MASTKD at the KTA: Jin Bang Yang Explains the Structure of Korean Taekwondo from Seoul

The President of the Korea Taekwondo Association welcomed MASTKD to its headquarters and provided details on the inner workings of one of the most influential organizations in the global Taekwondo community.

The meeting was part of MASTKD’s institutional agenda in South Korea, which includes meetings with leaders of the major organizations shaping the present and future of Taekwondo globally.

During the meeting, Yang shared with MASTKD an insider’s perspective on the KTA’s federative, competitive, and educational structure—an organization that brings together 17 provincial associations, thousands of registered clubs, and specific divisions for Kyorugi, Poomsae, and Breaking.

The conversation provided an inside look at how Korean Taekwondo operates: its federation system, its school, university, and corporate sub-federations, its competition calendar, its national team selection criteria, its relationship with Kukkiwon, and its practical education model.

For MASTKD, the visit to the KTA represents a new step in strengthening its international institutional ties and confirms the media outlet’s role as a global platform for information, analysis, and connection within the Taekwondo ecosystem.

Exclusive Interview: Alex Siliezar of MASTKD with Jin Bang Yang, President of the KTA

President Yang, thank you for welcoming us to the KTA offices. To begin, could you explain how the Korea Taekwondo Association is structured?

The KTA is composed of 17 provincial federations, equivalent to states in other countries. Additionally, five sub-federations operate under the KTA: the Elementary Federation, the Middle School Federation, the High School Federation, the University Federation, and the Corporate Teams Federation. We also have the Women’s Taekwondo Federation. All of them operate semi-independently.

And how is the competitive side organized within the KTA?

We have three main sports divisions: Kyorugi, Poomsae, and Breaking.

Each of these divisions has its own Technical Committee, with presidents, vice presidents, a referees’ division, event management, and operations. They operate quite separately.

How many registered athletes do you currently have in each discipline?

This year we have over 7,000 athletes in Kyorugi, nearly 6,000 in Poomsae, and 4,500 athletes in Breaking, in addition to nearly 500 specialized coaches.

Most athletes specialize in a single discipline. Very few compete in two divisions at the same time.

The KTA’s competition schedule is very intense. How many national events do you hold per year?

Just on the national calendar, not counting local events, there are a large number of championships. Practically every week, a national championship is held in one of the three disciplines.

Major events, with more than 2,000 participants, usually last between three and ten days.

How are the athletes selected to represent Korea in international competitions?

Every year we organize the National Team Selection Games, which are the most important. This applies to Kyorugi, Poomsae, and also to the demonstration team.

Even athletes at the top of the world rankings do not have a guaranteed spot. Everyone must compete and earn their place in these trials. That is the only way to join the Korean national team.

And how are spots decided for events like the World Championships or the Asian Championships?

That is decided by a special committee. Before every major event, we hold meetings with coaches and officials to define the selection criteria.

In addition to the competitive arena, the KTA also has a strong presence in the areas of clubs and belt promotions.

That’s correct. We have approximately 9,000 clubs registered with the KTA, representing over 95% of all dojangs in Korea.

We oversee grading exams and work very closely with Kukkiwon on education and certifications. Kukkiwon handles most of the theoretical training, while we conduct specialized practical courses.

The KTA is viewed by many national federations as a model to follow. How do you assess Korea’s role in the global development of Taekwondo?

We believe we serve as a model. Many national federations that are growing look to our structure and our way of working as a reference.

We recently returned from the Asian Championships in Phnom Penh, where our athletes won all the gold medals in the categories in which we competed.

President Yang, thank you very much for your time and for opening the doors of the KTA to us. This interview is undoubtedly very valuable for the entire international Taekwondo community.

Thank you. It is always a pleasure to share with MASTKD.

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