Grandmaster Doug Cook

8th dan, Publisher/Pemako Press

From the Publisher

Welcome to Volume VII/No. 2 of HOONLYUN: The Journal of the United States Taekwondo Alliance.

From almost anyone’s perspective, there exists great turmoil and unpredictability in the world today. And while disparate organizations and styles abound in the global Taekwondo community, we practitioners—as Grandmaster George Vitale is fond of saying—are more alike than different. So, once again, in this high-quality, hard-copy edition of HOONLYUN, as is our tradition, we are delighted to offer an issue that ignores borders, build bridges rather than walls, and embraces the viewpoints of martial artists from all four points of the
compass.

In this, the first offering of 2025, we are honored beyond measure to feature an in-depth interview with Dr. Ron Dziwenka, a master of Taekwondo, and president of iACT, the International Academic Center for Taekwondo. He and his colleagues Dr. John Johnson, Dr. Alan Back, Professor Udo Moening, and others, both here in America and South Korea, bear the often-daunting burden of marrying the philosophical, historical, and spiritual components of Taekwondo with those of the more obvious—and overwhelming popular— physical attributes of the art.

In addition, we are delighted to present articles authored by authors outside of our organization in an effort to present readers with differing views and personalities as they relate to Taekwondo. We are honored to have contributors Alberto Borjas—a long-time contributor—Sanko Lewis, and USTA student Jennifer Nelson, fill our pages with scholarship and knowledge as well.

But this publication, released twice a year, is not about any one, or group, of individuals; it is a representation of the academic and technical knowledge offered up by the collective efforts of devoted practitioners 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.

Thank you for your ongoing support of HOONLYUN. With your help we look forward to disseminating the multitude of perspectives that define Taekwondo—both in its traditional and modern iterations, in tandem with the rich heritage of Korea, for many years to come.

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
Michele Radakovits, VP Administration
Master Tessin Bozard, VP Dojang Relations
Master Mary Sudul, Editor-in-Chief, HOONLYUN
Master Harold Pyke III, Administrator, HOONLYUN
Gary Schuster, Esq., Legal Counsel