Kukkiwon stats

[DWx]

So I've happened across the new Kukkiwon membership website: http://kms.kukkiwon.or.kr/

Lets you see how many dan members are in each country and how many dojangs (and where they are located). You can click on the map or at the drop down menus to look by country or continent.

Some rough stats:

8.5 million blackbelts / 7400 dojangs

Africa: 32 000 / 171

Asia: 8 000 000 / 624

Europe: 110 000 / 2300

Oceania: 25 000 / 160

America: 340 000 / 4000

(I have rounded the numbers and I don't think it's a complete list).

Can't get over how many blackbelts are in Asia! I figured it would be more than in other parts of the world but not 95%!!!

The distribution between grades is pretty noticeable too. Taking Great Britain:

1st dan: 4419

2nd dan: 1603

3rd dan: 688

4th dan: 299

5th dan: 115

6th dan: 55

7th dan: 17

8th dan: 2

Because I'm sad enough to waste my time doing it, if you plot that onto a graph, it's almost a perfect exponential drop in numbers.

The website also lets you check to see if someone has a registered poom/dan grade. Might be useful if you're wanting to train with someone and you want to check they do actually have that grade.

[andym]

Bet 'master' Matt Fiddes is'nt listed.

[bushido_man96]

Big numbers, for sure. I'm willing to bet not all those students are active, though.

[IcemanSK]

The important thing to remember about these stats is that they only reflect those who have received Kukkiwon certificates. In the U.S. there are a lot of folks who train in Kukki-TKD schools who receive school rank, instead of KKW certificates. If all of the BB's who train in Kukki-TKD in the U.S. were counted, the numbers would be at least double what they are on the KKW site.

[bushido_man96]

That's crazy to think about! Lots of TKD black belts out running around out there!

[Aodhan]

The important thing to remember about these stats is that they only reflect those who have received Kukkiwon certificates. In the U.S. there are a lot of folks who train in Kukki-TKD schools who receive school rank, instead of KKW certificates. If all of the BB's who train in Kukki-TKD in the U.S. were counted, the numbers would be at least double what they are on the KKW site.

Or those that achieved rank, but were never registered by their instructor, and thus have no proof of rank.

John

[sensei8]

Big numbers, for sure. I'm willing to bet not all those students are active, though.

Solid post...I concur!!

[DWx]

Big numbers, for sure. I'm willing to bet not all those students are active, though.

Solid post...I concur!!

Still impressive numbers regardless. And interesting to see how popular TKD seems to be by country.