About Oriental Tang Soo Do Association
Preserving the Authenticity
Grandmaster Young Ui Min founded the Oriental Tang Soo Do Association in 1984. The purpose of the Association is to preserve the quality and authenticity Tang Soo Do knowledge is passed from instructor to student.
In the 1900s, Tang Soo Do experience a large growth in popularity and do-jangs (schools) opened all across the world. Although the growth in popularity was welcomed, any form of instruction that compromised the integrity of Tang Soo Do was not. Grandmaster Young Ui Min, who has dedicated over 60 years of his life studying and instructing Tang Soo Do, strongly felt all practitioners deserve to learn the traditional martial art the way it has been for over 2000 years.
Having served as the Chief Master at Osan Air Base, Korea, as one of his many credentials, he developed a standardized curriculum to ensure all students of his curriculum were learning authentic Tang Soo Do. In order to achieve his high standards of excellence, Grandmaster Young Ui Min formed the Oriental Tang Soo Do Association and appointed a Board of Directors to assist him. These members were carefully selected for their exceptional ability to demonstrate their understanding of traditional Tang Soo Do along with their deep commitment to preserving the authenticity the Association represents.
Achieving Black Belt Excellence
With proper training, a dedicated Tang Soo Do student will achieve the rank of 1st Dan black belt in 36 months. Every two months, students will have an opportunity to apply for promotion at an Oriental Tang Soo Do Association Belt Test. If the student can demonstrate his/her knowledge and ability to the standards of the Testing Committee, the student will advance to the next belt. Each new belt will present more challenging skills to further develop the student’s mind and body in preparation for achieving black belt excellence.
