KUKKIWON BLACK BELT CERTIFICATION

World Taekwondo Headquarters

Seoul, Korea

Kukkiwon certification is the official certification for Taekwondo black belt ranks, issued by the World Taekwondo Headquarters (Kukkiwon) in South Korea. It signifies that a practitioner has met the rigorous standards of Taekwondo technique, forms (poomsae), sparring (kyorugi), and other aspects of the martial art. This certification is globally recognized and is a symbol of expertise and achievement within the Taekwondo community.  

Kukkiwon, also known as World Taekwondo Headquarters, and home of the World Taekwondo Academy, is where the official taekwondo governing organization was established by the South Korean government. It is supervised by the International Sports Division of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. 

The Kukkiwon was constructed atop the hillside in Kangnam District in Seoul to house Taekwondo Related organizations and to provide Taekwondo practitioners and contestants with modern facilities, training, and competitions of Taekwondo. This million dollar project began on November 9, 1971, and ended on November 30, 1972. It was the first and only gymnasium of its kind and founded through the effort of Dr. Un Yong Kim, President of the WTF and then President of the Korea Taekwondo Association. The Kukkiwon was registered with the Government of the Republic of Korea as a juridical foundation on July 7, 1974, electing Dr. Kim as its president.

The Kukkiwon is also the bridgehead to promoting Taekwondo as an international sport. The Kukkiwon provided an ideal arena for training and competitions such as the 1st and 2nd World Taekwondo Championships and the 1st Asian Taekwondo Championships. Taekwondo made its Olympic debut as an official medal sport during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games after its participation in the Seoul and Barcelona Games as a demonstration sport.

The Kukkiwon hosted the 1st and 2nd International Referee Seminars, Instructor Seminars, and is the site of various Taekwondo demonstrations. It is involved in the technical development and research of Taekwondo, as well as public relations and the training of coaches and students.