“Any distinction or honor granted to me or to any member of this
organization is a credit to the organization as a whole, including
all the individuals who make up this vast
organization.”
In Hyuk Suh is the founder, Grandmaster and President of the World Kuk Sool Association. He has studied martial arts for more than 50 years, receiving his first instruction from his grandfather, Myung Deuk Suh, a master-instructor to the Korean Royal Court.
After his grandfather's death, he traveled throughout the Far East seeking out and studying additional aspects of the martial arts.
The knowledge he acquired from his grandfather and subsequent masters enabled him to establish Kuk Sool Won. His organization now boasts 1.3 million members with over 800 schools worldwide in 27 different countries.
Although expert in every aspect of martial arts, Grandmaster Suh is especially renowned for his mastery of pressure point and joint manipulation.
Additionally, Kuk Sool Won has been mentioned in over 300 articles and featured on more than 60 front covers by world famous magazines in the United States, England, Spain, Iran, Germany, Mexico, and Venezuela.
While the following list of accomplishments include items accrued not only by himself but by the organizations he founded, the reason for this can be found in the excerpt
below.
Taken from the “Letter from the Grandmaster” which is written to all practitioners of Kuk Sool Won and located in the front of the Textbooks he provided as an aid to understanding such a unique and comprehensive martial art.
Time Line:
1958
Founded the martial art of Kuk Sool Won™
1961
Founded the Korean Kuk Sool Association®
1972
Kuk Sool Won™ recorded in the World
Athletic Dictionary
as a traditional Korean martial art
1973
Kuk Sool Won™ School established in U.S.A.
1974
Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh emigrates to U.S.A.
1975
Founded the World Kuk Sool Association®
Kuk Sool Won™ School
established in Great Britain
Kuk Sool Won™ School
established in Canada
1976-77
40 Kuk Sool Masters appear in Ho Kuk Moo
Yea,
(translation: Art Used in Defense of the
Nation)
a documentary produced by the
Korean Ministry of Culture and Tourism
1977
Kuk Sool Won™ school established in
Venezuela
1978
Panama International Film Festival
bestows its Culture Award to Kuk Sool Won™
for its role in the documentary, Ho Kuk Moo
Yea
Commenced annual seminars
and special training in U.S.A.
1982
Kuk Sool Won™ hosts First Open Tournament
at the Civic Auditorium in San Francisco
1984
Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh voted “Man of the
Year”
by Black Belt Magazine
Kuk Sool Won™ School
established in Iran
1985
Publication of Kuk Sool Won™ handbooks,
textbooks, and instructional videos
1988
Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh voted “Instructor
of the Year”
by Inside Kung Fu Magazine
Commenced annual seminars
and special training in United Kingdom
1990
Kuk Sool Won™ hosts First Annual Canadian
Tournament
Commenced annual seminars
and special training in Canada
1991
Kuk Sool Won™ was selected as an extra
curriculum activity
for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Kuk Sool Won™ School
established in Germany
25 U.S. cities now hold a
“Kuk Sool Won™ Day”
1992
Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh is presented with
the Commander’s Sword
by the U.S. Military Academy at West Point
1993
Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh voted “Master of
the Year”
by Tae Kwon Do Times Magazine
1994
Several universities in the U.S.A. include
Kuk Sool Won™
as a regular athletic activity
Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh is
presented with the Commander’s Sword
by the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado
Springs
1995
Kuk Sool Won™ hosts First Annual
Tournament
at the U.S. Military Academy
1996
Kuk Sool Won™ School established in The
Netherlands
1998
Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh is awarded the
SuhkRyoo (Pomegranate) Medal
for Civil Merit by the South Korean
Government
Commenced annual seminars
and special training in Europe
1999
Kuk Sool Won™ School established in Spain
Victory of a Little Giant,
a special documentary
about Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh
produced by the Korean Broadcasting System
(KBS aired 3/17)
2000
Kuk Sool Won™ recognized as an Official
Governing Body for martial arts
by the South Korean Government
Kuk Sool Won™
participates in the KyungJu Cultural Expo,
demonstration members include masters from
all over the world
and conclude with a final performance for
the President of South Korea
2001
World Kuk Sool Association® opens a
traditional training facility
on the outskirts of Houston (Tomball, TX)
incorporating over 20 acres of land
2002
Kuk Sool Won™ hosts the World Kuk Sool
Championships
at the Civic Auditorium in KyungJu, this is
an international event
with over 2000 competitors from across the
globe,
also received were proclamations for a
successful event
from many world leaders such as North
KyungSang Provincial Governor Lee,
KyungJu City Mayor Baek, over a dozen U.S.
State Governors
and U.S. President G.W. Bush
