North Korean regime, it is impossible to tell at the present time the popu-
larity and development of the art in this region.
Taekwondo practitioners wear a uniform that resembles a karate gi,
namely, loose cotton pants and a jacket. The Korean term for the uniform
is dobahk.The major difference between a gi and a dobahk is that the
dobahk is a one-piece vest that does not tie together, but rather is worn like
a shirt. There is black piping around the edges of the uniform to help dis-
tinguish them from karate uniforms. They also tend to be made of very
light material, since there is no grappling in taekwondo and thus no need
for the uniforms to be sturdy enough to be grabbed. A belt is worn signi-
fying rank. Their are ten ranks below that of black belt, known collectively
as the gupranks. Beginners start as white belts, until finally the black belt,
or dan,ranks are attained. There are ten levels of dan rankings.
Taekwondo is, as the name suggests, a striking art and is character-
ized by an emphasis on kicking techniques. Taekwondo is one of the few
martial arts in which practitioners are expected to execute kicks to high
targets, most notably the head. While sometimes criticized as being inef-
fective for street or combat situations, these kicks form an essential element
of the art. For Olympic-style training, kicking is emphasized above punch-612 Taekwondo
A taekwondo practitioner breaks with his elbow a stack of twelve 1-inch-thick boards, ca. 1950. (Courtesy of Joe
Svinth)