and
third generations of martial artists took control and organized martial arts
in terms of techniques and organizational structure. From this point, the
practice and knowledge of Korean martial arts spread throughout the world.
Thes second and third generations of martial artists began to restructure
the traditional techniques and philosophy of the martial arts to fit
contemporary times. One of these masters was Dr. He-Young Kimm.

Dr. Kimm began studying Yudo and Bi Sool under the instruction of Song
Kang-sub (1953). After further training in many different types of Korean
martial arts. Among his many teachers, Kimm considers Song Kwang-sub and Yun
Yong-jo as his Yudo and Bi Sool teachers. Won Kwang-wha and Ji Han-jae as
his Hapkido teachers, Kang Suh-jong as his Tae Kwon Do teacher, Sun In-hyuk
as his Kuk Sool teacher, Son Duk-ki as his Kum Do teacher, Cho Seung-yong as
his Kum Do teacher, Kim Kwang-suk as his Ship Phal Ke teacher and Sung Soo
Dae Sa as his Zen teacher.

From 1958 through 1963, Kimm taught Korean martial arts self-defense
techniques to the 8th United States Army stationed in Pusan Area Command,
Pusan, Korea. Upon the recommendation of Colonel Angle Myer, Kimm was
invited to the United States by Dr. Mark Scully. Dr. Scully, President of
Southeast Missouri State University, invited Kimm to Cape Girodeau, Missouri
to become the Korean martial arts instructor in the Physical Education
Department while continuing his education.

Kimm arrived in the United States on November 1, 1963. He began teaching
Yudo, Hapkido and Tae Kwon Do to the students of Southeast Missouri State
University on November 3. One of the first students was Dr. Scully's son,
Andy.

With the assistance of Dr. Scully, the Korean martial arts population grew
rapidly and required pre-registration in order to get into Kimm's class.
Kimm was invited to and attended many martial arts tournaments throughout
the southern and mid-western areas of the United States. He performed
numerous demonstrations and in 1967, he was selected as "Best Martial Arts
Instructor" by a Chicago martial arts group.

With the encouragement of Suh In-hyuk, the founder of Kuk Sool, and Ji
Han-jae, the founder of modern Hapkido, Dr. Kimm organized his own style of
martial arts called Han Mu Do.

Description:

Han means Korea (nation of optimism) and Mu Do means martial
arts. Therefore, Han Mu Do translates to Korea martial arts. This system
was founded by Grandmaster He-Young Kimm in 1989. Han Mu Do is registed to
the Korean Government as a recognized style of Korean martial arts.
(Registered Number 534)

The founder of Han Mu Do, Grandmaster He-Young Kimm. During his forty years
of training and research in numerous styles of Korean martial arts, he found
the strength and weaknesses of thes arts. Most modern Korean martial arts
were founded during the 1950's to fit the needs of that generation in Korea.
For example, Korean self-defense emphasized defense against wrist, cloth and
body seizes. The reason for this was because before opponents engaged in
fighting, the attacker would grab the wrist, cloth or body of his
opponentand then either push, pull, punch or kick and then throw. Since
then, instead of grabbing first, the fighting pattern has changed and now an
attacker also the option of kicking or punching first. Therefore, Dr. Kimm
felt that a need for a balance between defense against wrist, cloth and/or
body seize was needed with punches and kicks.

Another reason that Dr. Kimm created the Han Mu Do system was because that
since the 1950's, more traditional self-defense techniques were discovered
by various masters and new innovative techniques were added as a part of the
Korean self-defense system. Those traditonal techniques founded recently and
new innovative techniques are deserved to be a part of Korean self-defense
systems today.

Thirdly, since 1962, Dr. Kimm has been collecting historical material and
conducting interviews and research on Korean martial arts. In 1999, Dr. Kimm
is planning to publish and release the book. "History of Korean Martial
Arts" which will contain the date and information that he has collected over
the years. During the research for this book, Dr. Kimm has met hundreds of
Korean martial arts masters from different styles of martial arts including
Tae Kyun, Soo Byuk Ta, Yu Do, Yu Sul, Tae Kwon Do, Kum Do, Kum Sool, Kung
Do, Kung Sul, Hapkido, Kuk Sool, Ship Phal Ki and Son Do Sul. Dr. Kimm not
only verbally interviewed with masters of these styles of martial arts, but
also trained under many of them in order to understand the technical aspects
of their respective arts as well as the theoretical and historical
backgrounds. Dr. Kimm incorporated many of those techniques into the Han Mu
Do system.

The Han Mu Do System has been divided into four main divisions. These
divisions are:

1. Yuh Kwon Sul (Empty hand techniques)
2. Mu Ki Sul (Weapon techniques)
3. Son Do Sul (Ki exercises)
4. Han Chul Hak (Han philosophy)

The unique characteristic of Han Mu Do is the emphasis of a "centered" or
balanced system.

1. The balance between non-weapon and weapon techniques.
2. The balance between external muscle techniques and internal Ki techniques.
3. The balance between physical body training and philosophical, mental and
spiritual training.
4. The balance between left side and right side techniques.
5. The balance between traditional philosophy and traditional techniques and
the new new innovative philosophy and techniques.

URLs: www.hanmudo.com