Rhee Taekwon-Do (리태권도; 李跆拳道), is a martial art school in Australia and New Zealand teaching the Korean martial art of Taekwon-Do.
Organisation & History
Rhee International Taekwon-Do
Rhee Taekwon-Do (리태권도; 李跆拳道), is a martial art school in Australia and New Zealand teaching the Korean martial art of Taekwon-Do. Its full name is “Rhee International Taekwon-Do” with “(Australia)” or “(New Zealand)” appended. Chong Chul Rhee, one of the original masters of Taekwon-Do, founded the school in the mid-1960s. Two of Rhee’s brothers, Chong Hyup Rhee and Chong Yoon Rhee, later came to assist him in the 1970s.
Rhee Taekwon-Do is an independent martial art organisation. It was once affiliated to the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF), but has had no relation to the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF).
First Taekwon-Do school in Australia
Rhee Taekwon-Do was the first Australian martial art school founded by a Korean master and using the name of Taekwon-Do. Rhee’s school was also the first nationwide Taekwon-Do school in Australia, having operated in South Australia from its founding in the mid-1960s, Western Australia from at least 1970, Victoria from at least 1971, the Australian Capital Territory from 1971, Queensland from at least 1973, New South Wales from 1973, and Tasmania from at least 1983. The first Rhee Taekwon-Do class was held in the Adelaide YMCA centre.
Biggest Taekwon-Do school in Australia
Rhee Taekwon-Do is the biggest Taekwon-Do school in Australia with over 249 individual DoJangs.
Former Members
At least 25 founders of Australian martial art schools (and at least one in New Zealand) received their foundational Taekwon-Do training in Rhee Taekwon-Do or are former Rhee Taekwon-Do instructors.
