Jin Pal Hapkido - President and Founder
World United Martial Arts Federation - President
Korean New Martial Arts Hapkido Federation - International Director
Korean Hapkido Federation - Advisory Board

In the present world of martial arts, there exist many great styles and great masters who teach it. As a tenth degree black belt in Hapkido, a one time personal bodyguard to the former South Korean President Park Chong Hee, a leading man in eight 1970s martial arts movies and the trainer of the United States’ special forces during the Vietnam War, Grandmaster Kim Jin Pal is certainly among the elite. Though his biography is lengthy, it is the only way to understand the depth of his life long experience.

The origin of his legendary skill traces back to his early youth. Grandmaster Kim was born in April 2, 1941 in a town named U-Pori Il-Gu(Seu-Chung), South Korea. Growing up amidst a chaotic state brought about by the civil war between the North and South Korea, Grandmaster Kim had to resort to fighting to protect himself against the oppressions of the rampant street gangs. Even though ferocious by nature, to be a more effective fighter, Grandmaster Kim sought training in Ssirum, a folk style Korean wrestling, and Karate (note: this is the form of Karate that originated from Japan and is comprehensive in all aspects of fighting ranging from hand strike, kicking, grappling and throwing techniques. No relations to the form of Karate that was developed in the United States such as Kempo, which focuses mostly on hand strike techniques). At the age of 16, he left his hometown to move to the city of Daegu Sin Chun and expanded his martial arts training to Judo, Kendo, as well as Tang Soo Do (Chung Do Kwan).