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In August 1970, Grand Master In Mook Kim founded Kim’s Academy of Tae Kwon Do in Des Moines, Iowa. Grand Master Kim came to the United States after he had already established an outstanding international Reputation as a leading:

Tae Kwon Do military instructor, serving as the Director of Instruction for the Republic of South Korean Army.

Tae Kwon Do world-class competitor, designated as the Grand Champion of the Korean’s national Tae Kwon Do Championships.

Tae Kwon Do civilian instructor, teaching for several years in the finest South Korea Tae Kwon Do Dojangs.

Grand Master Kim has introduced many innovative elements to Tae Kwon Do’s Mental, physical, and spiritual teaching methodologies. This explains why his instructors and students alike refer to him as the “Father of Modern Tae Kwon Do.”

In the 45 years since founding Kim’s Academy, Grand Master In Mook Kim has received numerous international and national accolades for his contributions to the Korean Martial Art of Tae Kwon Do:

First, the International Tae Kwon Do Federation (ITF) President General Choi Hong Hi, recognized Grand Master Kim as one of its “Outstanding Ambassadors and Master Instructors” because he introduced thousands of Midwestern Americans to the benefits and advantages of Tae Kwon Do training during the late sixties, seventies, and eighties.

He completed this very challenging task by presenting scores of high-quality Tae Kwon Do demonstrations throughout the Midwest. At these demonstrations, Grand Master Kim would present a series of technical movements that have become legendary. It was common for him to execute flying side-kicks while breaking boards eight feet above the floor. He also executed flying side-kicks, breaking four or more pine boards, after jumping over as many as 10 people standing side by side.

Grand Master Kim’s self-defense and knife displays were among the most exciting and incredible presentation of self-defense skill ever witnessed in America. In fact, it was common for audience members to scream out loud during the execution of his devastating techniques as a way of releasing their tension and fear for what they were watching. It was truly a spectacular demonstration of the mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of Tae Kwon Do.

Second, Grand Master Kim systematically developed, operationalized and presented to both his instructors and students over the last 40 years a series of innovative and creative teaching methodologies that have revolutionized modern Tae Kwon Do training. He has actively taught more than 10,000 students annually in the mental, physical and spiritual elements of Tae Kwon Do. The strong commitment to excellence and the desire to develop the very best Tae Kwon Do training procedures available for his students have driven Grand Master Kim to steadfastly conduct his annual training clinics over the last 45 years. This has, in turn, produced for Kim’s Academy and the ACTA one of the finest and largest collections of Jr. Master (4th and 5th Dan), Master (6th and 7th Dan), and Grand Master (8th and 9th Dan) Tae Kwon Do Instructors in the United States.

Third, Grand Master Kim has consistently provided for 45 years an excellent tournament competition for Tae Kwon Do students from all over the United States. The 45th American Tae Kwon Do National Championship will be held on June 2015, in San Antonio, Tx. It is also noteworthy that Kim’s Academy Black Belt Teams have been dominant force at both the international and national Tae Kwon Do competition levels for decades. Grandmaster Kim has trained several hundred international and national form, breaking and free-sparring champions.

In summary, Grand Master Kim’s life has been dedicated to continuing the development of the Art of Tae Kwon Do and exposing as many Americans as possible to its widely recognized benefits - a life for which we all owe a great debt of gratitude and profound respect.