YH Park Taekwondo Academy Celebrates 50th Anniversary

November 14, 2023- On December 2, 2023 the YH Park Taekwondo Academy will commemorate its 50th Anniversary of serving and teaching the people of New York the traditional Korean Martial Art of Taekwondo.

YH Park’s Taekwondo Academy, deemed the “premier martial arts school in the United States, by The NY Times,” opened on Long Island in 1973 under, now deceased, Grandmaster Yeon Hee Park. At that time Taekwondo was not well known in the United States, and the Park brothers envisioned popularizing the martial art in the US. Today Taekwondo is the most practiced martial art in the world, being taught in over 196 countries.

Park was joined shortly after opening by his brother, seven (7) time Korean National Fighting Champion, 1998 US Olympic Team Coach, and Grandmaster, Yeon Hwan Park. The two brothers hosted the 11th World Taekwondo Championships at Madison Square Garden, which is credited with paving the way for IOC approval of Taekwondo as a full medal sport at the Summer Olympics.

Over the years students have included ordinary citizens, business CEO’s, prominent athletes and sports figures, and world leaders. Literally, thousands of students have trained at the family’s training center, or DOJANG, as it is known in Korean.

The YH Park Taekwondo Academy members have engaged in many philanthropic undertakings over the course of the past five (5) decades, including charitable work for the Korean War Veterans, fundraisers for The Police Orphan and Widows’ Fund, F.R.E.E., and more. The school’s annual Taekwondo Championships raises money for academic scholarships for worthy students.

On December 2nd the Academy will celebrate its five decades of impact with a ceremony at Leonard's Palazzo. At this ceremony Grandmaster Park, and the Academy, are expected to be presented with a Citation from Nassau County Executive, Bruce Blakeman.

For more information on the 50th Anniversary please contact Head Instructor, Master Edward Park at 516-735-3434