That evening, the tour made the fourth martial art stop to visit a second group of Taekwondo students preparing for the Korean Nationals. This second group was already training and the room was moist with sweat. For 30 minutes, the tour participants watched as the team in training practiced partner kicking drills. One partner would wear two chest protectors while the other partner drilled one kick up and down the floor, throwing 10 to 20 kicks on each pass. The tour participants joined in for the last 20 minutes of class, participating in the cool down exercises. There was no sparring against this group as their training was specifically focused on sparring competition. At the college age of 18-22, these students have been training Taekwondo for an average of 10 to 12 years. It would not be safe or fair to have the tour participants spar because the Taekwondo competitors would have to hold back on technique and risk getting injured through an accident. It was a unique treat for the US students to see the competitors training at the highest levels of competition. It is quite possible that some of the Korean students that were there that night might one day represent Korea in the Olympics.

Group photo

On the third day in Seoul, the last full day of the tour, the morning included a visit to the Olympic park and in the afternoon the group made the fifth martial art stop at the Kukkiwon, the world headquarters of Taekwondo. The Kukkiwon complex houses a competition arena, offices, retail and Taekwondo Museum. In the museum are displays on the history of Taekwondo, Taekwondo competitors and artifacts from the history of Taekwondo. That night, the tour went to a restaurant that specialized in Peking Duck. The cooks were sent to the city of Peking to learn how to cook this delicacy.

Tae Hayden and Jeremy Roadruck at the Olympic park.
 

Reenactment of royal ceremony at the Korean Capital
 

In front of the Kukiwon
(l/r) Jeremy Roadruck, Mavis Reed, Master Benny Meng, Tae Hayden.
 

Inside the Kukiwon

On Wednesday, July 4th, the tour group bid a fond farewell to Korea with a hope of returning once again in the future. Like the Hong Kong / China Trip during the 1999 World Ving Tsun Conference, everything was 1st Class - hotels, food, site seeing, and martial arts exchange. Many precious experiences as well as friendships were developed.