The Mission
To provide a venue for the informed examination of Korean martial traditions by both scholar and practitioner, and to make the results available for the preservation and the development of those arts. To emphasize the significance of martial arts theory and to enhance the foundation of martial arts as serious subject matter for academic study and discourse.


The Vision
In little more than 50 years, Korean Martial Traditions have developed rapidly from a small group of martial activities to an entire range of Martial Arts made popular the World over. Yet, despite this popular and commercial success, at their core the information which supports and binds these arts together was often inaccurate and misunderstood.

Certainly, one contributing factor was the matter of culture. For a number of historical reasons, Western practitioners have often had difficulty identifying Korean practices as extensions of the Korean people and as expressions of a unique Korean culture.

A second factor has been the language barrier, which not only limited the number of reliable resources but also often prevented discussion of what information was available. As a result of these two factors, among others, misunderstandings and misconceptions have not only developed but have been allowed to spread, often at the expense of the Korean traditions themselves.

The need for informed examination of Korean martial traditions is increasing even as the number of resources is declining. With the passage of time, knowledgeable individuals, written works, artefacts and practices inevitably are lost. Furthermore, the understanding and appreciation of what remains can easily fall to misunderstanding and misrepresentation. To counter this process it is necessary that theory and practice should go along together, and that investigation and discussion should be allowed to promote understanding.