Master Yong Chin Pak

I am a member of the faculty of Health and Human Performance at Iowa State University and have been teaching the Martial Arts Program at Iowa State since 1975. I have received much recognition for my contributions including a 1983 outstanding teachers award and a 1993 faculty citation from the Iowa State Alumni Association.

Martial arts students learn discipline, respect, confidence and self-control through their study and practice, all of which I help them to apply to their daily lives. I have been fortunate enough to be involved with the National Collegiate TaeKwonDo Association as its president, the State of Iowa Taekwondo Association, and the United States Tae Kwon Do Union. Through these organizations, we, the martial arts community, are able to promote the benefits of the martial arts nationally and internationally.

            BIOGRAPHY^*

Master Yong Chin Pak has devoted his entire life to the mastery and teaching of the Korean martial arts. After being elected student government president, receiving high grades, graduating with a 4-year diploma from the Yong In University (former Korean Judo college), and serving as a Korean secret service self-defense instructor, Master Pak left Korean to come to the United States.

In 1973, he began instructing Taekwondo, Judo, and Hapkido at Iowa State University, where he quickly established himself as a major figure in this country's martial arts community. He has been a self-defense instructor for the Iowa Law Enforcement, Ames Police Department, and ISU Campus Security.

Master Pak has taught upwards to 24,000 students the benefits of self-defense while at Iowa State University. His dedication to self-defense reflects great credit upon himself, the martial arts, and to Iowa State University. The collegiate Taekwondo team from Iowa State has regularly placed first, second and third in the national tournament held each year. Since coming to the United States, Master Pak has received the NCTA (National Collegiate Taekwondo Association) Coach of the Year Award three times, 1993 Faculty Citation from Iowa State University and numerous other awards for his dedication and service. In 1983, he received the Amoco Outstanding Teachers Award (Iowa State University) and internationally coached the United States team in the Pan-American Championships and the Goodwill Games with Mexico and the Ukraine. In 1986, Master Pak was elected president of the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association and still holds this position.

Master Pak currently instructs the collegiate martial arts program at Iowa State University. Two options are provided for students: 1) daytime physical education courses may be taken for college credit, and 2) evening extra-curricular clubs offering social outlets. A number of his black blets upon graduating from ISU and finding a job have established their own community Taekwondo programs. Over 28 branch schools in 6 states are now operating under Master Pak's guidance and direction.

*from "About the Author", Taekwondo, 4th ed., Master Yong Chin Pak; copyright 1996; ISBN 1-888223-01-4.