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How many taekwondo federations are there?

Author

Emma Payne

Published Jan 20, 2026

Membership. As of 2021, the global membership of World Taekwondo stands at 211 national member associations, spanning five continents.

What are the different taekwondo federations?

The main international organisational bodies for Taekwondo today are the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF), founded by Choi Hong Hi in 1966, and the partnership of the Kukkiwon and World Taekwondo (WT, formerly World Taekwondo Federation or WTF), founded in 1972 and 1973 respectively by the Korea Taekwondo ...

Which Taekwondo is better ITF or WTF?

ITF (International Taekwon-do Federation) is more traditional and focused on self-defense; it allows punches to the face; and punches in its forms are thrown from further above the hip than in WTF. ITF is also often called a North Korean school of Taekwondo.

How many different types of Taekwondo are there?

After the establishment of Global Taekwondo Federation in 1990, Park Jung Tae added six patterns to the original 24 ITF patterns. These are Jee-Sang, Dhan-Goon, Jee-Goo, Jook-Am, Pyong-Hwa and Sun-Duk.

What is the biggest Taekwondo organization in the world?

Today, ITF and WT are the two largest taekwondo federations worldwide.

44 related questions found

What does WTF stand for in Taekwondo?

The acronym “WTF,” which stands for “What the [fudge],” no longer has to compete with the World Taekwondo Federation for meaning, although really, it never did. After having used the acronym for 44 years, the organization declared Friday it will now be known simply as World Taekwondo.

What does ITF stand for in Taekwondo?

About the ITF. The International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) is a federation of member associations that teach Taekwon-Do as defined by the Founder, General Choi Hong Hi. The ITF was formed in 1966, and has member associations in over 120 countries around the world.

What is renewal Taekwondo?

Renewal Taekwondo (리뉴얼 태권도, 新式跆拳道, リニューアルテコンドー, "Rinyueol Taekwondo"), or RE Taekwondo, is a type of martial art developed in modern South Korea. It is used by Jin Mo-Ri, Jin Tae-Jin, and Jin Mori's clone, Hui Mori in the series. It is emphasized in strong, linear kicks like its base ITF Taekwondo.

Is Jiu Jitsu better than Taekwondo?

Taekwondo is focused heavily on kicks and standing defenses, whereas Jiu-Jitsu focuses heavily on ground movements, similar to wrestling. Jiu-Jitsu is better for self-defense and for someone smaller and/or weaker, whereas Taekwondo may work better for someone taller or for whom competitions are important.

What do you call a Taekwondo uniform?

Dobok is the uniform worn by practitioners of Korean martial arts.

Is ITF North Korean?

International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) is an international taekwondo organization founded on March 22, 1966, by General Choi Hong Hi (Korean: 최홍희) in Seoul, South Korea. The ITF was founded to promote and encourage the growth of the Korean martial art of Taekwon-Do.

Is ITF taekwondo real?

Both WTF and ITF refer to the two main governing bodies for Taekwondo. Both of these styles of Taekwondo have their origins in Korean martial arts and are very similar but the focus of WTF is for sport and the focus for ITF is for self defence.

Can ITF Taekwondo go to Olympics?

Taekwondo fighters who practice the martial art's traditional style — including those in North Korea — will now be eligible to compete in all competitions, including the Olympics.

Is there a brown belt in Taekwondo?

There are seven belts: white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown and black. White is given to beginners and black is given to students who have progressed through the grades and have a solid foundation for learning the techniques of Tae Kwon Do.

What is the strongest martial art?

Here are the 10 deadliest martial arts ever created.

  • Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. ...
  • Eskrima. ...
  • Bacom. ...
  • Vale Tudo. ...
  • Ninjutsu. ...
  • Rough and Tumble. ...
  • LINE. ...
  • Krav Maga. First developed for the Israeli Defence Force, Krav Maga is the world's most effective and dangerous form of combat and is known as a non-sport form of martial arts.

What is the strongest Taekwondo kick?

1. The Front Kick (앞 차기, “Ap Chagi”) The front kick is sometimes referred to as the “snap kick,” because of the tremendous speed exerted in this move. It is one of the first kicks taught in Taekwondo, but is often considered as one of the most powerful even at higher levels.

Is Kung Fu better than Taekwondo?

Taekwondo has less usage of weapons and treats the legs as the best weapon compared to kung fu which employs the use of a wide array of weaponry.

What Taekwondo does Jin Mori use?

Jin Mori uses Renewal Taekwondo, a martial arts based on the actual Taekwondo. This martial arts was created by his grandfather, Jin Tae-Jin, who is the creator and master of Renewal Taekwondo. This martial arts uses strong and linear kicks to take his opponent down.

Does Mori Jin use borrowed power?

Mori Hui: Mori Jin in his fight against Satan, borrow the power of Mori Hui, his clone who slowly gain a sense of individuality and finally becomes his own independent existence, essentially becoming his contractor.

What is a Hwechook?

Hwechook is a kick that has gathered force through rapidly spinning on a central point. It seems to be a staple point in Renewal Taekwondo as it is utilized in several variations compared to its counterpart Northern ITF Taekwondo which focuses more on Flamingo Stance.

When did ITF and WTF split?

This article describes the split that occurred in the ITF circa 2001-2003.

Who founded WTF Taekwondo?

Gen. Choi Hong Hi, widely acknowledged as the founder of tae kwon do, a martial art that began in Korea and spread rapidly to community centers and storefronts around the United States, died on June 15 in Pyongyang, North Korea.

What are the 5 rules of taekwondo?

Dragon Taekwondo has its own version of the five tenets:

  • Honesty.
  • Integrity.
  • Respect.
  • Perseverance.
  • Indomitable Spirit.

What was Taekwondo called before 1955?

The name Taekwondo was created on April 11, 1955. For ten years, however, Taekwondo was also called Gong Soo Do (meaning empty hand), Tang Soo Doo (meaning China hand) and Soo Bak Do (meaning fighting hand). 1961: The Korea Tae Kwon Do Association was founded, recognizing the nine Kwans.