Grandmaster Kim Duk In

 

Grandmaster Kim Duk In is a Senior Advisor to the Korea Hapkido Federation and he is the Korea Hapkido Federation’s 9th Dan certificate number 3. He is also the Founder and President of the Korea Hapkido Federation’s affiliated Duk Moo Academy.

Grandmaster Kim’s family has a 37-generation history, both in the military and of possessing good quality weapons techniques – the family founder is King Kyungsoon, who reigned during the Shilla Dynasty.

From an early age, Grandmaster Kim learnt Korean military weapons under the guidance of his Grandfather, General Jul Chung Kim Kyung Sik.

General Jul Chung was very good at the spear. Grandmaster Kim also especially enjoyed long stick training with his Grandfather and it eventually became his speciality.

At the age of 18, Grandmaster Kim joined the Korean Air Force. By the age of 23, he was teaching martial arts to the Korean Special Army and Government.

Then, in 1959, after completing his military service, Grandmaster Kim returned to his hometown of Sae Gum Jung. It was at this time that a police officer introduced him to the Sung Moo Academy, the first Hapkido dojang in Seoul.

Grandmaster Kim wanted to learn Hapkido and so he moved to Seoul. In Seoul, he joined the Sung Moo Academy and started his training under Grandmaster Ji Han Jae.

Grandmaster Kim’s weapons skills and good memory meant that his progress was fast and, within one year, he was already an Assistant Instructor to Grandmaster Ji Han Jae.

Before that time, the Sung Moo Academy had had many different Assistant Instructors and then Grandmaster Kim and Grandmaster Song Young Ki trained together and were the Assistant Instructors at the Sung Moo Academy for a long time. Grandmaster Kim was the physical trainer, Grandmaster Song Young Ki was the Academy’s Secretary as well as a physical trainer. Today, Grandmaster Song Young Ki is the Korea Hapkido Federation’s 9th Dan certificate no. 2 and Grandmaster Kim Duk In is the Korea Hapkido Federation’s 9th Dan certificate no. 3.

At the same time, Grandmaster Kim developed his own training and, in 1962, he founded the Duk Moo Academy and opened his first dojang in Seoul. However, at that time, promoting Hapkido was difficult as Hapkido was still relatively unknown and the economy was still poor following the Korean War, so he returned to the Hapkido Headquarters.

Then, in 1963, Grandmaster Kim taught the Presidential Bodyguards of President Park Chung Hee at Cheong Wa Dae, the Korean Blue House.

In 1964, Grandmaster Kim was the Action Director and Stuntman for a movie made about General Nam Hee.

Also in 1964, Grandmaster Kim was the first person to be appointed as the Chief Instructor of the Korean Royal Military Academy (similar to West Point in the United States). Grandmaster Kim held this position for three years. After completing their military training, Grandmaster Kim’s students gained high positions within the police force.

Some of his students followed him and, in 1966, Grandmaster Kim moved to the City of Chun-Cheon, in the Kang Won Do province of Korea, where he opened a Duk Moo Academy dojang, teaching both police and civilians.

In the early years after the Korea Hapkido Federation was formed in 1965, the Duk Moo Academy was one of only ten leading Academies recognised by the Korea Hapkido Federation.

In 1975, Grandmaster Kim was awarded a certificate and the positions of Korea Hapkido Federation Manager and Chief Examiner, by the then Korea Hapkido Federation President and Presidential Bodyguard Director, Chai Tae Huon.

In the 1970’s, Grandmaster Kim was also part of the group of pioneering Masters who first spread Hapkido into Columbia. He had been sent by the Korea Hapkido Federation to Columbia in order to promote Hapkido and Grandmaster Kim held Hapkido demonstrations and taught Hapkido at Columbia University.

After Grandmaster Kim returned to Korea, he was the Instructor for the 1st-6th Korea Hapkido Federation Black Belt Instructor Seminars.

Grandmaster Kim then travelled to Europe and was the first Korea Hapkido Federation Instructor to teach Hapkido in several European countries – introducing Hapkido in France, Switzerland and Sweden.

In France, the World Taekwonmudo Academy had asked Grandmaster Kim to assist them with their syllabus. Grandmaster Kim agreed and introduced the Academy to the Duk Moo Academy syllabus, particularly helping them with self-defence and kicking techniques. As well as establishing the Duk Moo Academy France Headquarters in Paris, Grandmaster Kim also gave Hapkido demonstrations for the Police Nationale’s RAID police force, who were then very keen to learn Hapkido from the Grandmaster.

In 2000, Grandmaster Kim visited the UK, after being asked by the World Taekwonmudo Academy to again assist them with their syllabus. Grandmaster Kim agreed and taught weapons, self-defence and kicking techniques as part of the World Taekwonmudo Academy International Instructors Course.

Grandmaster Kim still travels regularly to the UK in order to hold Hapkido Seminars, Gradings and events, and give support to his son, who resides in the UK.

As a Senior Advisor to the President of the Korea Hapkido Federation, Oh Se Lim, Grandmaster Kim continues in his aim towards the promotion of Hapkido.