HISTORY OF GTF(Global TaeKwon-Do Federation)
Grand Master Park Jung Tae (1944 - 2002)
G.T.F. President and Founder
The Face of a Grand Master
   Beyond the exterior of his face
   Lies a man of virtue, a man of grace.
   His humble manner and trusting mind
   Shows everyone he's compassionate and kind.
   Judged by his actions for all to see
   He's champion of peace and harmony.
   His beliefs and principles founded in truth
   Echo the teaching received as a youth.
   A genuine Grand Master you'd like to know
   Who's dedicated and loyal to Taekwon-Do.
   What more can we say about this man
   Who honestly earned the highest rank of 9th Dan.
   With perfect techniques commanding respect.
   He mastered this Art for every aspect.
   The future historians of Taekwon-Do will say
   The greatest Grand Master was Park Jung Tae.
Grand Master Park Jung Tae - A Legend In Our Time

In 1943, in Kwany-Ju city, South Korea, a visionary was born, a man fated to change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people all over the worked. His destiny, presence and mission were to be one with the indomitable spirit. he was Grand Master Park Jung Tae.

Throughout his life Grand Master Park traveled extensively, acting as an ambassador of TaeKwon-Do, sacrificing his personal life to dedicate his time and efforts to its promotion and development. His wife, whom he met when he came to Canada in the early 1970's, stood by his side throughout the past 32 years and the strength of their relationship was a key factor in overcoming cultural differences on a personal level as well as a professional one. Grand Master Park's life has been filled with wonderful experiences meeting people from all walks of life and his unique style broke down bafflers of race, language and religion, and instilled unity and respect in the hearts and minds of all he taught. Today, in many countries he is referred to as "The Peoples Grand Master".

Grand Master Park was known as the technical perfectionist of TaeKwon-Do and he was sought after to share his knowledge and expertise. During the Vietnam War, he was sent to Vietnam for two years as an army combat Instructor training the Korean, Vietnamese and American soldiers. When he returned to Korea, he became heavily involved in the International TaeKwon-Do Federation (ITF). The was the Secretary General and the Technical Committee Chairman of the ITF for many years. Grand Master Park was directly responsible for the expansion of TaeKwon-Do in many countries and he was the pioneer Instructor in China, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, North Korea and Japan. In 1989, cue to political unrest within the IFT, he left that organization and in 1990 founded the Global TaeKwon-Do Federation (GTF) with the support of many TaeKwon-Do Masters and Instructors from around the globe. This non-political Federation was created with the purpose of uniting all TaeKwon-DO organizations worldwide and to bring peace and harmony to the world.

The GTF is at the forefront of TaeKwon-Do expansion, taking a new path of spiritual philosophy and development, creating a much needed new dimension of enhanced modern TaeKwon-Do. Grand Master Park has brought many Instructors to the level of Grand Master and Master within the GTF and these are the people who will continue to demonstrate and promote around the world. Our Instructors are of the highest caliber and Grand Master park was very proud of the high standards of our Federation. He always said that we should not think about winning or losing, but to appreciate the opportunity to exchange techniques and make lasting friendships. We have been very fortunate to have had such a great leaser as Grand Master Park who taught us us the true meaning of love, respect and integrity. We are truly fortunate to belong to this global family called the Global TaeKwon-Do Federation.

Grand Master Park opened up the heart of the GTF and the members joined in. That is where the source of GTF power comes from and that is why we are an inseparable force. His personal power, his smile and his gentle humbleness has touched everyone he met. Grand Master Park was a true martial artist who followed the tenets of TaeKwon-Do until the day he died.

On April 11, 2002 the TaeKwon-Do community was shocked when Grand Master Park Jung Tae, 9th Degree Black Belt, Foudner & President of the Global TaeKwon-Do Federation passed away. The death of Grand Master Park has ignited a new commitment within the GTF organization. The groundwork has been laid and the future of the GTF shines bright wit the visions of Grand Master Park as our guide. away.

The death of Grand Master Park has ignited a new commitment within the GTF organization. The groundwork has been laid and the future of the GTF shines bright wit the visions of Grand Master Park as our guide.

The Global TaeKwon-Do Federation was organized under the leadership of the famous TaeKwon-Do Grand Master, Park Jung Tae, Ninth Degree Black Belt. The name "Park Jung Tae" is no newcomer to the world of martial arts. For years, he has been instrumental in the promotion and development of TaeKwon-Do and his name is synonymous with technical perfection. As a result, Grand Master Park is ranked as the leading technical trainer of TaeKwon-Do in the world today. Due to his dedication and devotion to the Art of TaeKwon-Do and his personal sacrifice to promote TaeKwon-Do world-wide, he is recognized as a man of honour and a teacher who possesses the true spirit of TaeKwon-Do. Grand Master Park has become a legend in TaeKwon-Do circles and is sought after throughout the world to conduct seminars and training courses.

Since its inception, the Global TaeKwon-Do Federation has emerged as the ultimate non-political martial arts organization in the world, and is proud to be free of any political pressures. In a short period of time, the rapid growth of the G.T.F. as an international organization has been astronomical, boasting strong affiliates on every continent. This Federation inspires people. People feel confident that when they join a G.T.F. affiliated school, they are getting quality training from a highly skilled instructor. Belonging to the right organization can mean the difference between being good and being great.

Over the past few years, the G.T.F. has attracted members from around the globe. The first attraction is of course, the expertise of Grand Master Park Jung Tae who, by virtue of his attention to detail and ability to communicate to all nationalities regardless of language, has become known in many countries as the "Peoples Master". Grand Master Park really cares about his members and about preserving traditional TaeKwon-Do. Our membership consists of people from all nations and all walks of life, but we all have one common bond: The Global TaeKwon-Do Federation. There is a second attraction and that is the attitude of the G.T.F. members. People who join a G.T.F. school soon realize that they have become part of an international family, an extended family, which is caring, supportive and genuinely interested in training in the traditional Art of TaeKwon-Do. Anyone can learn self-defence, but to truly derive all the benefits of TaeKwon-Do training, one must be prepared to learn the history of this Art, understand the philosophy of the oriental culture as well as the definition of the patterns and the purpose of the movements. Grand Master Park's easy to learn methods of teaching encourage practitioners at all levels of training, resulting in their quick development of special technical skills, which are much needed in the 1990's.

The immediate goal of the Global TaeKwon-Do Federation is to achieve excellence in all aspects of its organization and to provide a happy training environment for all its members. G.T.F. practitioners will be recognized for their superior knowledge and technical skills and will be proud to be part of this Federation. Every step of the way, a G.T.F. member is tested throughout his/her training. Not only do Masters and Instructors undergo intensive training personally conducted by Grand Master Park Jung Tae, but seminars are given on a regular basis in different centres around the world, to keep them technically up-to-date and informed on G.T.F. developments. These Masters and Instructors work diligently to provide excellent leadership in the true spirit of TaeKwon-Do and take the initiative to ensure their students are learning the proper techniques. These are important considerations to take into account when one is thinking of joining a martial arts school.

The long term goal of the G.T.F. is to resolve the differences between all the TaeKwon-Do organizations and bring about the true identity of TaeKwon-Do under one umbrella; thus, uniting all TaeKwon-Do practitioners around the world. Through the Global TaeKwon-Do Federation, this can be done.
Grandmaster Park's Thoughts on Taekwon-Do

Most people have a misconception of a martial art and can't see beyond the visible physical aspect, but the benefits of training in the Art of TaeKwon-Do are much more than the eye can see.

TaeKwon-Do training awakens within us a new perspective to life itself, connecting our emotional state, physical well-being and spiritual awareness. It is a concept of learning for the mind, body and soul and could be comparable to achieving a university degree in psychology, physical education and humanitarianism as well as self-defence proficiency.

Many of the values we learn as part of the TaeKwon-Do philosophy will help us in every day life. As we learn self-discipline and self-control, we become more tolerant of others, and this is necessary with today's fast changing attitudes of societies world-wide in which ideologies are being blended to create a new world philosophy. Awareness on all levels, developed through concentration and technique proficiency, will assist us in avoiding negative situations, as we become more alert and cautious. Through the positive energy we generate, others feel our self-confidence, as our actions demonstrate confidence in our ability to defend ourselves. Knowing that we have the knowledge and skill to defend ourselves in any situation, builds self-esteem and gives us an exhilarating feeling of self-worth.

The serious practitioner discovers the true spirit of TaeKwon-Do through respect and integrity, which are probably the two most important principles of TaeKwon-Do training. Without it, there could be no chain of command or distinct levels. To promote mutual respect, practitioners must be courteous to one another and encourage fair play at all times to ensure justice and peace. The integrity of a practitioner will undoubtedly say a lot by his/her representation in relation to rank and attitude. Through respect and integrity, we will build trusting relationships, which will develop into strong friendships.

TaeKwon-Do will act as a common denominator, intermingling all races through a sameness of mind, to provide a way for us to put aside all differences, enabling us to create and manifest a peaceful world. TaeKwon-Do will be our teacher in human kindness. If TaeKwon-Do can provide each of us with all these benefits, why would we want to learn anything else?