For Clinton Oh, expanding opportunities in Taekwondo begins with a clear principle: an athlete’s potential should carry more weight than their family’s financial resources. In written responses provided to MASTKD, the AAU Taekwondo leader places athlete support and stronger district programs at the center of his four-year agenda.

According to the figures supplied by Oh, AAU Taekwondo has nearly 12,000 athletes across 139 member clubs in the United States, supported by more than 850 referees, coaches, and volunteers. The program is part of the Amateur Athletic Union, a multisport organization founded in 1888.

MASTKD previously reported on the strategic alignment between USA Taekwondo and AAU Taekwondo, which includes calendar coordination, referee development, and opportunities for cadet athletes beginning in 2027, while both organizations retain independent governance structures.

USA Taekwondo and AAU Taekwondo Announce Strategic Alignment

Oh’s plans combine competition opportunities for practitioners from different martial arts backgrounds, continued education for coaches and referees, and international partnerships designed to broaden athletes’ experience.

Editor’s note: This interview has been organized into a question-and-answer format using written responses Clinton Oh provided to MASTKD and also shared with Mookas. Questions have been reformulated and responses grouped by topic. His original English wording has been retained, with minor edits for length and flow.

Athlete support and access to opportunity

What role does financial support play in AAU Taekwondo’s approach to athlete development?

We also sponsor teams to international competitions and cover their costs, because we believe an athlete’s talent should decide how far they go, and their family’s budget should not.

My first commitment is to our athletes, giving them more support and more chances to compete and grow.

How does that commitment to inclusion shape the competition opportunities you offer?

AAU Taekwondo is for everyone. We run World Taekwondo competition, and we also welcome the traditional styles, so a practitioner from almost any Taekwondo background can find a home with us.

Our events are built so that every athlete has a fair place to compete. In sparring, for example, we offer both head kick and non-head kick divisions, which lets younger and newer athletes compete safely while our advanced athletes compete at full level.

Alongside sparring we hold Poomsae, traditional forms, and demonstration events.

Institutional cooperation and international development

MASTKD previously covered the exceptional opening of the 2026 AAU National Championships to international athletes and the event’s designation as a PAN AM Series PATU 12 competition, two developments in the program’s international expansion.

AAU Taekwondo opens 2026 National Championships to international athletes in one-year exception

Where do the agreements with USA Taekwondo and the Pan American Taekwondo Union stand among the achievements of your leadership so far?

The achievement I am proudest of is signing MOUs with USA Taekwondo and with the Pan American Taekwondo Union.

Bringing these organizations together with AAU Taekwondo opens the door to many years of cooperation for the benefit of our athletes.

USA Taekwondo is the National Governing Body recognized by World Taekwondo and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. On November 12, 2025, AAU Taekwondo and USA Taekwondo signed an MOU to work together, the first agreement of its kind between our two organizations.

It was a meaningful step for American Taekwondo, and I am excited for the many years ahead of serving athletes together.

AAU Nationals 2026 ganó estatus PATU 12

What international opportunities do you want to expand for your athletes?

For player development, we will be sending more athletes to international competitions. We have already established MOUs with Spain, Mexico, Korea, and other countries, which give our athletes the chance to train abroad, learn from different coaching traditions, and test themselves against international competition.

Korea is the home of Taekwondo, and our relationships there mean a great deal to us. We are currently working with universities in Korea to build programs in Poomsae, sparring, and demonstration for our athletes.

We are also working with Kukkiwon on programs with AAU Taekwondo. Through these relationships we hope to create more opportunities for athletes from both countries to compete at each other’s events.

In April, MASTKD also reported on the agreement between AAU Taekwondo and FEMEDEES, signed by Oh and José Martín Sánchez Tenorio to support athlete development, technical exchange, and international opportunities within school sport.

AAU and FEMEDEES confirmed Strategic Alliance to Boost School Sport Across the region

Building from the districts

Why will strengthening district programs be a priority during your four-year term?

I also want to give our District Directors more resources and more opportunity to run strong programs in their regions, because that is where most athletes first experience AAU Taekwondo.

When our districts are strong, the whole organization becomes stronger, and Taekwondo in America benefits.

How will coach and referee education support consistent standards across your events?

For coaches and referees, we will continue building certification and training so that standards are consistent across the country.

And we will work closely with our districts so that local events and national events follow the same high standards.

Beyond institutional agreements, which recent event stands out to you?

I am also proud of this year’s AAU Junior Olympic Games, which brought together more than 500 athletes over four days. It was the largest Junior Olympic Games in the history of AAU Taekwondo.

Los Angeles 2028 and the next generation

Where do you see AAU Taekwondo’s contribution as Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Olympic Games?

As the AAU, our focus is on making sure the pipeline is strong for the generations to come.

The 2028 Games will inspire many young Americans to try Taekwondo, and we want to be ready to give them a path forward.

That means more opportunities for our athletes, especially international opportunities, so they gain experience at the highest levels early in their careers.

The roots of a lifelong commitment

How did your own Taekwondo journey begin, and how did it lead to the work you do today?

I began Taekwondo at the age of eight under my father, Grandmaster Sang K. Oh. I grew up in his school, and Taekwondo has shaped my whole life since I was young.

As I grew older, we began working with many masters who shared our hope of giving more people the chance to train. That led us to found Champions Martial Arts, which has grown to 75 locations across the country.

Today I am a franchisor of two brands and the founder of a technology company used by martial arts schools and business owners across the country. Over my career I have partnered in more than 100 businesses, and much of what I learned in all of them started on the mat in my father’s school.

How do your Korean roots connect with your responsibility to serve athletes through AAU Taekwondo?

I was born in South Korea, and although my family came to the United States when I was very young, Korean culture is still my root.

Taekwondo comes from Korea, and everything it carries, from its respect and discipline to the sport itself, comes from that culture. Leading AAU Taekwondo lets me honor where I come from while serving athletes here.

We will be opening a department dedicated to Korean masters, so they can communicate with the AAU in their native language and learn more about our programs.

Many Korean masters lead dojangs in the United States and around the world, and we want to make it easy for them to get involved with AAU Taekwondo and bring their students into our events.

What personal and institutional goals will guide this four-year term?

My goal for these four years is to build AAU Taekwondo into the largest Taekwondo organization in the world and to create opportunities for our athletes at home and abroad.

This sport has given me so much, and this is my chance to give back to it. I want to strengthen our foundation for the members we serve today and for the generations of Taekwondo practitioners who will come after them.

I am honored and humbled by the support of our members. An election is a reminder of who you answer to, and I do not take that trust lightly.

Our district leaders, instructors, and referees have asked me to lead, and I intend to honor that by listening to them and working for them over the next four years.

AAU Taekwondo and MASTKD seal strategic partnership in Las Vegas

Disclosure: MASTKD and AAU Taekwondo announced a strategic partnership in Las Vegas focused on communication, visibility, and institutional cooperation.

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