Kim Un-Yong a Big Man Who Embraced the World Kim Un-Yong a BIG MAN WHO EMBRACED the WORLD Copyright © 2018
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Korean Sports & Olympic Committee 스포츠영웅 Sports hero who gave Koreans great happiness and hope A Big Man Who Embraced the World Kim Un-yong A Big Man Who Embraced the World Kim Un-yong A BIG MAN WHO EMBRACED THE WORLD Copyright © 2018 This book is the authorized English edition of the Sports Hero Biography, A Big Man Who Embraced the World: Kim Un-Yong, published by the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC). No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Edited and designed by Seoul Selection Printed in the Republic of Korea A Big Man Who Embraced the World Kim Un-yong Written by Chung Tae-hwa Translated by Colin A. Mouat 4 A Big Man Who Embraced the World Written by Chung Tae-hwa 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Publisher’s Foreword .......................................................................................................................... 9 Tributes ........................................................................................................................................................... 11 A Tribute to Dr. Kim Un-yong ............................................................................................. 11 The Force behind a Phenomenon: Kim Un-yong ............................................... 12 Preface .............................................................................................................................................................. 15 Photos ............................................................................................................................................................... 16 Prologue .......................................................................................................................................................... 29 Chapter 1 Pursuing a Dream ........................................................................................................................... 33 A Mother’s Foresight ..................................................................................................................... 35 Pursuing a Dream ............................................................................................................................. 45 Chapter 2 A Youth Dedicated to His Country ............................................................................ 51 The Outbreak of the Korean War and Shattered Dreams ......................... 53 The Korean War and the Political Upheavals of April 1960 and May 1961 ..................................................................................................................................... 60 A Love of Languages ..................................................................................................................... 71 Chapter 3 Into the World ...................................................................................................................................... 85 Kukkiwon: Breaking Ground ................................................................................................ 87 Founding the WTF .......................................................................................................................... 98 Teaching the World about Taekwondo ........................................................................ 109 Shouts of ‘Taekwondo’ Echo around the World ................................................. 125 The Miracle at La Défense ....................................................................................................... 139 Special contribution by Kukkiwon and World Taekwondo Federation founding president Kim Un-yong – A message to taekwondo practitioners ...................................................................................................................................... 155 Chapter 4 Embracing the World ................................................................................................................. 159 From Seoul to Baden-Baden ................................................................................................... 161 The Baden-Baden Miracle ........................................................................................................ 176 Broadcasting Rights: The Cornerstone to a Successful Olympics ...... 188 Getting the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc to Participate ................ 202 Inter-Korean Athletic Talks Are Held ........................................................................... 215 The Greatest Olympics ................................................................................................................ 226 Kim Un-yong and the IOC ...................................................................................................... 242 Golden Era for the KOC ........................................................................................................... 260 Special Contribution by former KSC Secretary General Bae Soon-hak ................................................................................................................................... 284 Days of Glory, Days of Disgrace ........................................................................................ 288 Special Contribution by former IOC vice president Kim Un-yong ................................................................................................................................... 312 Chapter 5 Unabated Passion .......................................................................................................................... 317 Epilogue .......................................................................................................................................................... 327 Appendix ....................................................................................................................................................... 331 Chronology ......................................................................................................................................... 333 Decorations ......................................................................................................................................... 345 Publications ........................................................................................................................................ 346 References ............................................................................................................................................ 347 PUBLISHER’S FOREWORD The publication of A Big Man Who Embraced the World, a critical biography that traces the course of life of one of South Korea’s great sport heroes, Kim Un-yong, is an event of very great significance. I wish to extend my deepest thanks to the Sports Heroes selection committee members, the author, and every- one involved for their unstinting efforts that made the publication possible. Since 2011, the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee (KSOC) has annually selected “Sports Heroes,” in recognition of their achievements, from among sports figures who have served as role models for athletes and young people and have inspired great happiness and hope among the public by elevating the international stature of South Korea. The very first honorees in 2011 were the late marathoner Sohn Kee-chung and the late weightlifter Kim Sung-jip; other sports figures selected as Sports Heroes include the late runner Suh Yun-bok in 2013; the late sports administrator Min Kwan-sik and the wrestler Chang Chang-sun in 2014; wrestler Yang Jeong-mo, basketball player Park Shin-ja, and the sports administrator Kim Un-yong in 2015; and figure skater Kim Yuna in 2016. This year sees the publication of a critical biography that sheds new light on the life of Kim Un-yong, a figure who inspired hope, courage, and pride among South Koreans by sharing South Korean sports throughout the world. Drawing from extensive published books and records relating to hero Kim Un-yong’s life and activities, this biography tells the story of his passionate life as a sports administrator. I am certain that Kim Un-yong’s achievements as someone who ded- icated his life to realizing his dreams and his visions for South Korean Publisher’s Foreword 9 sports—despite the difficult circumstances and the challenges that he faced—will help to inspire dreams, hope, and a spirit of challenge among the young people and athletes who are developing today. With its publication ahead of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, I hope that this biography of the South Korean sports hero Kim Un-yong will awaken a national interest in and an awareness of sports history. I look forward to Kim Un-yong’s boundless love for sports and noble con- tributions to the advancement of sports being carried on unceasingly by the emerging future generations. The KSOC wholeheartedly presents each of these beloved Sports Heroes as a national asset and a source of pride for everyone in sports. We look forward to your continued interest and support. Thank you. Lee Kee-heung President, Korean Sport and Olympic Committee October 2017 10 A Big Man Who Embraced the World TRIBUTES A Tribute to Dr. Kim Un-yong Dr. Kim Un-yong was one of the most prominent sports administrators and visionaries of South Korea. He was a former vice president of the International Olympic Com- mittee (IOC) and a founding president of the World Tae- kwondo Federation. He received a doctorate in Political Science and Diplomacy in 1963 from Yonsei University.