Prof Lee Kyu Seok, who is concurrently the Senior Vice-President and Secretary-General of Asian Taekwondo Union (ATU) and a long-time technical advisor of the Singapore Taewondo Federation (STF), was in Singapore from 3 to 5 September 2011.

During his visit, Prof Lee met STF President, Mr Milan Kwee, and some members of the Management Committee at the STF office. He was briefed on the development of taekwondo in Singapore and kept updated on the coming SEA Games taekwondo event.

Among other things, Prof Lee informed Mr Kwee of the coming ATU Extraordinary Meeting which would be held before the Asian Olympic Qualification in Bangkok in November 2011 and the Asian Championships in April 2012.

For Mr RA Jeyaraman, STF Advisor to the President, it was a nostalgic moment meeting Mr Lee. He showed Mr Lee a letter which Mr Lee sent him on 21 August 1979 – that is more than 30 years ago! They spoke about the times they met in Korea.

Said Mr Jeyaraman: “I appreciate the warm hospitality Mr Lee showed me when I was in Korea training in his gymnasium. He was an excellent but very strict instructor. That was probably the reason for his students’ outstanding achievements in the international competition. Some of them were World Champions.”

Before leaving for Korea, Prof Lee said that he was impressed with the effort made by STF in the propagation of taekwondo. He encouraged the STF to continue to pro-actively promote taekwondo as a character building sport.

Taekwondo was officially accepted in the school sports calendar last year. This year saw the overall best boy award going to a taekwondo exponent. It was indeed a special recognition for the sport and the efforts of the winner – Kang Rui Jie.

Rui Jie beat 21 other very strong contenders from the other sports including sailing, swimming and table tennis for the distinction. He received the award from Brigadier-General Lim Teck Yin, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Sports at a ceremony held on 28 September 2011 at Nanyang Polytechnic Auditorium.

His citations read as follows.

“Kang Rui Jie has benefited tremendously from his passion and commitment to taekwondo which he started learning at the tender age of 10. He was awarded his poom belt (junior black belt) at the age of 12. The more he achieved in the arena, the harder he trained to challenge himself. Even as his schedule became more hectic, Rui Jie took pains to manage his time and studies well.

In the local scene, Rui Jie has won the National Taekwondo Poomsae Championships and National Inter-School Taekwondo Championships Individual Gold in 2010 and 2011.

In the 3^rd Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships 2011, Rui Jie won the individual silver medal as well as the gold medal in the team category. At the 10^th ASEAN Taekwondo Championships 2011, he won a pair bronze and was placed 5^th in the individual category.

Despite being barely 16 years of age, Rui Jie is getting ready to contribute back to his beloved sport. He is a qualified Poomsae Coach (Level 1), National Poomsae and Kyorugi Referee (Class 3P) and has been accredited with the National Coaching Accreditation Programme (Level 1 – Technical).

He is our champion and he truly deserves to be awarded the Overall Best Sports Boy Award.”

Joining Rui Jie at the awards ceremony was Chelsea Ann Sim Shu Zhen who won the Best Sports Girl Award for taekwondo. She was one of the candidates for the Best Sports Girl Award but had to concede to a better athlete, Rachel Lee Qing from sailing.

Two other taekwondo athletes were also recognized. Tio Jia Xin and Ong Jin Cong Keith were awarded national colors. Both of them had won the awards twice. Jia Xin won the Best Sports Girl Award for taekwondo last year.

Mr Milan Kwee, STF President, was present to witness and congratulate the award recipients from taekwondo.

The Singapore Taekwondo Federation would like to place on record its appreciation to the Singapore School Sports Council Colors Committee for the honor accorded to taekwondo athletes.

Grandmaster Kim Bok Man, the Singapore’s first Korean taekwondo instructor, paid a courtesy visit to the Singapore Taekwondo Federation (STF) Secretariat on 19 September 2011. In 1962, as a 5th dan black belt, he introduced Singaporeans to the amazing art of taekwondo with a spectacular demonstration of high-flying kicks and punches.

Taekwondo took roots in Singapore after the breathtaking performance.

Grandmaster Kim was welcomed by Mr Milan Kwee, STF President, who briefed him on the development of taekwondo in Singapore.

Mr Kwee told him that ‘the seed planted by Grandmaster Kim has grown into a big tree.”

Grandmaster Kim was visibly pleased with the development of his ‘baby’ and reminisced about his time in Singapore including the numerous performances. He also spoke fervently of the demonstration he gave at the now demolished Gay World Stadium. He could remember vividly the challenges he had promoting taekwondo in the early days.

After the meeting, Mr Kwee hosted a lunch for Grandmaster Kim and his entourage including his assistants, Mr Brad Shipp and Mr Simon Lee.