To: Master Leong Wai Meng
Chairman of the Consultative Council, ITF
October 25, 2002
Dear Sir,
It is regrettable for us to have received your letter dated October 10, 2002 to Mr. Chang Ung, President of ITF and Mr. Russell MacLellan, Senior Vice-President, the national associations and the members of the Consultative Council.
We have devoted our whole lives to TKD as you have. We are the persons who have lived our whole life with TKD through thick and thin, you made us very surprised with your letter when we were groping for the future of ITF with the feeling of relief that we have accomplished, more or less, the last words of the Founder of Taekwon-Do by electing Mr. Chang Ung as new President of ITF by the Special Congress in Pyongyang, after consoling ourselves in sorrow on the occasion of the 100th day Memorial Service for the late General Choi on the 22nd of September.
It is commonly acknowledged that the Pyongyang Special Congress is a legitimate and valid one to the ITF members.
On the 22nd of September, the ITF leading members and the delegates from 46 national associations, that were present at the 100th day Memorial Service for General Choi, suggested in written form to hold a Special Congress as many delegates gathered without delaying the realization of the last words of the late President who had nominated Mr. Chang Ung as a candidate for the ITF President.
The written proposals of 43 national associations were submitted to the Consultative Council which held a meeting under your presidency in order to consider them.
A consensus of their views was reached in the Consultative Council meeting on the full possibility of holding a Special Congress by 46 countries according to the ITF constitution Art. 10. Para. 3, that stipulates as follows: “A Special Congress will be called by the proposals in writing of one-third of voters propose in written form.”
Six members of the Consultative Council shared the view that holding a Special Congress was valid under the emergence when something abnormal had occurred within the ITF Secretariat that should carry out through the last words of the Founder at an early date.
This is why the holding of a Special Congress was unanimously determined, although the ITF Constitution stipulates that all the national associations should be informed of the holding of a Special Congress 4 weeks in advance.
So, prior to a Special Congress, the six members of the Consultative Council informed of the decision of the Consultative Council to Mr. Rhee Ki Ha, Mr. Kalashnikov and Mr. Pak Si Ung, Vice President, Mr. Tom McCallum, Secretary General and Mr. Hwang Ho Yong, Chairman of the Education committee and none of them was against the holding of a Special Congress.
Mr. Tom MacCallum was the only one that did not attend the Special Congress unfavourably without any reason in an organized way to be accused by many presidents of the national associations.
Like this, in accordance with the written proposals of 43 national associations present and the decision of the Consultative Council, the ITF was held, with full approval of the executive members in the conference hall of the People’s Palace of Culture in Pyongyang at 3:00pm on the 22nd of September 2002.
In the Special Congress, Mr. Rhee Ki Ha, Vice-President of ITF made a report concerning the realization of the Founder Choi Hong Hi’s will and recommended to propose Mr. Chang Ung for President.
In your speech on the platform of the Special Congress you mentioned about the proposals of the delegates from 43 national associations for the holding of a Special Congress and said as follows:
“The ITF Constitution stipulates that all the national associations should be informed of the holding of a Special Congress 4 weeks before it. But we’re holding a Special Congress without it and I think it is not illegal as we are under a situation of emergency that we should execute the last words of the late President. I have got written proposals of the delegates from 43 national associations for holding a Special Congress. These are enough to prove that holding a Special Congress is legitimate and valid. You’re kindly requested to exert your efforts to elect Mr. Chang Ung, ITF President.”
Your address was warmly welcomed by the delegates from national associations. In the Special Congress the delegates from Russia and Greece, China and Ethiopia took the floor in support of electing Mr. Chang Ung for new President.
When Mr. Rhee Ki Ha, the Vice-President suggested to elect Mr. Chang Ung, a member of the IOC, the ITF President following the will of the Founder, all the attendants unanimously stood up and warmly clapped their hands to express the absolute support and approval.
The decision on electing Mr. Chang Ung, the 2nd President of ITF was adopted and recorded as a document.
At the Special Congress was present Jong Yong Duk, Doctor of Law, of DPR Korea, to prove thee fairness of the Congress. This was followed by the inaugural address of Mr. Chang Ung, which was welcomed by all the delegates present with the clapping of their hands.
Following the Congress, you asked Mr. Ri Yong Son, ex-treasurer of ITF: “Have you any opinions on my speech?” and you said with great pride, “I did my all responsibility for electing Mr. Chang Ung President of ITF to carry out General Choi’s last words”.
The next day after the Congress, Tom MacCallum also visited Mr. Chang Ung, President to vow that he would be loyal to the new President once he was elected as the ITF President.
As the above facts show, the Pyongyang Special Congress, we held together with you, was a legitimate and valid one of which proceedings from calling executing up to its decision were democratic and responsible. That is why concerning the Special Congress there is nothing to think another way, furthermore, there is no reason to argue whether the Congress is illegal or not. Aware of our duty to disclose the truth as attendants and witnesses of the Pyongyang Special Congress, it is now to inform you of what you are thinking wrong.
First, you are distorting the meeting of the Consultative Council that was held in the morning on the 22nd of September. In the meeting of the Special Congress, it was approved unanimously by 6 members of the Council including you, present in the meeting to hold a Special Congress. By the way, you wrote in your letter that 4 members were in favour of it wile 2 against. What do you mean by this?
While discussing some issues in a meeting, there may be opinion either for or against them.
But if the attendants have agreed when the decision s adopted, it is regarded as approval not opposition. You asked every member of the Consultative Council if he was for or against. When 5 of them were all in favour of it you said: “I also approve of it.” But you wrote in your letter that 2 members were against it, which is actually not the case.
It was under the discussion at ht CC. meeting about the Consultation of the ITF that if the CC calls the Special Congress, the national associations should be informed of its calling by the Council 4 weeks before it starts.
Concerning this, there were claims that it was necessary to call the Special Congress under the emergent situations: first, to control a series of complexity with the ITF by executing the last words of the late President as soon as possible, secondly, to realized the unity of the ITF, affiliation to the General Association of the International Sports Federations and joint entry into the 2004 Olympic Games following General Choi’s will, and the calling of the Special Congress would be legitimate and reasonable.
As you were in favour of this point of view, you concealed your original opinion to delay the holding of the Special Congress and gave consent to the proposal for calling the Special Congress in Pyongyang.
Thereby the Consultative Council meeting was undergone in Pyongyang legally as required by the ITF Constitution, presided by you and made its right decision.
Second, you are reversing the truth of the proceedings of the special Congress. As already mentioned, you, at the Special Congress, said that it was valid to hold the special Congress at the emergent situation of ITF and appealed to elect Mr. Chang Ung for President, following the last words of General Choi.
Such being the case, why do you say then that the Special Congress was illegal now?
You wrote in your letter that Mr. Chang Ung could not be the President because there was no voting for electing the President. However, it was you who forgot this election was executed by the ITF custom, that if there is only one candidate for the President, a unanimous applause for the representatives means the approval.
Furthermore, the representatives from 43 countries submitted their proposal in writing that a Special Congress should be held to elect Mr. Chang Ung for President. Was there any necessity to take the trouble to ask yes or no?
Is it not true that you also applauded when all the representatives from the national associations stood up to unanimously congratulated Mr. Chang Ung, the newly elected President and that you took memorial pictures with Mr. Chang Ung and shook hands with him?
Now you are reversing your own speeches and behaviour.
Thirdly, you have responded blindly to the legal conclusion which was drawn at the Pyongyang Special Congress. At the Special Congress a Doctor of Law of D.P.R. Korea who was presiding as such gave proof on the fairness of the Congress. He witnessed the whole proceedings as an official advocate and proved that the Special Congress was a true one full of trust and aspiration in carrying out the Founder’s last words and that the proceeding was fair and legal.
We regard your conclusions as a one-sided view point without hearing from the lawyer that was witness to the Congress but instead you believe more from a man that did not attend that Congress as if he was a lawyer.
At the CC meeting, it was mentioned that the ITF funds had been appropriated on the personal judgement of the Secretary General and to clarify everything, all members of the CC recommended to Mr. Chung Ung to appoint and delegate an auditor. Delegating the ITF auditor is the problem subject to the authority of the new President.
However, you say that the issue relating to Mr. MacCallum, Secretary General, had not been discussed and that there was no decision taken to audit the finances.
If there is something wrong in the auditing results, it would be alright to correct and put things right, then what are you afraid of and why do you say things that are untrue?
Fifth, you are wrong in evaluating the way of thinking of the TKDists in the East and the West. The ITF is an international marital art organization formed and united single-heartedly based on the 5 doctrines of TKD that respects the ideas, politics, religion and race of everyone in the world.
And therefore, even though the life style and customs are different between the East and West, nothing differs in their standpoint and aspirations for the last words of General Choi and in realizing the TKD ideals. This is but an illusion for you.
What you say and think produces only the division between the TKDists of the East and West who have been in harmony as one family.
Sixth, you have been mistaken about Mr. Hwang Jin, member of the CC. You said that Mr. Hwan Jin made a hand gesture to propose a new Special Congress. But how could he communicate this without any words as if he was afraid of something. You must not forget that the CC members have been selected by General Choi among those most fair and principled.
Seventh, you are acting beyond your power by proposing for another Special Congress in Malaysia. There was no discussion made for a Special Congress in the meeting of the CC.
Have you ever thought of what chaos and effect it would bring to the ITF if the wrong information is given to the ITF members about a decision made in the CC meeting to call for a Special Congress? As seen above, your letter distorts all the facts.
It is as clear that your behaviour is harmful to the unity of the TKDists and this creates an obstacle in furthering the development of the ITF.
If there would be a split in the ITF history of over half a century as soon as the Founder has passed away, all of us will commit a crime before the senior and the rising generation of TKD.
A sage saint once said, “The wise man is one who corrects his mistakes”. We deem it wise for you to take our advice seriously and put the present ITF situation in order.
Today all the high ranking officials and members of the ITF express a warm welcome to the President Mr. Chang Ung and make their efforts for the ITF unity and development.
We earnestly recommend you once again to hold up the Presidency of Mr. Chang Ung whom you supported and welcomed for the ITF development and avoid its split with the last words of the General Choi as our guide.
We believe that the conscientious TKD people who love the ITF agree wholeheartedly with us.
Best regards,
Grand Master Rhee Ki Ha, Vice-President
Master Kalashnikov, Vice-President
Mr. Pak Si Ung, Vice-President
Grand Master Hwang Kwang Sung, Spokesman ITF
Master Georgios Stylianidis, member of C.C.
Master Hwang Jin, member of C.C.
Jong Jac Hun, member of C.C.
Hwang Bong Yong, President Asian Taekwon-Do Federation
Grand Master Park Jong Soo, member of C.C.
