Department of Kinesiology

Yong Chin Pak

	Office: 241 Forker Building
	Phone: 515-294-5966
	Email: ycpak@iastate.edu
	Other Links: Vita, Website

Research Interests

I have been teaching the martial arts program at Iowa State for 36 years. Students learn discipline, respect, confidence and self-control through their study of the martial arts, all of which I help them to apply to their daily lives. I have received much recognition for my contributions and leadership, including, most recently, the College of Human Sciences' Lecturer/Clinician Distinguished Faculty Award in 2007.

Teaching

I have devoted my entire life to the mastery and teaching of the Korean martial arts. I received my bachelor's degree in physical education from YongIn University (formerly Korean Judo College) and then served as a Korean secret service self-defense instructor. In 1973, when I came to the United States, I began instructing Taekwondo, Judo, and Hapkido at Iowa State University; by this time, I have taught over 35,000 students the benefits of self-defense. The collegiate Taekwondo team from Iowa State has regularly placed in the top three in the national collegiate tournament held each year and the collegiate Judo team always makes a respectable showing. The ISU Hapkido students I teach routinely hold self-defense seminars and programs for collegiate groups, helping college students develop self-confidence and awareness.

Professional Activities

In addition to my work with college students, I have been involved with self-defense instruction for local law enforcement (Iowa Law Enforcement, the City of Ames Police Department, and the ISU Department of Public Safety). I have established myself as a major figure in this country's martial arts community through my involvement with the State of Iowa Taekwondo Association, the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association (NCTA; as its president for the past 21 years), the United States of America Taekwondo (formerly the United States Taekwondo Union), and the World Taekwondo Federation. Through these organizations, we, the martial arts community, are able to promote the benefits of the martial arts nationally and internationally. As NCTA President, I coached the USA Collegiate Team in multiple international Taekwondo tournaments.

I am sincerely passionate about the martial arts and am enthusiastic about sharing my expertise with others in order to help them develop their physical and mental confidence.