Opinions

On 22 November, a Gongkwon Yusul Director's Seminar took place in Memmingen, Bavaria in Germany. I leaded the seminar as the Director of the German Headquarters. The seminar was extremely successful and enjoyable by the lively participation of all contributors and participants who filled the training room completely. Fortunately the instructors and students from the German Headquarters in Münster traveled together too despite the great distance of about 630 km.

On the next day, the students of the school in Memmingen had the grading exam for the next belts. It was amazing to see how passionate all candidates showed their skills. All students of the German HQ did not go back home, they came to the examination, cheered the candidates, helped them during the techniques and sparring examination. They all felt happy because they were able to help each other.

The school in Memmingen, whose director Matthias Merkle is, has been opened up recently new, but found quickly very good response and therefore develops vigorously. Comfortable and very fine decorated interiors and very friendly students are remarkable. The headmaster, Merkle Gwanjangnim, follows the guideline of the International Gongkwon Yusul Association and the German Gongkwon Yusul Headquarters trustful. He teaches his students the idea and philosophy of GongKwon Yusul correct and convincing. It was therefore already obvious from the beginning why he has to succeed. It is of course not surprising that the headmaster and all his students feel happy in their lives.

There is no doubt that this school in Memmingen and its headmaster Merkle Gwanjangnim will be a model for all other instructors.

Ho shin!

The International Gongkwon Yusul Association is organising a Special World Seminar for competent and skilled European martial artists willing to become Gongkwon Yusul instructors. Our organisation will support you through our systematic teaching methods and by popularising our martial art in the world. The founder of Gongkwon Yusul, Grandmaster Kang, himself will teach and advise all candidates.

Our Gongkwon Yusul family is looking for participation of martial artists who will pioneer and open the future with us.

The International Gongkwon Yusul Association is willing to do its best to help you that your name will be registered in the history of martial arts.

Schedule: Friday 09 May – Sunday 11 May 2014
Location: Muenster (Westphalia), Germany

1. The Gongkwon Yusul Special Seminar will take place in Muenster City in Germany. It is being organised by the European Gongkwon Yusul Headquarters. You as a skilled martial artist from Europe and from the whole world can join us if you are interested in Gongkwon Yusul.
2. The only condition for your participation is that you already have a black belt in some other martial art. If you participate in this Special Seminar, you will become one of the first generation in your country. We are willing to support you through the professional analysis of your individual situation to enable you to become the best instructor in your country.
3. We are looking for good, willing people as future instructors who will open a Gongkwon Yusul school and who are capable of teaching our Gongkwon Yusul techniques as well as our philosophy, and of representing their own countries.
4. If there is already a National Gongkwon Yusul Headquarters in your country, we will put you in touch with the responsible director so you can take on an important role in the organisation. In addition, we will help you to get the opportunity to become a regional director in your city or area.
5. If you are interested in this Grandmaster's Special Seminar and International Directors' Conference in Germany in May 2014, Master Yun, the acting Director of the European Gongkwon Yusul Headquarters, will supply you with more information on this event by E-mail.

Special notes

• We will train Gongkwon Yusul and have meetings over the course of 3 days.
• People from 11 different countries will participate in this unique event.
• If you attend this Special Seminar in Germany, we will pick you up at the airport Muenster/Osnabrueck (FMO) or at Muenster main train station (Hbf) to drive you to your hotel, and we will also take you back to the airport or train station for your return trip. We are arranging a transfer service for all participants during the weekend, meaning that you will be picked up at your hotel in the morning and brought to the seminar by the locals in order to make you feel comfortable during the Seminar.
• Whenever available, we will provide interpreters to the other masters for ease of communication during the conference and seminars.
• The European Gongkwon Yusul Headquarters will also offer a guided culture programme, incl. a visit to the castle and palace, and a garden barbeque party.

Your participation in the Gongkwon Yusul instructor programme in this Grandmaster's Special Seminar could be unforgettable for you. If you want to call us, send us a text message, or if you require further information, please feel free to contact us.

Mr. Dong-Hyeon Yun
Director of the European Gongkwon Yusul Headquarters
Phone: +49 251 5349 7229
Email: info@gongkwon.de
Web: www.gongkwon.eu

Written by : Gongkwon Yusul Grandmaster Jun Kang
Translated by : Master Young Kim (Gongkwonn Yusul Danville, CA, USA)

A Few days ago, I have posted a question to all Gongkwon Yusul practioners.

There was a young man who just got out of military (All Korean men are required to go to military). He purchased a BMW 2 sitter sports car. He wanted to go on a drive. The car was great. Speed, cornering and the engine sound were great. Driving through the changed leaves of the trees had gave him a great satisfaction. When the sun started to set, it started a heavy rain. So, he decided to head on home. He drove for awhile. As he was passing a unfamiliar bus stop, he saw a old man that did not look so healthy and next to him was a nest door neighbor Mr. Kim who got him a job and next to that person was a girl he liked for a long time. He wanted to give them a ride but the car only had one more seat left.

What would Gongkwon Yusul practitioners would do?

All the people who answered were Gongkwon Yusul black belts. I liked all the answers but one in particular I liked the most. It was by Master Chan Joon Jun. " I would have the girl on my lap and have old man on Mr. Kim's lap" I liked his answer but it was not the correct answer.
Instructor Selgi Choi's answer was to have a van that can take everyone instead of the sports car. This also was a great answer. Still, this is not the correct answer.

The correct answer was given by Master Jungwoo Suh. " I would give the key to Mr. Kim and have him take the old man home and I would wait for the bus with the girl."
My main point of the question was to thank everyone for having a great pride towards Gongkwon Yusul.
Most people do not like to let others borrow the car. Most of them wanted to solve the problem without letting someone borrow the car.
Even though the car is not expensive, normally most of the people want to solve the problem with common sense. We call this Fixed Ideas. It also can be a defense mechanism that most people do not want to let go of their belongings.

In Gongkwon Yusul, there are a lot of masters that trained in different martial art. To change from the martial art that they have trained in for more than 10 years is not a easy thing to do. More so, in order to provide for the family, change is a hard thing to do.
Master Seoungmin Kim in Busan, Master Seounghyun Chae in Seoul, and Master Kyoungmin Oh in Changwon have Gongkwon Yusul Dojang. When watching Master Kyoungmin Oh teaches young kids, it looks alike a father giving a life lesson to his son.
It makes me think, 'This is the Martial Art.' If you have a pride towards Gongkwon Yusul, this is not a hard thing to do.
"In order to progress in Gongkwon Yusul, you need to learn to let go of the things that are yours!" Without being brave, this is not a easy thing to do and this I know.

"We are on a path that people do not follow."

It is a tough path. In the beginning when I was following this path, it felt as if I was in a very dark tunnel. no matter how hard I try, I could not find the exit. But now that I am moving towards a faint light with all of you, it recharges my bravery.
I do not know when we will be able to escape from this tunnel, but I have never been Happier.

For all the people following the path with me, I thank you very much.

The opening ceremony of our German and European Gongkwon Yusul Headquarters was incredibly successful. The invited guests, Gongkwon Yusul learners, Sabeomnim, fellow citizens and visitors from other cities came to congratulate us and get advice on Gongkwon Yusul. Around 130 people had visited us during the two-hour opening ceremony. We got so much gifts that we had no place to put them. And the congratulation messages were so numerous that it was not possible to count. When we had did the Gongkwon Yusul demonstration, about 1/3 of the visitors could not enter the room (dojang). Therefore they could watch the demonstration only outside and through the windows. The thunderous applause shook the building. Once more we want to thank all guests, visitors and Gongkwon Yusul students for their good wishes. Hoshin!

European Gongkwon Yusul Headquarters
Martial Arts Academy Yun
Toppheideweg 13
48161 Münster
Germany