The Kwans?

[rmclain]

The the founder of the Kwon Bup Bu, Byung In Yoon, went missing sometime during the war (leaving the KBB defunct), and thus some of his senior students started (Lee, Nam Suk, and Kim, Soon Bae) started the Chang Moo Kwan...

According to the source by Park, Park, and Gerrard (from the post just above), makes a comment that the founders of the Chang Moo Kwan (which I assume he means the Kwon Bup Bu founder) and the Yun Moo Kwan lost their lives in and around 1952, which corresponds closely with the information provided by rmclain.

Yoon Byung-in actually didn't die until April 3, 1983. He disappeared in August 1950 and was never heard from again by his original students. So, many rumors and speculations surrounded his disappearance. This is common in a war-torn country.

In August 1950, Yoon Byung-in went with his brother, Yoon Byung-du (Capt. in the N. Korean Army) to N. Korea. He was later appointed by the N. Korean govt. to teach Kyuck-sul to Moran-bong physical specialist groups from 1966-67. But, in 1967 he was assigned to work at a cement factory until his death (lung cancer) in 1983. His Kyuck-sul appointment was dismissed in 1967 by the N. Korean govt. because it couldn't be used as international sport.

There were other students from the Kwon-bup Bu that were just as senior as Lee Nam-sok. Lee just happened to be a little older and had access to establishing training space at his govt. job (Cheshin-bu (Postal Admin. Department)). So, he became the head instructor. Lee Nam-sok was not a contemporary to Yoon Byung-in, he was a junior student of Yoon Byung-in.

Some photos of Yoon Byung-in in the 1940's and a few from the 1980's: http://www.kimsookarate.com/intro/yoon.html

R. McLain

[joesteph]

Interesting story; photos of him on the North Korean side aren't what I'd expect to see, but that's politics, not martial arts.

I wonder if he fell out of favor to wind up in the factory. Unfortunate. It looks like he was a true contributor to Korea's growing martial arts.

Edited October 10, 2008 by joesteph

[bushido_man96]

Thanks again, rmclain.

[rmclain]

Interesting story; photos of him on the North Korean side aren't what I'd expect to see, but that's politics, not martial arts.

I wonder if he fell out of favor to wind up in the factory. Unfortunate. It looks like he was a true contributor to Korea's growing martial arts.

I know it wasn't his choice to stay in N. Korea. He tried to return to S. Korea in July 1951, during the peace talks between N. & S. Korea, but wasn't allowed.

Sometime around 1960 or 70, Choi Hong-hi 's ITF was accepted in N. Korea. So, I'm curious if N. Korea was trying to keep up with S. Korea's push to make a national sport. Kyuck-sul wouldn't fill this bill, if that the case. Yoon Byung-in's Kyuck-sul instructor appointment in 66 and 67 was from the N. Korean Govt. sports committee. It is a communist country and they can do with you whatever they wish.

R. McLain