Learn about the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF)

The International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) is a large global organization focused on spreading the martial arts of Taekwondo and was founded in 1966 by General Choi Hong Hi of Korea. Moreover, the ITF states that “Taekwon-Do” was invented by Gen. Choi Hong Hi in April, 1955.

There are three separate organizations claiming to be the "true" ITF. Unfortunately, the ITF split into competing groups due to a rift between General Choi Hong Hi (the founder of ITF) and his son in the early 2000s and later due to the death of General Choi Hong Hi. These organizations include the International Taekwon-Do Federation (itftkd.org) and International Chang-Hon Taekwon-do Federation (ictf-admin.com).

Other large non-ITF international Taekwondo associations include the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) and American Taekwondo Association (ATA).

While most Taekwondo organizations use similar techniques (i.e. Taekwondo kicks), the ITF uses patterns (or teul) that differ significantly from the Taegeuk forms used by the WTF Taekwondo or the forms used by ATA Taekwondo, ITF Taekwondo is also famous for the Taekwondo Sine Wave technique.

References

1. International Taekwon-Do Federation, http://www.itftkd.org/, Added - 04/22/14
2. International Chang-Hon Taekwon-do Federation, http://www.ictf-admin.com/, Added - 04/23/14