ABOUT

1942

– Born in Ul-Ju-Gun, Kyng Sang Nam Do, South Korea

1970

– Earned a B.A. Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Han-Yang University

1971

-Immigrated to the U.S.

1972

– Established the Tae Kwon Do Academy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

1979

– Established New Life Fitness World fitness club

1981

– Established Tri-Mount Publication, Inc.
– First published the Tae Kwon Do Times

1982-9

– President of the Korean-American Society of Iowa

1985-88

– First U.S and Canadian Tae Kwon Do tour to Korea (Hosted by TKD Times)

1987

– Coordinated sister city founding between Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Ul-Ju Gun, South Korea

1991

– Formed joint Tae Kwon Do demo team, with athletes from North and South Korea, as well as the U.S.

1995

– Eagle’s Nest (a Tae Kwon Do practice facility) opens at Colorado Springs

1998-01

– Member of NUAC (National Unification Advisory Council)

2000

– First North Korean Tae Kwon Do Tour (Hosted by TKD Times)

2001-Pres.

– Kyung-Hee University Honorary Professor

2005-Pres.

– Member of Kyung-Sang-Buk-Do, Korean Honorary Advisor

2006

– 2nd World TKD Festival Prayer for Unification — 60 participants from 12 countries performed board-breaking ceremony at the north side of the Korean DMZ (AP special news)

2007

– North Korean TKD Demo Team performs at Goodwill Tour (first time North Korean national anthem played in 5 major U.S. cities)

2008

– In response to Goodwill Tour, New York Philharmonic Orchestra plays American National Anthem for the first time in North Korea.

2009

– Established Woo-jin Jung Tree in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

2010

– Kye-Myung University — Tae Kwon Do Department Special Professor

2011

– 2nd North Korean Tae Kwon Do Demo Team performs in 3 major eastern U.S. cities during Goodwill Tour

2016

– 37 years, 9 fitness centers in US. Semi-retired, next generation, my son, continued in Las Vegas.

– Back to original location, created history room, established Jung’s Taekwondo Black Belt Association, a non-profit entity.

2017

– 1st ever ITF Taekwondo Team visits S Korea and joint demonstration with WTF team.

– Helped WTF, ITF to meet in S Korea, 45 years later to try to make peace. I was invited to the meeting.

2018

– N Korea and S Korea special opening ceremony demonstration at            Pyeong Chang winter  Olymics. Special guest at this event. KBS                  made special documentary.

2019

-After 2007/ 2011 Good Will Tours to N Korea and 2008 New York          Philharmonic exchange program, KBS asked me to arrange a 3rd                  Goodwill Tour.

1998

– Free Style Sparring, a Tae Kwon Do book

2002

   – 세계가 우리를 기다린다 (Korean)

2003

   – Eastern Spirit, Western Dreams, an autobiography

2004

– Revised edition of Eastern Spirit, Western Dreams

2008

– Best Instructor + Best School = Best Life! (English)

2009

   – 가난과 고난은 인생의보약이다 (Korean)

– 최고의사범+최고의도장=Best Life! (Korean)

2019

– Taekwondo Times published for 39 years in 160 countries. Uniting the world through martial arts. So far history made.

1985

– Honorary Korean Award, presented by Prime Minister

1986

– Iowa Minority Small Business Person of the Year, presented by the Small Business Administration

1990

– Iowa Economic Development Award

2009

– TKD Ambassador Award, presented by the U.S. Taekwondo Grandmaster Society

– Founding of Woojin Jun Tree Monument, dedicated by the City of Cedar Rapids)

2011

– Multi-Ethnic Sport Hall of Fame, 2011 inductee for Tae Kwon Do

2012

– Living Legend of Tae Kwon Do, presented at the Legends of Martial Arts Hall of Fame Awards

2013-2017

– So many awards and letters of thanks from all over the world. My focus has been on poor and disabled people all over the world.

2017-

North Korea & ITF returns to WTF World Championship in South Korea for the first time in 45 years. Woojin Jung arrived barefoot, only in his dobo with a sign to mark the historic event, carrying the spirit of traditional TaeKwonDo founder General Choi Hong Hi, realizing their dream of returning to their homeland. Not WTF or ITF, I am a pioneer of TKD. Not North or South Korea, I am Korean.

2018-

Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Pyeong Chang, South Korea in February 2018. Woojin Jung helped to facilitate the demonstrations between the North & South Korean Taekwondo demonstration teams. There was a KBS documentary(태권도, 하나를 위한 도전) done mentioning Woojin Jung’s help as being instrumental in bringing these two countries together for this historic event. This documentary was shared at the event before the closing on February 24th.

2019-

KBS full length documentary made to document the efforts of Taekwondo Times, Woojin Jung & U.S. Taekwondo people in bringing North & U.S. Taekwondo people together, starting with the Goodwill Tours of 2007 & 2011. These historic events were sponsored and funded by Woojin Jung. With the release of the KBS documentary(태권도 평화를 위한여정), the Korean government has more excitement about hiring KBS for a Third and last Goodwill Tour in the future.

1978

– Jung’s Black Belt Foundation

1988

– Woo Jin Scholarship, awarded to elementary and middle school students in Master Jung’s hometown of Ulsan, South Korea

2000

– Grand Master Honorary Foundation

2005

– Jung Family Charitable Foundation

– Jung’s Tae Kwon Do Academy, Inc. (45 branches in 4 states)

– Point Aerie Ltd., LLC 

– Mountain Top Co. (Department Store, Office Building)

– Tae Kwon Do Times (internationally-published magazine)

– Jung’s charity family foundation (focused on handicapped and disadvantaged children worldwide)