History

Grandmaster Yong Taek Chung

Yong Taek Chung was born in Seoul, Korea on March 3, 1921. While his family had been highly respected and part of the educated class they lost everything during the Japanese occupation and, like most during that time, struggled for survival. Chung became interested in martial art as a boy but it was illegal at that time to openly teach or learn martial art in Korea. Not until he was a young man, at the age of 19, did Yong Taek Chung begin to train in the art of Tang Soo Do under the instruction of Won Kuk Lee. Sometime later, after martial art training became legal, Yong Taek Chung circulated among the later Chung Do Kwan students and he was to become almost a mythic figure because of his exploits. He was known for his toughness and bravery. Mr. Chung was to remain one of Lee's top students and kept a close relationship with his instructor for the rest of his life.


After Won Kuk Lee retired and moved to Japan Mr. Chung soon followed his teacher, settling in Tokyo and opening the first Chung Do Kwan Branch Club outside of Korea. In 1955 the Chung Do Kwan (like all Korean martial arts schools) officially adopted the name "Tae Kwon Do" for their martial art curriculum and so Master Chung found himself as a major figure in the Tokyo martial arts community serving as president of the All Japan Tae Kwon Do Association. In 1959, while still in Tokyo, Master Chung won the prestigious Tournament of Masters.

In 1974 Master Chung decided to bring his expertise to the Kansas City, Missouri in the United States. During Master Chung's time in Tokyo as well as in Kansas City he would regularly receive visits from his old instructor, Great Grand Master Won Kuk Lee. It was during one of these visits in 1984 that Master Chung received the rank of 9th Dan Black Grand Master Lee. In 1988 Grand Master Chung retired from teaching, turning his schools over to his students, and moved to Garden Grove, California. But remained active with his students and in retirement Yong Taek Chung spent the next 19 years helping students, instructors, and Masters continue the Chung Do Kwan tradition. Master Chung passed away peacefully in his home in Fountain Valley, California on November 11, 2006.

Master Thomas Duncan

Master Thomas Duncan is the head instructor and owner of Duncan's Karate School and has over 30 years of experience training and teaching Tae Kwon Do. He was a direct student of Grandmaster Yong Taek Chung,  and it is from him that he received the title Master in 2000.

In 1979, after training for several years in Grandmaster Chung's Kansas City school, Master Duncan first achieved the rank of black belt. For several years thereafter, he helped Master Chung teach as an assistant instructor until opening Duncan's Karate School in 1985. In 2004, he received the rank of sixth dan black belt.

Sabumnim Mark Cook

Mr. Cook has trained with Master Duncan since 1995. He was awarded his 4th dan in 2012. Mr.Cook has assisted Master Duncan in teaching since 1997. Mr. Cook currently teaches at Hallmark Cards Inc. in their corporate fitness center. He also teaches at the Paul Henson YMCA in Prairie Village Kansas and in his own dojang in his home. He also developed and teaches a women's self defense program called "Ladies Night Ouch" that is offered through schools systems and corporations.