Grandmaster Doug Cook

8th dan, Publisher/Pemako Press

From the Publisher

Welcome to Volume VIII/No. 1 of HOONLYUN: The Journal of the United States Taekwondo Alliance.

I am a bibliophile; manically so. I believe in the relevance—intellectually and spiritually—of the written word with ink leaked onto a paper page, edited well, and bound up in a sturdy cover. I cherish a book or magazine that you can hold in your hands; that you can lean away from seated in a comfortable chair or in bed at night, not some digital, AI-produced data that you must lean into and squint at on the tiny screen of some electronic device. My libraries are many, paying homage to topics as diverse as political science, history, Asian philosophy, classics, and, of course, martial arts, and I refuse to convert to any other format, particularly at my advanced age.

Yet, modernity is a worthy opponent, banging on the door with a sledgehammer. To ignore its harsh demands at this point seems selfish. And so, the staff of HOONLYUN and I have arrived at the profound decision to make the publication available digitally in the near future. One reason for doing this is to relieve our international readers from the burden of substantial shipping charges—charges that outnumber the cost of the magazine in multiples. Another is the fact that knowledge contained is knowledge wasted. Our authors labor hard to research and compose the information found on these pages, and to attenuate their efforts through limited distribution is unfair. But rest assured, we will never abandon or professionally-edited, full-color, hard-copy edition. That will be our focus first and foremost.

In this, our second offering for 2025, we are honored beyond measure to feature an in-depth interview with Grandmaster Philip Ameris, a grandmaster of Taekwondo truly deserving of this exalted appellation. A senior student of pioneering superstar Grandmaster Hee Il Cho, Ameris Kwanjangnim has officially been anointed as successor to his soon-to-be-retired teacher, assuming full responsibilities for the Action International Martial Arts Association (AIMAA), here in America. Aside from an extraordinary martial arts history, Grandmaster Ameris is an enlightened and compassionate man. But…we will leave that for you to judge from his interview.

In addition, we are delighted to present worthy articles authored by practitioners inside and outside of our organization in an effort to present our readers with differing views and personalities as they relate to Taekwondo. These authors include Master Alberto Borjas—a long-time contributor—Master James De Carli, and newly-appointed USTA Assistant Vice President Jennifer Paleczny.

But this publication, released twice a year, is not about any one individual; it is a representation of the academic and technical resources offered up by the collective efforts of devoted martial artists at large, unhindered by paid commercial advertising, relying instead for its survival through the dollars and support of its readers. If you feel that this beautifully-edited, full-color, hard-copy journal is of value, please alert your colleagues to the existence of HOONLYUN and invite them to visit our web sites at www.hoonlyun.com and www.ustaweb.com where this edition and past issues may be purchased.

To all our readers, on my behalf and that of my late teacher and founder of the USTA, Grandmaster Rhin Moon Richard Chun, stay safe, be well, and train hard.

ABOUT THE UNITED STATES TAEKWONDO ALLIANCE

The United States Taekwondo Alliance was founded in 2023 by Grandmaster Doug Cook, 8th Dan, and a senior student of the late Grandmaster Rhin Moon Richard Chun. As successor to the United States Taekwondo Association established in 1980 by Grandmaster Chun, the mission of the United States Taekwondo Alliance is to promote excellence in the traditional and evolving art of Taekwondo. While continuing to promote the legacy of Chun Kwanjangnim, the organization actively inserts its own contributions into the great chain of martial wisdom, focusing on the art of Taekwondo rather than the sport, consciously viewing the discipline as a Way of Life.

With affiliate schools across America, the USTA faithfully maintains traditional technique and Korean martial arts doctrine by hosting educational seminars, online and in-dojang classes, a comprehensive standardized curriculum, certification across a number of levels, cultural and training tours to Korea, and through HOONLYUN: The Journal of the United States Taekwondo Alliance (www.hoonlyun.com).

Numerous benefits are available to USTA individual members and affiliate schools, including:

• A Standardized, Traditional Taekwondo Curriculum
• Rank Certification
• Instructor Certification
• School Affiliation
• KUKKIWON certification
• Instructor and Master Training
• Special Seminars
• Competition Team
• Inclusion in Our National Registry
• Joint-Marketing Opportunities
• Authorized Use of USTA-Branded Merchandise

USTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Grandmaster Doug Cook, President/CEO
Patricia Cook, CFO
Grandmaster Pablo Alejandro, VP Technical Committee
Master Michele Radakovits, Executive VP Administration
Master Tessin Bozard, VP Dojang Relations
Jennifer Paleczny, Assistant VP
Master Mary Sudul, Editor-in-Chief, HOONLYUN
Master Harold Pyke III, Administrator, HOONLYUN
Gary Schuster, Esq., Legal Counsel