Master Roger Koo's resignation as Vice-President of Choi Kwang Do Martial Art International and many others.

Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi
President
Choi Kwang Do Martial Art Int'l
5651 Bells Ferry Rd
Acworth, GA 31010. U.S.A
November 22nd, 1991

Dear Sir,

I submit my resignation as of the above date from your organization because of your actions towards me and the hostile events that have evolved for the pasts months.
When I first met you in April 1988, I thought to myself at last I have found a true Grandmaster in Martial Arts who lived up to all the philosophies that a martial artist should adhere to. You impressed me with your new martial art and I made the necessary sacrifice to part company with my colleagues in Tae Kwon-Do who headed the fastest growing Tae Kwon-Do organization in the U.K (ranked #2 after 1 year it was formed) ie: "The U.K.T.F" in order to promote your new art - Choi Kwang Do, not only in the United Kingdom but to the entire world as well.

Since 1988 I have spent literally thousands of english pounds sterlings promoting this new name in terms of advertising and publicity.


You have appeared on many martial arts front cover magazines with massive publicity campaign for Choi Kwang Do. I spent well over 10,000 pound sterlings ($17,500) on stocks of front cover magazines to hand out to new students. I spent thousands of pound sterlings on travelling back and forth to the USA (at least twice per year) to personally train with you. The exposure Choi Kwang Do received since 1988 would not have happened without my direct involvement and the support from U.K instructors.


We followed your policy wholeheartedly by initiating "franchise" policy in the United Kingdom. A corporation was formed in the U.K to protect the name of Choi Kwang Do under my name. The U.K organization spent over a thousands pounds in 2 sets of lawyers who were recommended by your own corporations's law firm to perform tasks regarding franchise. With the enforcement of "franchise" policy, the U.K's organization lost 6 of its chief instructors. Regardless we persevered to rebuild the organization. I constantly organised large seminars from 400 to 1,000 members over the years.


I gave up my schools in the U.K, my position as President, Master Chief Instructor/Examiner, my gross income (100,000 pound sterlings, net income 40,000 pound sterlings), my car etc.. in order to come to the U.S to further develop and to promote its name worldwide. Prior to my arrival, Mr. Pereira called me to let me know of the new plan to help build up the Georgia area and to work at the int'l headquarters. I abandoned the plan to sell my house to start up a new school in the U.S.

Upon arrival in the U.S early February, leaving my family behind purposely for 5 months in order for me to concentrate on the enormous tasks ahead of me so that I could spend 12 to 15 hours per day on my duties. I slept on the floor in your house as there was no bed available and your promise that you would sort out our salaries in the future as business develops did not materialize. Mr. Pereira and I lived only on expenses and still is up to the point of my resignation (10 months later) it seems clear to me now you always underpay all your staff on purpose and expect them to make huge sacrifice for you. I once asked you why Mr. Bob Lowrey's salary is so low, your answer was "If I pay him more money, he spend it more on beers."

The latest episode is comical, you used me as a scapegoat to deliberately underpay all your present staff and demand most of the new sales personnel coming over from Kim's Karate to work for NO PAY and only on bare minimum expenses. You even use Mr. Tommy Lee to get rid of staff ie: Ms. Kathe Valade.
He was so rude to her, she even had a meeting with you the following day, in tears.


You have violated our contract as stipulated to the immigration department for H1 Visa and Georgia Dept. of Labor for Labor Certification. This in itself is a criminal act.
When my family arrived in the U.S at the end of June, I had to support my family with additional income from the U.K to be precise $600.00 per month as I was still on bare minimum expenses. Over the years while travelling back and forth to the U.S, you constantly told me how financially successful all the full time schools were and the enormous turnover they were doing. You always boasted how much money you were making on testing fees especially from Gary Williams, Michigan, your best earned income up to $10,000 every time you tested there.

Since I came here and was given the title as Vice-President, second in command according to you, I began to discover that all the franchise schools including your own were not doing very well financially. None of the schools had more than 200 members. Most of them average 50-80 or less with a few around 160-180 mark. Furthermore they were not making enough money for their total livelihood, their wives had to work or the owners themselves had to work during the day, at second jobs.

As far as the international headquarters's administration was concerned, it was non existent. There was only Mrs. Kassie Dahlgren performing all the duties on a part-time basis under enormous pressure. There was no system of administration at all, no proper record keeping, no written National/International rules and regulations. Compared to where I came from, your administration system was very primitive. You have criticized other "martial arts" as being primitive, yet your organization's administration was worse. The reason for that is because you had no one capable of setting it up for you unless they got paid an enormous salary from you?

You always said you controlled your organization well for the past 10 years, how do you explain that there has been no growth beyond Michigan and Georgia in that space of time? Instead schools open and closed with frequent change of owners, and theses owners somehow disappeared completely from training? You allowed me to organize your international headquarters with the latest technology which I did. You now have the best (but not the most expensive system) computer, photocopier, fax and telephone system any corporation would so desire to have in order to improve its efficiency.

Upon my arrival, you loaded me with the accounts including your personal account. My exact duties were not defined, except "you are in charge". You complained that the certified public accountant (C.P.A) then, Mr. Yanosky was not very good and wanted it changed. Even then, when I started doing the accounts, there were a huge pile of monthly bills to pay. Towards the end of march, after intensive research for the best and cheapest computer, I started to computerize the account system and I input all the information from January 1991 in order to analyze past expenditures. I produced monthly computerized reports for the C.P.A. I showed you these monthly reports and you brushed them aside, unable to comprehend them. Many other reports were produced, but your problem was not being able to understand them.

I found a new C.P.A and fired the old one as ordered. I then discovered the true reasons for the new C.P.A; your corporation and personal tax were not handled properly. For 1990 taxes, payable this year, you had a demand of $28,000 in federal taxes and $6,600 for georgia taxes. The new C.P.A; Martin & Wurst P.C did a great job of reducing your tax burden from $34,600 to around $22,000. I found that company which saved you this enormous tax bill. In time, working closely with the new C.P.A, we discussed how to further improve the accounting system. I wanted a more in depth analysis of income and expenditure, that's when Mr. Wurst recommended me the "Peachtree Accounting Program". Two months ago, Debbie Wilson came on the scene and offered her help with the "Peachtree Accounting Program" as she does this daily for her work. On several occasions, we met to discuss the new layout for her to input into the computer.

As well as performing the duties of a book-keeper for the 2 corporations accounts and your personal account (which is a full-time position in itself), I had many other duties to perform: including but not limited to personal secretary to you for all your household affairs, corporations's affairs, finding new locations for schools/negotiations, problem solving of chief instructors pasts problems, designing computer programs, search for a computer programmer to work with me for the "membership database" (which is not 100% completed yet, as minor final adjustments are still required), production of the 1st video, its lay-out, contents, research for the best video production company with a very limited budget, writing International Newsletters (each one takes 1 week to write in between all the jobs),

designing new administrative forms, new grading records cards, improving testing procedures, and scheduling, testing promotional result sheets, designing flyers, advertising layouts, despatching videos, immediate correspondence from inquiries home and overseas via letters etc.. Ask any computer experts to check all the data that have been input into it from march 1991 and they will verify the enormous amount of work that has taken so many months to perform.

There was no budget to hire professional personnel to do what I was doing. You also cannot hire a professional computer programmer and expect him to do all the tasks that I did on the computer. He/she would need to know exactly what you require in order for him/her to do the tasks. In computer language "garbage in; garbage out" for those who do not know what they are doing!

I initiated instructors courses for "technical standardization as well as business practices". Only Mrs. Brenda Hollingsworth and Mrs. Kassie Dahlegren know of the enormous amount of work the international headquarters face every day. Each new day a new problem would surface and needed to attend to, constant interruption from the telephone making it difficult to concentrate on our duties, constant interruption from Mr. Pereira on his time wasting "chit-chat" to all the staff in person as well as over the telephone. All I did for the organization was under your direct supervision. You always wanted to know how much money was in the account and I used to show you the balances on the computer's screen. You always knew there were not enough funds.

I spent 12 to 15 hours per day trying to do all these duties and still did not have enough hours in the day. I was accused of not working as a team. What team? In any corporation, a good team consists of a group of people hired on their abilities to perform their task. As far as being given a few people and saying this is your team is a joke. If it was my company, I would not hire any of them, these are martial artists who can kick and punch, they have no clues about business or administrative abilities and organizational skills.

Mr Pereira does not have a talent for business or in administration, his only asset is at "chit-chatting" which he can do all day and some sales. As far as work is concerned, he has said this many many times, he will come in at 11am or as late, go home at 9pm and work only for a couple of hours in that space of time. His only asset is "public relations" and that only talking. He always wants other people to do his work for him. His duties were to be Secretary-General/Advertising & Marketing Officer. He failed as he did not have the administrative skills required to perform it 100%. He demanded that I help him after my full day's work ie: to stay in the office with him till midnight or 1am. We argued so many times about it. I told him if he cannot do it, learn! That's when I stopped producing international newsletters. I told him to finish newsletter #8, dated August 1st which was 90% completed, the rest is history, it remained in his work tray.

In October, I received a telephone call from Mr. Jim Wellsmore, Australia as he sensed something was not right in the int'l organization as international newsletters had not appeared since #7, dated July 1st. I said we were in financial difficulties and I am needed elsewhere. You went mad when you heard I said this to him. You wanted me to tell him that everything was fine, no problem and we are fast expanding.

Mr. Bob Lowery's only asset is a "technical director", he loves teaching, but hates paper work, children classes and sales. He has no experience in administrative duties or the running of an international organization.

Since I stopped working at the international headquarters about 2 months ago, the entire office went into a mess, papers left everywhere, no filing system maintained, no proper records being kept. No one knows where files are kept and yet they are all labeled and filed in the filing cabinet. No one understands how to make proper use of the computer or how to access the information from it. I used to receive many telephone calls from Mr. Tommy Lee and Mr. Bob Lowrey as how to operate the computer after I was moved out of the int'l headquarters.

Two months ago, you publicly disgraced me in front of Mr. Marshall Pereira, Mr. Eric Hennings, Mr. Andrew Behrens and Mrs. Kassie Dahlgren. You accused me of causing the present financial debt to the company. You keep saying that your corporation was in a very healthy state prior to Mr. Pereira and my arrival in the U.S and how much excess money you had to spend on anything you like. If you were financially in a better position prior to our arrival, why then do you have all these outstanding debts and had to borrow money?

Anyone who has surplus of money would make sure that they payoff these excessive high interest credit cards debts and long term outstanding loans, pay off car payments etc... For the records, the following are the true facts as to why your organization has been, still is and will be in the financial mess it is in.

a) OBTAINING LOANS FROM CHIEF INSTRUCTORS IN 1990.
Prior to my arrival in the U.S, back towards the end of 1990, you borrowed $5,000 from Master James Lim in Canada, $3,000 from Mr. Pereira and $1,000 from myself. You still currently owe Master Lim $5,000 and myself $1,000. Mr. Pereira had his $3,000 returned to him via wire transfer to Bank Credit Commerce International (B.C.C.I) in the U.K (see the monthly accounts report) returned as the Mercedes which he bought in the U.K, was not paid and was repossessed by the company. Prior to his departure he sold it to Mr. Ahmed Shabanzadeh's best friend and he called to say that the car was repossessed and the police were looking for Mr. Pereira. So Choi Kwang Do Int'l wired the $3,000 owed to Mr. Pereira to B.C.C.I in U.K. to pay off the Mercedes car loan.

If you financially better off, why did you need to borrow $9,000 and still currently owe $6,000. I NOW DEMAND MY $1,000.00 LOAN PLUS INTERESTS RETURNED TO ME IMMEDIATELY! TAKE IT OUT OF THE $23,200 YOU WILL BE RECEIVING FROM DOUGLASVILLE SCHOOL! ADDITIONALLY UNDERPAYMENT OF MY SALARY, THE ADDITIONAL INCOME SUPPORT FROM THE U.K FOR THE PASTS 5 MONTHS - $3,000, LEGAL ACTIONS WOULD BE NECESSARY OTHERWISE!

b) PAST AND CURRENT EXISTING DEBTS.
Master Choi, you have enormous monthly payments ie: $1,500 mortgage on 1596 Brynwood Court; $500 on 272 Heck Rd, $950.00 for rent of 272 Heck Rd., wire to Mrs. Choi in Korea (plus $30.00 for the wire transfer); $500 for the Mercedes (Mrs Choi); $464.00 for the Acura Legend; $632.00 for the new B.M.W. NINE different sets of credit cards, total amount owed approximately $30,000+. THREE other loan companies, I don't know exactly how much is owed on these three.

c) 1ST VIDEO PRODUCTION DRAINING THE CORPORATION'S MONEY RESERVES.

The production of the Video you wanted since 1989. Mr. Harry Blazer, former chairman budgeted $100,000 for production alone. I found a company who budgeted production cost of around $18,000, but time wasting on the day involved in sunday overtime and with 1,500 duplication tape cost, cover, wrapping and labelling, total video production costs came to around $30,000. Your first was the best professional video production ever made.

d) MONEY OWING TO YOUR PREVIOUS LAW FIRM.
The Choi Kwang Do's Corporation currently still owes the old law firm which Mr. James Zito worked for around $7,000.00. This is a debt accumulated for about 2 years or more.

e) FEDERAL/GEORGIA TAXES OWING.
You owed Federal/Georgia Taxes $36,600 now reduced substantially, taking into account the 1st quarter tax paid of $7,000 for federal and $1,650 for georgia; my calculation is that you have to pay by the end of november about $12,000 for both. I delayed the payment for your taxes as much as I could with the help of the C.P.A.
f) LOANING MONEY TO CLOSE FRIEND.
You knew we did not have enough funds in the corporation accounts and insisted to wire transfer $5,000 to Mr. Sang Ki Eun to Korea. (See corporation account for details)

g) OBSESSIONS OF INCREASING MORE DEBTS.
SANDY PLAINS CHOI KWANG DO SCHOOL, GEORGIA.
The obsession of owning many full time schools in Gerogia. Prior to my arrival in the U.S, you had only the int'l headquarters and Cartersville. Cartersville was showing a loss and int'l headquarters was just making a small profit. In February when I arrived, I had a meeting with Mr. John Bishop to sort out the closure of his Choi Kwang Do school at future store, Roswell, Georgia as he owed many people a lot of money and his school's rent had not been paid for a year. You wanted him to hand over the territory rights so that your new school across the road at Sandy Plains could be opened. The corporation's lawyer Mr. James Zito had several meetings with myself and Mr. John Bishop over this issue. Legal paper were signed by yourself and Mr. John Bishop. The few students that came across were not sufficient, even though the numbers have grown to around 60 members now, its still not enough to pay rent, utilities and staff wages. The school is not really paying for itself.

h) DULUTH CHOI KWANG DO SCHOOL, GEORGIA.
Next you took over Mr. Hal Helfenbein's school in Duluth, Georgia. Mr. Helfenbein having invested $40,000 in just under 2 years, was unable to afford to keep the school functioning. He always paid up his dues to int'l headquarters in terms of membership fees, testing fees and business and certain equipment fees. Although, he made some serious business and personal errors, he tried his upmost to promote the art and to make the school run successfully to the very end. He had several meetings with you and myself about helping his school. You did your best to take over his school without giving him any support or hope. Your ambition was to take over that school at all cost as you saw the opportunity to own a school in Gwinnett county, because Gwinnett county is the fastest growing county in the country and the potential to make a lot of money there is greater than any other school in Georgia. You wanted me to keep the opening of the new location in Pleasant Hill Point, Duluth, a secret from Mr. Helfenbein. Your intention was then not to allow Mr. Helfenbein any involvement whatsoever in Choi Kwang Do

I negotiated with Gwinnet Prado, the old Duluth school for month to month rent until the new school opens at Pleasant Hill Point, which is another site managed by Retail Planning Company. The worst discovery was to find out that you are now dating Mr. Helfenbein's ex-girlfriend. When Mr. Helfenbein made some accusation about it, I totally dismissed the thought. But with her serious involvement in the organization, she once told me that she would never work for your corporation as it was in such financial mess unless she had some personal interests with it. This was confirmed by another person who is a very good friend of hers. I mentioned to you once that she was wealthy with properties, that was your motive for the sudden involvement with her.

ATLANTA YELLOW PAGES
Mr. HELFENBEIN said there was an agreement with you for all metro Atlanta schools should share cost of Atlanta yellow pages. You denied that agreement. NO ONE wanted to accept responsibility, Mr. Helfenbein had no choice but to transfer the yellow pages advertising bill to the corporation for $7,000 so far and still increasing.

i) DOUGLASVILLE CHOI KWANG DO SCHOOL.
In March 1991, Dr. Lee Dinoff asked for permission to open up a school in Douglasville. He began making his search for premises without success. International newsletter #7, dated July 1st announced his intention of opening his school in Douglasville. Dr. Dinoff held off from opening as he has heard bad things about the organization and was going around visiting and checking each location to find out how successful each school was doing. He even visited Mr. Brian Hill and Mr. Pete Pukish who left the organization last year to ask them why?

Dr. Dinoff had a meeting with me on July 25th at 9.15am at the int'l headquarters to answer questions about the organization. As usual, I had my duties to perform under your supervision, to reassure him that there was nothing wrong and everything was running smoothly. He accepted my explanations and he then requested Mr. Kelly Chandler as his future chief instructor and partner. At that meeting, I declined and made him an offer of Mr. Andrew Behrens. Even Mr. Behrens was prepared to go to Douglasville at that time. He began to search for premises and had discussed these premises with me. Even Dr. Joel Dinoff, brother of Dr. lee Dinoff came for training at the int'l headquarters to check how good of an instructor Mr. Behrens was? Dr. Lee Dinoff was concerned about the chief instructor available, the success or failure partly lies on the quality of the Chief instructor.

Retail Planning Company, the company responsible for the Johnson Ferry Choi Kwang School, Gerogia; Duluth Choi Kwang Do School, Gerogia; approached me with an irresistible offer of the century. A 2,800 sq. feet premise with 6 months free rent, full remodelling costs, and within 30 days of opening a check of $23,200. I told Mr. Jim Ezell of Retail Planning that Douglasville territory belongs to Dr. Lee Dinoff and asked him to contact him direct. Dr. Lee Dinoff has that offer in writing.

Circumstances changed drastically within the organization, and with your consent, you allowed Mr. Kelly Chandler to go and teach for Dr. Lee Dinoff in october. Although the offer from Retail Planning was very attractive, Dr. Dinoff eventually declined it because the overhead 6 months later would have been tremendous as the monthly running costs of the school would be around $3,000 for rent and cam charges, $2,000 for Mr. Kelly Chandler's wages, utilities, miscs. expenses like advertising, sales personnel wages/commissions and what guarantee would there be enough members to pay for these minimum monthly expenses. He thought and was advised by many other professional people to open up the school behind his chiropractic unit and to build up the school from his existing patients and their immediate families and friends and when numbers are sufficiently high, then would be financially secure to move to a more expensive and better location.

Through Mr. Kelly Chandler and myself, you were informed of Dr. Dinoff's intention of opening his school behind his chiropractic unit. You did nothing about it then to stop him from remodelling. You did however make comments to think about how to stop him from opening his school in Douglasville as you were interested in the "Deal of the century offer from Retail Planning" for yourself because of the huge cash offer. Mr. Kelly Chandler kept you well informed of what was happening with Dr. Dinoff's progress with the remodelling. You eventually asked me to accompany you to see the remodelling work in progress at his practice and to talk to Dr. Dinoff about it. We also visited the site of the "deal of the century". You then decided to somehow stop Dr. Dinoff from continuing with his school at Douglasville on the pretence that he failed with the planing department. But your knowledge about that (planning dept.) is not 100% accurate.

Dr. Lee Dinoff had already printed 20,000 flyers, signed a contract for a bill bards, obtained a business licence for a Choi Kwang Do school under his name in Douglasville, set up a new telephone line at his practice for Choi Kwang Do and even Mr. Kelly Chandler and Dr. Dinoff gave a business presentation on Choi Kwang Do to Douglasville chamber of commerce business personalities the day we visited his practice.

I am disgusted to discover from Dr. Dinoff that you actually denied through your new law firm that there were no such agreement from him to open up a school in Douglasville. How can you deny the facts that we gave him territorial rights in Douglasville, sent Mr. Kelly Chandler from Sandy Plains School to work at his chiropractic unit while the remodelling was being done. Mr. Chandler's wages were being paid by Dr. Dinoff and answered inquiries for Choi Kwang Do there. You even persuaded Mr. Kelly Chandler to perjure himself with Dr. Lee Dinoff's lawyers by denying that there was an agreement for him to open a school there. There are many other witnesses who will testify that there was an agreement made for Douglasville to be opened by Dr. Dinoff behind his chiropractic unit. The latest saga for the Dinoffs is the expulsion of Dr. Joel Dinoff, brother of Dr. Lee Dinoff from Sandy Plains Choi Kwang Do school on some feeble excuse regarding some comments he made to Mr. Tommy Lee regarding testing. If this is the case, you need to expel hundreds more people from your organization regarding statements about your testing procedures. Even Mr. Tommy Cho publicly said many, many times that "NO ONE EVER FAILS IN CKD, EVERYBODY PASS!"

j) SALE OF CARTERSVILLE CHOI KWANG DO.
You made it publicly known to everybody that I sold your best school. Your original instruction was to sell Cartersville as it was not being profitable. Mrs. Chong Reed was initially interested in purchasing but did not want to purchase until maybe 1992. Then Mr. Jerry Ruff negotiated with me and eventually came to a fair price of $10,000. He tried to push for less and I firmly said "NO". So he backed out of the deal. Mrs. Iris Harper was hired by the Corporation to be "Program Director" at Cartersville School and memberships began to grow and Mr. & Mrs. Harper made an approach to purchase the school. We settled at the price of $10,000 pending Mr. Harper's confirmation of his continuance contract with the company where he worked. As this was taking some time, he did not want to mess us around, so he backed out of the deal. Mrs. Reed expressed another interest in the matter but still said she would not be interested for another few months and she was haggling about the price, she gave the impression that she wanted it cheaper as there were no competition from any other party to purchase it. Mr. Harper came back on the scene as his contract was confirmed and I decided to go ahead with the deal which you gave the final O.K. as the organization needed the money badly! Mrs. Reed was upset with you and I had to protect your name as always with all the other deals that I have to make on your behalf so that should anything go wrong in the future, I would be totally blames for it.

It was from this time on, I became disgusted with you. You showed your true colors. NO INTEGRITY, always to portray the image that you are the nice guy! For your information, if the Cartersville School was not sold then, you would be taking a loss, although the numbers increased, it was not enough to pay for rent, utilities, advertising, Hwy 41 Billboard in Cartersville, Chief Instructor's wages and Mrs. Harper's wages/commissions.

k) CHOI KWANG DO SCHOOLS RESIGNING OR CLOSED DOWN.
GEROGIA: Prior to my arrival, there were schools that have either closed down or resigned forvarious reasons.
Mrs. BETH STENZ'S school closure in Smyrna.
Mr. VAN NESS'S school closure in Acworth.
Mr. BRAIN HILL AND Mr. PETE PUKISH resigned sometime at end of 1990 over money issues. They pleaded with you that their school cannot financially survive as they were giving you too much in testing fees. Nothing was ever done, so they quit the organization. Upon my arrival, I had to sort out the crisis with Mr. JOHN BISHOP'S closure of his school at FUTURE store and to sign away his territorial rights over to you so that the New Sandy Plains Choi Kwang Do can be opened across the road at Sandy Plains Center at Kroger. Mr. James Zito, your old law firm was involved in meeting with Mr. John Bishop and myself at the old headquarters. After several meetings with Mr. & Mrs. John Bishop he finally signed the paper and you wanted to make sure that he had nothing to do with Choi Kwang Do whatsoever after that. Even Mr. Bishop took the future store's Choi Kwang Do school over from Mr. Pete Fennelly who could not make the school financially profitable and had to declare bankruptcy.

DORAVILLE School was purchase from Mr. Wu by Mr. TOM STREET as the previous owner could not make it into a financial viable proposition. Mr. Street has been suffering since. I believe he is now at least 3 months behind on his rent and again you have shown some determination to take his school over for NOTHING and also intend to eliminate him completely from Choi Kwang Do.

CARTERSVILLE CHOI KWANG DO SCHOOL RESIGNS
Mr & Mrs Harper have resigned. They are sick by the attitude and the way you and some of your staff have treated me for the past few months. You were giving them false facts about me. It also demonstrated that you intended to destroy their school by constantly changing chief instructors, after me, Mr. Pereira, then somebody else and then take the school away from them for nothing, just another school for your collections.

MICHIGAN
Mr. TIM YOUNG'S school was the first to leave around March 1991. He criticized the organizations lack of professionalism and other things. His letters to Mr. Marshall Pereira are in the filing cabinet.

Mr. GARY WILLIAMS'S school was next to leave around April/May 1991. This is the school that you often boasted that you made up to $10,000 in testing fees alone every 2 months, your best earned school for testing fees. You always criticized him at being a useless instructor and yet he was the best money earner for you.

Mr. JIM MYERS'S school recently left around the beginning of November. He forwarded you a very nasty 2 page letter accusing you of many past wrong doings.

Mr. HANK THORN'S school is probably next on the line as you and Mr. Bob Lowrey do not like him and want to eventually have him out of the organization. I have seen Mr. Bob Lowrey's Choi Kwang Do's desk diary describing Mr. Hank Thorn as an "Asshole" because of his business attitude.
It is quite clear that many of your franchise schools cannot survive for long without change of ownerships. Those that do, struggle for many years in financial hardships, they either close down or break-away. Currently, not one school is profitable, which means financial survival totally depends on the income it generates now!!! MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL AFTER YOUR CORPORATION.

Recently about 2 months ago, you had a legal matter arise regarding "Franchise" in the state of Michigan. Your corporation has been issuing franchise papers to several chief instructors without Choi Kwang Do ever having submitted a proper application for "Franchising" in the state of Michigan. Again, I had to deal on your behalf to smooth out the situation and since I was no longer in charge, the situation is still pending, you could still loose the case and face a criminal charge plus a fine up to $10,000.

l) RICHARD DELLARIPA'S SAGA REGARDING JOHNSON FERRY CKD SCHOOL, GEORGIA.
For months, you kept at me to work on Mr. Dellaripa to give the Johnson Ferry school back to you for nothing. From Mr. Dellaripa's point of view he had purchased the school from you for around $30,000 and that he still currently owes you $13,500. He simply wanted to see a small sum for his investment in the school. He was not aware that Mr. Tommy Cho would acquire the school for less than what was owed. I had to persuade Mr. Dellaripa to hand over the school to Mr. Tommy Cho for nothing ($0.00) which I eventually did as the lease of the school was coming to an end on September 30th. Your main concern was that the lease was under your name and to make sure that Mr. Dellaripa paid all the rent in FULL. Through Retail Planning Company, I negotiated the best deal for the New Johnson Ferry School at $5.00 per sq. ft. for the 1st year and then goes up slowly in subsequent years. Based upon the number of students transferring from the old school to the new school, my calculation is that Mr. Tommy Cho would be better off in the first year by $22,000 saving on rent alone as the old premise was around $3,000 per month. After a lot of haggling, you eventually co-sign the lease for Mr. Tommy Cho but I had to make sure that the note from Mr. Dellaripa was carried over to Mr. Cho for $10,000. I had to involve your corporation's new law firm to draft legal papers for the sale of Johnson Ferry school from Mr. Dellaripa and the purchase from Mr. Cho with all three signatures involved, including your own and notarized by myself.

m) INTERNATIONAL COUNTRIES RESIGNING.
AUSTRALIA:
With the enforcement of "Franchise" agreement with Master Lai Sam Thow, he and all his instructors left the Int'l organization in 1989.

NEW ZEALAND:
Master Chan Seng Chee from New Zealand and all his instructors left the international organization in April 1991 disgusted with the way he was tested by a panel of a 3rd Degree, a 4th Degree, and a 5th Degree and yourself. This is the reason he gave to his friend Master James Lim of Canada.

UNITED KINGDOM:
Recently at the beginning of November 1991, 12 U.K chief instructors resigned from the Int'l organization. They are as follows:
Mr. J.P KWOO 4TH DAN Mr. PETER WAKE 2ND DAN
Mr. DAVID LEWIS 2ND DAN Mr. STUART WILLIAMS 2ND DAN
Mr. JAN BURT 2ND DAN Mr. CHRISTOPHER LITNYSKI 1ST DAN
Mr. DAVID HAMMOND 1ST DAN Mr. GARY DUCKWORTH 1ST DAN
Mr. BRUCE CAIRNEY 1ST DAN Mr. DALJIT SOHAL 1ST DAN
Mrs. KAREN WAKE 1ST DAN Ms. KIM BARDEN 1ST DAN
There are only 6 chief instructors left in the U.K affiliated with the int'l headquarters with about 100 members, 2 of them are new chief instructors with hardly any members.
The reasons for leaving the int'l organization came about for several reasons:
1) Demanding each chief instructor to purchase 10 videos each. No choice about it, whether they can or cannot afford it!
2) Demand that 30% of their testing fees (6.00 pound sterling per member) be forwarded to int'l headquarters
3) Demand that 4.00 pound sterling be forwarded to int'l headquarters for certificate.
4) Abolishment of U.K's National Governing Body as it was not forwarding any annual membership monies to the U.S. The reason for this inability to forward monies to the U.S is because of Mr. Marshall Pereira's bankruptcy in the U.K, leaving a debt of around 60,000 pound sterling and bouncing checks of around 4,000 pound sterling to U.K's organization.


That's why U.K.C.F cannot afford to forward any monies to the U.S because it is still trying to catch up with bills. Mr. Marshall Pereira personally owes Master Koo around 6,000 pound sterling (which he publicly stated in the U.K that he will not pay back).
5) Each chief instructor would forward 10.00 pound sterling per member to the U.S for annual membership license. 5.00 pound sterling they retain for insurance. When these chief instructors resigned, the int'l organization tried to get them back by (bribing) offering them all to become EXAMINERS, ie: to test their own members, keeping 70% of the test fees and only to forward 30% to the int'l headquarters for certificates. Only one changed his mind, Mr Jack Watson who is tempted by the money! Mr. Lowrey had a bet with me that he would get them all to return to the Int'l organization except my bother Mr. J.P Kwoo. He was so sure of himself! My bet that in time they would lose all U.K, the remaining 6 as well.

Ironically I once resigned as Vice-President at the end of August over an argument regarding Mr. Marshall Pereira's debts to the U.K, his inability to perform his duties as Secretary-General, Advertising/Marketing Officer and for his continuance interference in U.K's internal matters.
He constantly tried to persuade you that Mr. J.P Kwoo's leadership was not good and the U.K's was falling apart. The true facts behind it was that he left his schools in charge in the hands of Mr. Royston Maynard who refused to pay any money for the schools as he discovered the enormous debt that he left behind. Mr. Maynard even had a "professional financial consultant" research into the worth of Mr. Pereira's schools as Mr. Maynard was trying to raise money to purchase the schools from him and his only conclusion was the strings of debt of 60,000 pound sterling and the 4,000 pound sterling he owed the U.K's organization. The day the English group departed after their intensive training here at the int'l headquarters in August 1991 sparked a massive argument in your office over the failure of 2 students in the U.K which Mr. J.P Kwoo as chief examiner did not see fit to pass as they were not up to standard. I cannot believe your insistence that everybody must pass, regardless of their ability all because of MONEY you would lose in future testing fees and membership fees. My resignation then was not accepted and from then on I was shifted away from the int'l headquarters.

> SUMMARIZE
a) You have steadily been losing your monthly income as the bulk of it depends on TESTING FEES. The loss of 5 full time schools in Georgia and 3 in Michigan. I estimate your loss of income there to be around $25,000 or more per month.
b) The strings of credit cards and loans outstanding amount to $30,000 +. Average monthly payments in excess of $2,000
c) Exorbitant lifestyles with 2 house mortgages, rent to Mrs. Choi to Korea ($980.00), 3 car payments around $1,600. Monthly average $5,000.00
d) Corporation existing debts to previous law firm $7,000.00+
e) Corporation outstanding bill with Atlanta's Yellow pages, minimum $7,000.00
f) The immediate TAX DEMAND from federal/georgia, around $12,000.00+
h) Property taxes due october on all your premises, $?,???.??
i) The production costs of the video and its advertising Campaign $30,000.00+
j) Lending money to a personal friend for $5,000 when the corporation could not afford it. k) The obsession of owing more schools that are non profitable.
MONTHLY RENT/CAM ETC..:
INT'L HEADQUARTERS : $2,000.00
SANDY PLAINS SCHOOL: $2,000.00
DULUTH SCHOOL: $2,600.00
DOUGLASVILLE SCHOOL: $3,500.00
MONTHLY TOTAL : $10,100.00
MONTHLY UTILITIES: ELECTRICITY, GAS, TELEPHONE, YELLOW PAGES ADVERTISING, INSURANCES, OTHER ADVERTISING AND MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES TO BE ADDED TO ABOVE FIGURES.
WAGES BILL ( ENORMOUS)
BOB LOWREY
BRENDA HOLLINGSWORTH
KASSIE DAHLGREN
KELLY CHANDLER
ANDREW BEHRENS
MISTY HOLLINGSWORTH
MARSHALL PEREIRA
TOMMY LEE
BRAIN
JOHN BAILEY
ERIC HENNINGS
ROBBIE
MARK FOLGER
ALL THESE FULL TIME SALES PEOPLE BROUGHT INTO THE ORGANIZATION, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THEY WILL STAY AROUND ON YOUR PROMISES. IF YOU REALLY PAY THEM WHAT THEY TRULY DESERVE AS ALL OF THEM BOASTS THEY CAN PRODUCE MONTHLY CONTRACT OF AROUND $50,000 EACH, THEN YOUR TOTAL WAGES BILL ALONE PLUS COMMISSIONS FOR 8 FULL TIME SALES PERSONNEL AND ALL OTHER STAFF WOULD EXCEED $10,000 PER MONTH AND THAT'S MINIMUM.

The ironic thing is that you expect many of your staff to take a cut in SALARY and most of them are currently living only on EXPENSES like Mr. PEREIRA AND MYSELF with PROMISES THAT YOU WILL SORT IT OUT IN THE FUTURE LIKE YOU DID TO US.

HOW MUCH IS YOUR CURRENT WAGES AND STAFF EXPENSES MONTHLY BILL FOR 15 STAFF MEMBERS, AND DON'T FORGET FEDERAL/GEORGIA/F.I.C.A TAXES ON TOP AS WELL. YOUR CORPORATION IS BREAKING THE LAW BY PAYING MOST OF YOUR STAFF BELOW MINIMUM SALARY FOR THE AMOUNT OF HOURS WORKED!

l) Dr. Dinoff's court case against you for $7,000 plus damages
m) My future court case against you for not fulfilling your part of the contract (which is a criminal offence in itself) plus damages for slander on my character $100,000+.
I can see quite clearly your intention, to take over as many schools as possible even moving in onto Michigan as you often said. Possibly Glen Kleinow's school as he himself is not doing well financially and it was very sad indeed to hear the I.R.S took away his home.
I see you want to be Kim's Karate II. It is a joke to keep telling people that Choi Kwang Do is the fastest growing martial art in the world. It is in reality "The fastest shrinking martial art in the world today".
Internationally speaking, the organization is not doing very well after 4 years in existence. AUSTRALIA with Mr. Jim Wellsmore 2nd Degree who currently has closed down his school and has only a few students.
NEW ZEALAND - NO MORE
CANADA - with only Master James Lim's full time institute in Montreal. He will not last very long before he too resigns from your organization.
SAUDI ARABIA with Mr. Kirk Foster 3rd Degree with maybe now 2 part-time schools barely 40 members. You very recently promoted him to 3rd Dan by post/fax without ever taking a physical test, just after the CASH again!
FRANCE with Mr. Francisco Pinto 1st Degree who has had his school opened for 2 months or so with only 2 students, his wife and my brother James in Paris.
ARGENTINA with Mr. Juan Carlos Marcucci 3rd Degree with only 2 schools about 50 students and he is planning to leave for Spain.
UNITED KINGDOM following the resignation of 12 Chief Instructors, only 6 remains with about 100 members.
MAYLASIA with Master Lee Seng Hock just now getting some instructors to join his organization, coming from the I.T.F he will not accept giving away 30% of his testing income to your organization. The others will probably leave when they hear that your organization is rapidly shrinking!
INDIA - your insistence to send Mr. Pereira to check them out with all expenses paid by them. I warned you about it not to send him and warned Mr. Pereira that he would bankrupt their funds making it difficult to bring you and Mr. Pereira back to India. That's why they pulled out of the seminar and is unlikely ever to join.
Any international country who now comes to your int'l headquarters would not be impressed with the organization as it does not function as one and will never do so as there is no one with the calibre, experience and the ability to do so! It will always be because you have never had a good policy, you just want to make use of people and when their use has been fulfilled, you then persuade all the others around you that the person is useless and not good. Then you use all of them to remove that person away from Choi Kwang Do. You yourself know exactly how many people you have eliminated in the past 10 years or more. Who, I wonder would be next on your list??

I even promoted your martial art wrongly, you made me believe that this martial art was truly scientifically researched by american doctors and scientists. During my 10 months with you, I can see no scientific papers published nor any written letter or correspondence to the effect, only your words. The odd meeting with Dr. Ben Johnson discussing a few techniques, Dr. Joe Sennebogen on the blocks and nothing else. In fact, Dr. Ben Johnson said on the video, "he will undertake a study this fall" and you know, you do not have the money for a full scientific research.

I was corresponding with my student Mr. Andy Cornwell who is originally from the U.K and currently taking a masters degree at Colorado State University. I was arranging for scientific research on Choi Kwang Do and that would truly be the first proper research on Choi Kwang Do. Even that is doubtful as it would cost money.

How can it that I followed you blindly for so long, devoting my time and energy to you and your art? You are a good talker, a true persuader and you think that you can get away with anything you want to. Well, I'm afraid that this is no so any more. I have discovered you for what you really are! I pity all your current followers if only they were to open their eyes and examine all the evidence, events and facts, they will wake up to a great shock!

All the above facts can be substantiated by written or verbal evidence (written evidence are being kept in safe places), many people would be subpoena to court to testify. Ask Mr. Pereira if I am kidding, he knows me very well, I do not bluff when I have piles of evidence, ask him about how I spent 5,000 pound sterling of my own money to get the best law firm in London to fight the U.K.T.A/I.T.F and won the case. I will not hesitate to see you in any court, local, federal or supreme, anywhere!

Master Roger Koo

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1991

Mr. James Myers's Resignation Letter, Chief Instructor, Troy, Michigan

October 15. 1991, REGISTERED MAIL, Kwang Jo Choi, International Headquarters
Bells Ferry Landing, 5651 Bella Ferry Road, Acworth. GA 30101

Dear Master Choi,
I would like to start this letter by telling you that I have nothing but the deepest respect for you and your talent, I believe you are the best martial artist I have ever seen. However, along with all of this respect I have seen many things within your organization that I can no longer overlook or approve of. I feel your priorities are out of order and people are strongly affected in a less than positive way. The following are just a few of the areas which justify the way I feel.

Instructors -
These people that are the closest to you continue to suffer year after year. Mr. Lowery, who works a tremendous amount of hours a week and is compensated very little for it, who had his marriage break up, and never has any money. Mr. Kleinow, who has always had money problems, almost a broken marriage, and nothing to show for his years of devotion to you. Mr. Hennings, who always has bill collectors calling him, who has lost his wife and daughter, and almost went into the army to get away from all of his problems. Not to mention other Instructors who gave you a lot but received nothing In return (Tim & Randy Young, Gary Williams, Doug Miles, Pete & Brian Etc..) and myself.

You need to treat your instructors better, charging us $10.00 to have a class with you, or making us pay seminar fees when we have to work the whole day, or making us pay for ALL of your food and hotel expense during testing. These things anger me a great deal. Last year I gave you over $24,000.00 dollars in testing fees (more than anybody else) and you want me to pay $10.00 to have a class with you. I brought 50 people to the seminar (more than anybody else) and I still have to pay a seminar fee, I find this ridiculous.

The instructors I have listed above are all in their middle 30�s and have basically nothing to show for their lives. I cannot let this happen to met.

Students -
These are the people who suffer the most. While paying your outrageous teating fees, they receive very little of your attention or concern. During testing parents have been witness to your reading a magazine or talking about your accomplishments while their child is doing his/her beat to impress you. Even worse than this after you have left with your check in hand, I am responsible to write down grades and comments for each student because of your lack of responsibility. Do you realize that this does not go unnoticed? Many times I have been in a position to explain to parents why you do some of the things you do. 'Along with this there are also many seminar fees, videos, and magazines which we are forced to solicit to our students. This has caused less motivation within our school because people feel you are only concerned with making an extra dollar.

The last determining factor was your handling of Hank. This is what made me finally make this decision. You knew what he was trying to do to me, you knew he was trying to take my school from me which is just like taking my life away. Instead of giving me your support you stayed neutral until you knew who would be capable in the end to give you your income from this school. As it turned out I was able to keep my school, although I believe that if fate ended up the other way you would of done nothing to help me. And after all of this I continue to hear how he and Beth do not cooperate with you and Mr. Lowery, and still you do nothing! Is this behavior for the benefit of all of us or is this all just for your own money purposes? The decision I have made was very difficult and painful, I have devoted 12 years to you and I thank you for all of your knowledge. I realize that you will not approve with this but I sincerely hope that In the future you can understand why I can no longer be a part of Choi Kwang Do.

Respectfully yours,
James F. Myers

Gary Williams's attorney letter of resignation from Choi Kwang Do dated April 8, 1991

Jim Myers from Michigan, USA

Randolph Young, Father of Tim Young's Karate who left Choi Kwang Do. Letter dated December 23, 1991

---

1993

Mr. Terry Alexandrokos from Greece/Sweden Resignation Letter
Stockholm 93 11 01
As of the above date myself and all of the schools in Greece and Sweden withdraw their affiliation with CKD. Our reasons are multiple.

Sir,when we invited you to Greece we went out of our way to do everything possible to promote CKD,although we knew very little about it.We managed to get you on the front cover on the only two existing martial art magazines with extensive inside coverage of CKD.You also appeared on 3TV stations and held 2 seminars in Athens and my home town Sparta.

Although Marshall ordered 2.000 copies of the magazines you featured on that order was later changed and reduced to 300 copies. This put us in a very uncomfortable position, as the owner of that magazine ts a close personal friend of ours.He called us to ask who then would pay for the 2.000 extra copies he had printed for you purchase.In order for us to honor our word w[ bought the magazines to cover this discrepancy which was most embarrasing. That cost us 680.000 6RD equal to USD 3.400.00 When you departed from Greece we still knew very little about CKD. Sergio was kind enough to teach us the first pattern in CKD.We proceeded with great difficulties introducing and convincing the superiority of CKO to our students.However. since we planned to come to Atlanta to train extensively with vou we overlooked this.

When we came to Atlanta we had in mind to train extensively with you every day in order to go back to our schools in Greece and Sweden and "get to work" teaching your art. Unfortunately this did not happen either. Sergio was gone to Florida, Marshall was busy teaching full time, Bob Lowry was busy instructing a new member from Tang Soo Do and you were gone to Michigan for some time. As you remember we trained with you for 2 days for a total of no more than 6 hours. If it was'nt for Mr.Kelly Chandler, who gave us some very helpful notes on 9 patterns, we would still up to this day be unable to test and instruct in patterns.

Grandmaster Choi, I travelled to Russia at my own expense To assist you and the organization in any way I possibly could. I went there with all my heart and full of enthusiasm. Is saddened me deeply to hear you say you made no money when you visited Greece. As you will understand from this letter we have spent lots of personal funds for CKD and we did send you whatever money we made from the seminars. Sir it was your decision to bring along Sergio and pay for his ticket. I understand that whatever money you made in Greece went to fund Sergio's costs, although we paid for his hotel expenses and food.

The money we spent from the time we joined your organization ads up to a total of 17.990 USD. We are not including the fees paid for converting all our black belts, purchasing uniforms and money wired from the seminars in Greece.

Funding of annual ad (full page) In BUDO MAGAZINE from our own pocket in order to promote and establish CKD in Greece:
Cost:660,000 GRD = 3,340 USD
Travelling to Atlanta for personal instruction:
Cost: 22.000 SEK = 2,750 USD
Travelling to Russia to assist you in any way possible:
Cost: 8,000 SEK * 1,000 USD
Paying for 1.700 BUDO Magazines:
Cost:680,000 GRD = 3,400 USD
Advertizing in Swedish magazines, printing and distributing of CKD posters to establish CKD in Sweden:
Cost: 20,000 SEK s 2,500 USD
Invitation to Greece of yourself and Marshall plus hotel expenses for Sergio.
Cost:1,000.000 GRD = 5,000 USD
SUBTOTAL:17.990 USD
In return we have so far recieved 6 hours of training time with you. We are still having difficulties in fully understanding you martial art.

Sir,keeping all this in mind we are sorry to inform you that our invitation to Sweden no longer stands. It would again be a costly and probably unrewarding endeavour on our part.
We are sorry to end our relationship on such a sad note, but it would be better if we went our seperate ways. We wish you success in your efforts and although we leave very dissatisfied and dissapointed we have no hard feelings towards you. It was a pleasure meeting you and we wish you and Mrs Choi all the happiness In the world.
Terry Alexandrakos Elenie Derva


Terry Alexandrakos from Sweden/Greece

Master Sergio Barriga's Resignation Letter, Former Vice-President of Choi Kwang Do Martial Art International

Serfllo G. Barrlga, Vice President, Choi Kwang-Do Martial Art Int'l
Grand Matter Kwang Jo Chol, President, Chol Kwang-Do Martial Art Int'l
After long thought and our conversation of 3/31/93. I feel it necessary to write this letter.
In this letter I will explain my feelings and the agreements that I had with you and your company from the start. There is definitely a misunderstanding and as you have put !t "a lack of communication." I feel my loyalty to you and Chol Kwang-Do Martial Art International has always been true and faithful even though trough you have not reciprocated. I want you to Know that in the Martial Arts aspect I have the highest respect for you as a Grand Master and l totally believe In your techniques. I am grateful for having the opportunity to train In Choi Kwang-Do with you. It was truly an experience living with you from July to December 1992 and training under you for the past three years, I thank Master Eun for Introducing me to you and it was an honor for me to test under the two of you for my 4th Degree In June of 1988, Since I met Master Eun In 1984 as a 3rd Degree Black Belt I have always proved myself to be honest in my monetary dealings with my Instructors. As the years went by, l had the opportunity to meet you In 1988 and have looked up to you since, As any disciplined student I always wanted to reach the highest goal a person can achieve (Pil Sung Spirit). To me that means the competition within one's self and to achieve anything to which I put my mind. 1 have done this in all aspects of my life, especially becoming a successful husband and father. Along with that the responsibility that comes with being a leader In martial arts. having the discipline and confidence In order to teach such. Going back in my memory for the past three years, I have spent at least one and one hair years of that in Georgia or other parts of the world away from my home and family working for CKDMAI so that It may achieve the highest goals.

The main reason for writing this letter is to discuss verbal agreements and promises that you have made to me, After being taken away from Maryland to assist you, you stated to my Black Belts how much l was needed In Georgia by yourself. This was stated not once, but several times. You then began to request that I become Vice President of Chol Kwang-Do Martial Art international. This was done in the presence or my Black Belts once during a phone conversation and again at a seminar in Maryland. Now the question Is where Is the honesty and Integrity. I must say I have not found It In yourself or your company. As example, Mr Bob Lowrey has already contacted several of my BlacK Belts and discussed coming directly under your company (CKDMAI) knowing that there is no existing agreement between Chol Kwang-Do of Maryland, Inc. and the Academy owners, I find this absolutely absurd, especially when there has been no formal notificatlon sent to me personally of my suspension of any office or position to which I have been appointed, i.e., VICE PRESIDENT nor EXCLUSIVE DIRECTOR of Maryland as of the 12th day of April, 1993. In addition. It has been a scheduled for you to be present at a testing in Maryland on May 6, 1990. I have been notified of none of the above happenings. Unfortunately this leaves me with no other recourse than to begin legal action against you and any and all persons who are involved In these proceedings against me. I am informing you that moneys are owed to me (or my work, devotion, and loyalty given to you so generously since the end of June 1992. Moneys that should also include damages caused by accidents in which you were Involved mentioned later in this letter.

feel you have premeditated each and every move. Do not waste time denying your actions, You have not sent-certificates for which money was received as long ago as July 1992. You still have not sent Rank and Instructor Certificates causing anger and frustration for my students and Black Belts In Maryland. This anger is directed at myself as the Director and Examiner for that region, Your are very clever to try to use my students against me by having Mr. Lowrey offer to bring them In under your company directly by offering them to pay $6,00 per Gup testing certlflcate, (Perhaps you should make the same offer to your Black Belts in Georgia and Michigan.) Do not blemish my name as you have done yours by making these shady deals, I have always dealt with you straight forward and have never asked anything unreasonable of you. I have realized that you have not sent the certificates because you eagerly want people to be anger with me and not you, This is why you gave me the excuse that you did prior to your trip to Korea In October 1992, You came back and never mentioned sending these certificates to Maryland because, once again, these actions were premeditated and very efficiently thought out, I believe that you had planned this from the time l left Maryland, This Is how you plan to become #1 on the world; stealing other people's academies by planting mistrust. Anywhere there is not trust there is nothing. GREAT PLAN YOU HAVE TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD OF MARTIAL ART!!

You have done this to Master Koo In England, without shame. It is a proven fact that Master Koo was right, If you were a man of integrity you would not use people in the way that you do l hope l am the last person or whom you take advantage.

I have always done my best to support the organization for example: Mr, Lowrey had even asked me to place the latest advertisement in Tae Kwon'Do Times in my name because your company does not have credit with them. Mr, Lowrey also informed me that I owe $12,000 in testing fees. May I remind you that we had an agreement allowing me to keep all the testing fees for the first year, until the company made enough money to support itself. This was one of the stipulations I made before going to Georgia, Also. you need to pay me for the work I did In Georgia, We also agreed that I would receive 20% of the net proceeds or CKDMAI and from that time on l would turn the testing fees from Maryland over to CKDMAI. l anxiously looked forward to the future working hard together to make CKD #1 in the world, l guess that has all changed again. Currently I do not know where I stand in your company, and an a martial arts professional l do not like to be hanging tn the air.

You have changed your previous agreements with me when we spoke. You said that I agreed to pay moneys to Master Eun when you yourself said you would take care of Master Bun, If I was to pay (or this along with boards, belts and your percentage this would leave nothing for my loyal academy owners, Also this would leave nothing for my family and myself. This is nonsense, You are disrupting my relations with my Maryland people, taking away my livelihood and disrupting my family's life. No one has the right to do that.

The message from Mr. Lowrey was correct. You do not want me in your organization. If this was not so you would have contacted me for a meeting, not tried to slip into Maryland as you planned.

You told me that the reason I was needed in Georgia as vice President of CKDMAl was to make money for your academies that were losing money, (This would require a manager, not a VP.) Why would I leave my own academies to make money for you and not receive any income for my efforts and knowledge? At the time I moved to Georgia I was assured that this would be for one year. This was stipulated to ensure stability for my daughter in her first year of school. After a long deliberation between you and myself 1 agreed to move down with the agreement that my family would live in your house.

When I arrived there were many problems in the business. Academies were losing money due to poor management by the prior manager. One of the major problems was that the IRS was owed money and was about to close the doors. Did my people and I do a good job? I would say the fact that you're still in business would be the answer for that.

Also other academies were three months behind in rent and money owed to the IRS, i.e., Sandy Plains, Lawrencevllle. and Douglasvllle, Additionally, there were calls from bill collectors for many accounts that were past due. Conveniently, you were out of town while this wae being handled, These problems in your business stem from the time of Mr. Puklsh, Master Koo and Tommy Lee. Yes, all of these immediate tasks were time consuming, especially having to let employees go due to lack of funds. This left the academies short of help on a dally basis. Therefore, after a full day of office work I would travel to either Douglasvllle or Lawrencevllle to take it upon myself to teach white belts. Additionally. I lend my cars to instructors, our secretary and you whenever needed. To this day your secretary is using a car of mine. Why, because yuu would not cosign for her loan. For two months my cars were used by Mr. Peretra and I was promised the company would pay for the monthly loan payments and insuranue. This, of course, did not happen. You were responsible for damage to my Mercedes-Benz while you were driving. The damage to the car totaled $4200 and was the reason I had to trade it in. None of this was reimbursed by your company or yourself, l wish l did not have to mention this, but I would like to bring everything out in the open.

In addition to all of this, at the times of your financial needs you received bank to bank wires, cash and other loan (i.e., Mr. Paul Barriga) in excess of $10,000 to you and your company, from July to November 1992 my father and I remodeled all your academies and helped Mr, Larry Key's school. Mr. Key was kind enough to pay my father $1000 for three weeks of work of which $160 Is still owed.

I have supported the organization so well I have tackled tasks from A to Z and beyond to make CKDMAI a better business.

Now let me list some of the things that I have done as Vice President.
A. Reorganize the academies and Headquarters
B. Dealing with bills and payments
C. Training Michelle
D. Dealing with No Dope Express
E. Dealing with lead box collector
F. Dealing with CPA
G. Dealing with different types of bill collectors
H. Dealing with lawyers. Mr. Nerio and others
I. Sale of the Sandy Plalns Academy
Sale of the Saline Academy
Sale of the Canton Academy
J. Ordering equipment for all academies
K. Dealing with all letters from IRS
L. Making new certificates and licenses
M. Seminars with instructors on how to run the academy
N. Remodeling and painting Sandy Plains, Remodeling and painting Headquarters; at Bells Ferry partially at my own expense), Remodeling and painting Douglasvllle, Remodeling and painting Lawrencevllle
0. Deposit all moneys received into bank accounts
P. Making sure all dues. testing fees. registrations and equipment orders were paid
Q. Teaching the instructors the new testing system
R. CKD newsletter
S. Setting up and executing the seminar
T. Sales at academies
U. Reading monthly reports of all active students/ verifying payments to CKDMAI and academies
V. Design and deal with safety equipment
W. Created new forms for academy office work
X. Help students get prepared for testing
Y. 2 times a week Lynn Russell's private class in Duluth
Z. Deal with day to day and previous problem with parents
ZZ. Accompanying Grandmaster Chol to Canada, Greece, and North Carolina
ZZZ. Traveling to Argentina and certifying instructors for CKDMAI
In December of 1992 and arranging an Argentinean Seminar
ZZZZ Dealt for two days for a car for Mr. Pereira in January 1993
ALL THESE TASKS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND CAN BE PROVEN. I have also worked with your lawyer, Mr. Nerio, towards the patent and copyright of your company, Upon doing so I would be allowed to use the Choi Kwang-Do name for as long as It is in existence, this was by your word. It can be proven very easily that your company or name was not patented nor had copyright before September 26,1992, Upon receiving a Vice President certificate from you at the Georgia Seminar In the Cobb High School.


Master Sergio Barriga, Former vice-president Choi Kwang Do

Master James Lim's Resignation Letter, Former Vice-President of Choi Kwang Do Martial Art International

Mr. Kwang Jo Choi, 5651 Bells Feny Rd, Acworth, GA. 30101, U.S.A. March 28, 1993

Dear Sir,
Please be advised that you are to refrain from using the names of James Lim or C.S. Lim in any advertising or for any purposes of promoting the Choi Kwang Do organization and the whole in any manner whatsoever.

The loan I made to you in 1989 of $5000,00 was to be repaid by you within 4 months. More than 3 years have elapsed and I have failed to receive any payments from yourself.

Unless you remit to the sum of $5000.00 US within 15 days from this date, I shall take what ever means that are necessary to attach your assets in Canada and to seek, at the same time< the appropriate legal recourse in Atlanta, Georgia.

I am advising you by these presents that I am completely disassociating myself from yourself and/or your organization and that your contravention of my request for your prohibition to use my names in recruiting ITF members will subject yourself to all legal recourses that are available.

Please govern yourself accordingly.

Master James Lim, 9th Dan President/Founder
Master James Lim, Former vice-president of Choi Kwang Do from Canada

Mr. Paul Knipe, Chief Instructor, Arbutus Choi Kwang Do, Maryland, USA

Mr. Paul Knipe, President, 2nd Dan, Arbutus Choi Kwang-Do
Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi, President, Choi Kwang-Do Martial Arts International. Inc.
Dear Sir,

I am writing this letter to state the facts I know to be true, and to dispel any false rumors that may be floating around. I will try to keep all emotions out of this letter, but it will be difficult since I was mislead, cheated, lied to, conned, stolen from, and generally treated without respect, by you, your organization, and those associated with you.

Fact one starts with Argentina. You sent Mr. Barriga a letter appointing him as the Official Representative to South America Choi Kwang-Do Martial Arts International (CKDMAl) in October or November of 1991.. Mr Barriga then asked me to accompany him to Argentina because he was going by himself, without any help from CKDMAI, Mr. Barriga and I negotiated a deal that we would split all earnings 50/50. The deal with CKDMAI was 20% of all monies earned, and since CKDMAI was not receiving any monies that meant we would build the country from the ground up. I was concerned because monies were very tight and my investment would be between $5500,00 - $6000,00,1 had complete trust in Mr. Barriga, as we had had many past and present agreements concerning monev, property, and actions he would take. He never betrayed his word. I had reservations since I did not know C KDMAI, Mr. Rarriga assured me you were a man of your word. He had fell that if you said you would do something, no matter what anyone else said or did, you would see it through. Obviously Mr. Barriga misjudged vou and as Mr. Bob Lowery said; "you should have gotten it in writing." Lesson learned. While we were here, I spent approximately $6000.00 and Mr Barriga spent approximately $8,000.00, to promote CKDMAl and the Art, We negotiated with Mi, Marcucci (a man Mr. Burriga got to join CDKMAI and come to the United States during his previous visit to Argentina; to start paying test fees, since he was not doing so. We presented 2 seminars and both were packed with interested Martial Artists. Our seminars were more successful than Bill Wallace's so we received the front cover of Mundo Marcial magazine. We also had a Mr. Lena willing to join, come to the U.S., and convert his 7 schools, 30+ Black Belts and 300+ students, to CKDMAI. Upon return we were informed that we were no longer needed for South America. We were not reimbursed for the monies we spent, nor did we receive any of the profits we generated, which is a few hundred every testing. Mr. Lowery should get his facts straight before talking with students and/or their parents, and announcing that we didn't do anything there.

Fact two is vou called Mr. Barriga, mvself and several other academy owners, via speaker phone conference, before the July 1992 Seminar. You stated that it was important to the existence and growth of CKDMAI that Mr, Barriga come to Georgia to serve as the Vice President of CKDMAI. You again stated that fact at the Maryland seminar in front of the students. Again, Mr. I.owery stated that Mr. Barriga was not needed, but he had wanted to come. PPPlease!!!

Fact three is from the time I spent in Georgia .Mr. Streiber and I, with others, met Mr. Barriga in Georgia after the seminar to clean and set up your academies. We received no help from anv of your employees in cleaning and setting up, which explains why the schools were such pig pens. We set up each academy with professional tracking books, paper work, contacts, and a complete operating system. There were so manv financial problems I was asked to stay another 3 days. while the rest returned to Maryland. Upon further investigation, I discovered that all 5 academies that you owned were past due in all their bills as much as 4 months. Some were about to be closed,, according to the letters from the lawyers of the landlords and almost every bill you had was past due for both personal and business. You also owed the Federal & State Government $20.000.00 - $30.000.00. You were evading your taxes due to neglect and ignorance, which are unacceptable answers to the government, so you would have gone to jail if you had continued those actions. If you don't believe me you can ask Al Capone or the IRS. Mr. Barriga and I negotiated with all your past due creditors, totaling well over $100,000.00, and set up payment plans so no one would close your academies or foreclose on you. I worked 15-18 hours a day, and barely chipped the iceberg. I was asked how long it would take me to clean up the mess, and my answer was at least a month. I was then asked to stay by you and Mr. Barriga until the task was completed. I told you I needed to talk to my wife, because she was already having a hard time emotionally, with me having been gone for over a week. My wife and I agreed that the only way I could stay was if she could take off work for 2 weeks, and if we were reimbursed for expenses and monies lost (approx. $2000.00 - $2500.00). I informed you of those conditions, you agreed to them and were very happy. I drove back to Maryland, picked up my wife and son, and drove back. You and CKDMAl didn't have the money to reimburse me so Mr. Barriga did. Tell Mr. Lowery that being paid and being reimbursed are two totally different things. Once again he should get his facts straight. While my wife and son were there, I continued to work 12 - 18 hours a day. We had very little time together, except sleep time, which also was not much because you, Mr. Barriga and I would stay up as late as 4 a.m. discussing everything I was doing, what Mr. Barriga was doing, history, as well as our futures together. You promised Mr. Barriga a large percentage of the profits of CKDMAl and a base salary to cover all his personal obligations. You promised me a position in CKDMAl, as Vice President of Business Affairs, starting in January 1993, with a percentage of CKDMAl that would grow into hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. It is now April. I then drove my family back to Maryland when the week was up, and returned to Georgia. My family flew back down a week later and back home a week after that. I finally returned home 10 clays later.

Fact Four is your lack of integrity in handing out your certificates. I was there when Greece faxed their certificates to headquarters, and Mr. Alexandrakos was only a 2nd Dan due for 3rd, but to win him over you gave him 5th Dan when he had no knowledge of the art. You do this for him but your own people you hold back (i.e., Mr. Barriga whose technique and knowledge is far superior to anyone else in the world). When you and Mr. Barriga perform together people can't see a difference in the technique. I am sure there is one but not by much. Anyone who says differently is just jealous due to their own lack of abilities. I also understand that now that Mr. Barriga is no longer a part of CKDMAl, you are refusing to award my 2nd Dan certificate. If you think that hurts my feelings, you are wrong! It means more to me to know Mr. Barriga examined and promoted me, then for you to give me a worthless piece of paper as you told another Instructor here in Maryland.

Fact Five will be if you don't pay me my $6000.00 (to round it off) I will take any and all legal actions to sue you and have you thrown in jail. Also ,if you continue to make up lies about Mr. Barriga, myself or anyone I am associated with, I will ensure everyone knows of you dealings, especially those with the government.

Fact Six is my closing remarks. Maybe you feel that because you are a 9th Dan, everyone is to give you everything and in return you owe nothing. I will help you out by explaining to you that a good leader takes from their subjects and in return gives them everything. If you can learn the humbleness that comes with being a leader, you will learn how to help, cherish and respect your followers the way Mr. Barriga does. I recommend you talk to Mr. Lowery and have him slop spreading lies. Do not throw stones when you live in a glass house. My hope is that someday your heart, mind and spirit become as sharp and powerful as your body. Please stop the lies CKDMAI has spread throughout Maryland and anywhere else they have started.
Paul Knipe from Maryland, USA.

---

1994

Mr. Tommy Cho, Chief Instructor, Choi Kwang Do, Georgia, USA. His attorney's letter to Choi Kwang Do prior to his resignation and termination of his license agreement with regards to violation of his franchise agreement by CKDMAI.

December 12, 1994, VIA CERTIFIED MAIL ~ RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED (P 350 909 272)
RE: November 19, 1993, Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts, International, Inc. License Agreement with Tommy Cho
Dear Mr. Lowrey:
Please be advised that this Firm has been retained by Tommy Cho to represent him in all matters relating to the License Agreement entered into by and between. Mr. Cho and Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts International, Inc. on November 19, 1993. Pursuant to Paragraph 9(c) of said License Agreement, this is to provide Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts international, Inc, with thirty (30) days notice of the default and breaches committed by Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts International, Inc. pursuant to the contractual obligations as contained in said Agreement.

The notice provided herein shall also constitute notification to Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts International, Inc. of matters which are considered to be breaches as defined in Paragraph 5 of the License Agreement. As the term "breach" as included in Paragraph 5. and the term "default" as provided in Paragraph 9(c) are not defined in the body of the Agreement (therefore creating an ambiguity) in the spirit of good faith. Tommy Cho is nevertheless providing thirty (30) days notice to cure the hereinafter referenced defaults pursuant to the provisions of Paragraph 9(c). It has come to the attention of Tonnny Cho that Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts International, Inc, has breached the License Agreement between the parties as follows:

Page 2
(1) Despite representations in the introductory Paragraph of the License Agreement dated November 19, 1993, Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts International, Inc. has not perfected, nor does it possess, servicemarks or trademarks as represented in said Paragraph- While "Choi Kwang Do" has received Registration, there are no other servicemarks or trademarks related to the martial art as a propriety rights. Had Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts International, Inc. not misrepresented to Mr. Cho that they possessed servicemarks and trademarks related to the martial art (i.e., techniques, manuals, instructional videotapes, paraphernalia, etc.}, Mr. Cho would not have entered into said Agreement.
(2) Paragraph 1(c) of the License Agreement dated November 19. 1993, provides that Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts International, Inc. will "promote the martial art in the territory". However, Mr. Cho has seen no evidence of Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts International, Inc.'s efforts to promote the martial art in his territory.
(3l In Paragraph 2 of the License Agreement dated November 19, 1993, Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts International. Inc. "notes and warrants that [it3 shall not treat nor charge Tommy or the School in the territory any different than any other license in the State in which Tommy has its main school". However, Mr. Cho has become aware of disparate fee contracts for membership, testing and other services provided by Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts International, Inc. to its other franchisee.
(4) Paragraph 4(d) of the License Agreement dated November 19, 1993, provides that Choi Kwang Do Martial Arta International, Inc. shall not approve any location in violation of any covenant made in any other license agreement. However, Mr. Cho is aware of a violation of protected territorial interests of another Franchisee for which an impermissible consideration was exchanged. Please allow this letter to serve as written notice of Mr. Cho's intent to terminate the License Agreement dated November 19, 1,993, if the above-mentioned breaches are not cured within thirty (30) days of the date of this letter.

Page 3
Should, you have any questions, or wish to discuss the contents of this letter at greater length, plaase feel free to contact me at your convenience.
Sincerely,
BROCK & CLAY, P.C.
Tommy Cho from Georgia, USA

---

2003

In the year 2003, there has been three Choi Kwang Do instructors who have left the CKD organization. Mr. BoBo (Alpharetta Studio, GA, 2003, his studio is now part of Joe Corley Karate in Alpharetta, GA), Mr. Cougar Milland, North Carolina, 2003), Mr Bruce Wood, Scotland, UK, 2003) and many more that I might not be aware of.

This is a copy of email correspondences between Mr. Bruce Wood and Master Roger Koo.

1st email
Email #1, Sunday, June 15, 2003 2:56 PM
Dear Master Koo
I feel that I have to write to you to commend you on your courage in publicly exposing Choi, Pereira and their squalid operation for what it is. Although I obviously cannot bear witness to the specific events that you mention in your resignation letter, I can certainly state that the events detailed are consistent with the behaviour of Choi and Pereira during my 10 years in CKD.
Prior to my resignation on 19 May 2003, I too wrote a lengthy resignation letter detailing all the unsavoury activities which took place within CKD during my time as an instructor. I eventually decided however that Choi was not worthy of my time and effort and issued him with a few brief words advising him of my resignation.
I intend to visit Atlanta this year and would respectfully request the opportunity to train under you if possible when I am there.
Regards
Bruce Wood

Email #2 Friday, June 27, 2003 9:19 AM
Dear Master Koo
I apologise for not replying to you sooner but I have been extremely busy trying to deal with the disgraceful tactics that have been employed by Choi and Pereira since my resignation from Choi Kwang Do(CKD) on 19 May 2003.
I can assure you that I have no intention of keeping anything quiet and intend to let the world know what these people really are.
It is difficult to go into specific detail at the moment as some of the CKD instructors here in Scotland have been actively distributing literature containing a number of lies told by Pereira about me, and this may well lead to legal action.
What I can tell you is that although I am only a 3rd Dan, I decided to resign from CKD and create my own art known as "Sooyang Do". Every one of my instructors were delighted when I resigned as we had all figured out what Choi and Pereira were a long time ago. (I have 8 schools in Aberdeen, Scotland)
Since then CKD personnel have indulged in all sorts of negative activities to try to lure my instructors and students away but have been spectacularly unsuccessful. When I left CKD I had approximately 450 active students and CKD have managed to recruit just 13 of them from my satellite schools, and not one single student from the schools at which I personally teach. During this time (around 5 weeks) we have recruited more than 70 new students to take our numbers to over 500.
Whilst 500 students may not be a spectacularly high number, it means that within 5 weeks, we now have more students in Scotland than CKD who continue to call themselves the "fastest growing martial art in the world", despite the fact that in Scotland they have less active students than they had 8 years ago and that in the UK as a whole they are only beginning to get back to where they were prior to the departure of Gideon Hadjioff, Henry Woodcock and hundreds of others in 1998. It is surely only a matter of time before many others become disillusioned with a "grandmaster" who has desecrated his own system in the pursuit of a "quick buck".
I will be setting up my own website in the next few weeks and would be happy to link it to your website if you agree. Please feel free to use this correspondence from me on your website if you think it is suitable.
I would also very much like to talk with you and if you would like to give me your phone details and suggest a convenient time to call, I will get in touch.
Regards
Bruce Wood

2nd email Page 1 of 2 2nd email Page 2 of 2.

Kwang jo choi tried to sue me for libel back in 1991 when I sent my 24 page letter of resignation to all of his Chief Instructors in the U.S which he dragged on until 1995 when after many depositions were taken with now ex-CKD Chief Instructors, myself and kwang jo choi. The libel suit ABRUPTLY ENDED with choi's second deposition because in his first deposition after chatting about his past, he answered all the questions without any difficulty and when questions were asked about what statement is a lie in my 22 page letter, he suddenly has a lapse of memory of the English language and could not understand the question being asked of him. The situation was solved by having a Korean interpreter and they chose a Korean Attorney. In the second deposition, the process was repeated with his background history as in the first deposition and again when it came to my 22 page letter, he still could not understand the questions nor can he remember anything. This is a guy that sign legal franchise papers plus many other legal documents for years without an interpreter until that day. Moreover there were many attorneys who tried to sue me for libel starting with Harry Blazer former owner of Harry's Farmer Market, his team of attorneys were the first, they failed in May 1992.

Choi then hired other attorneys, they failed and it finished with Jesus Nerio and he failed.
YOU CANNOT SUE ANYONE FOR LIBEL IF WHAT IS WRITTEN ARE ACTUAL FACTS AND THERE ARE DOCUMENTS TO SUPPORT THEM.

CLICK ON EACH PAGE TO ENLARGE, THEY ARE SEQUENTIAL FROM PAGE 1 THROUGH 76


The libel suit ABRUPTLY ENDED with choi's second deposition because in his first deposition after chatting about his past, he answered all the questions without any difficulty and when questions were asked about what statement is a lie in my 22 page letter, he suddenly has a lapse of memory of the English language and could not understand the question being asked of him. The situation was solved by having a Korean interpreter and they chose a Korean Attorney. In the second deposition, the process was repeated with his background history as in the first deposition and again when it came to my 22 page letter, he still could not understand the questions nor can he remember anything. This is a guy that sign legal franchise papers plus many other legal documents for years without an interpreter until that day. Moreover there were many attorneys who tried to sue me for libel starting with Harry Blazer former owner of Harry's Farmer Market, his team of attorneys were the first, they failed in May 1992.

Choi then hired other attorneys, they failed and it finished with Jesus Nerio and he failed.
YOU CANNOT SUE ANYONE FOR LIBEL IF WHAT IS WRITTEN ARE ACTUAL FACTS AND THERE ARE DOCUMENTS TO SUPPORT THEM.


Mike Levine came to try a class at Koo Self Defense and never came back because he said to one of my student that Koo Self Defense workouts was 'TOO PHYSICAL.' What are they teaching at Choi Kwang Do if one of your best sutdent who after all was an assistant instructor can not handle one of our typical workout? I was watching Mike doing his training, he was absolutlely shocked by the power of KSD student he was training with and who has only been training with me for a short time. He was also struggling with one of KSD aerobic class which is just a wram-up for our KSD students!!! It re-enforces my point that within your the CKD organization, their students can see the way CKD operates. Everyone has a breaking point and not all people are blinded by the "pil sung' hype that you sell so much! The training at CKD is more hype by that, I mean, makes them 'Feel Good' as oppose to giving them a 'REAL WORKOUT.'



Email from Bruce Wood with regards to an expelled Chief Instructor, Piyush Khengar from the U.K, March 2003. Another chief instructor who apparently not following rules and regulations!

Email from Bruce Wood with regards to new increases to UK's monthly affiliation fees to Choi Kwang Do International H.Q, effective June 1, 2003


Email from Bruce Wood with regards to his OFFICIAL resignation to CKDMAI date May 19, 2003. CKDMAI send him an email on May 20th which includes a copy of his email's OFFICIAL resignation to terminate him. Is this stupid or what? It is like you resigning from a company today and tomorrow your company sent you a letter that you are FIRED? This is the way the fastest growing martial art organization in the world conducts its business. Go figure!


From: "Sooyang Do" To:
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 12:51 PM
Subject: CKD Franchise System
Master Koo,
With regards to the argument from CKD instructors that they are not a franchise, it should be noted that all CKD instructors are contractually obligated to forward substantial sums of money from testing fees to CKDMAI to enable them to use the CKD name.
Although not a franchise in name there can be no doubt that they are operating on what is efffectively a franchise basis.
In the year 2002/2003 I personally forwarded approximately $30,000 to CKDMAI and had forwarded goodness knows how many thousands during the previous years. In return I received absolutely no tuition, technical advice, manuals, or anything else. Not only that but the licences and certificates were regularly up to a year late in arriving from CKDMAI.
I really do find it incredible that people can continue to allow themselves to be conned in this way. One UK instructor recently referred to CKD as "a cross between a franchise and the moonies" and I can see his point.
I will continue to keep in touch and wish you well.
Regards
Bruce Wood


These are Choi Kwang Do's Multi Level Marketing Plan which began in 1999 with the promise of making their Chief Instructors VERY RICH? It is now 2003, so how many very rich studio owners has CKD produced?
Frank Fuller, Marietta, Georgia
TIME: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 08:09:26 EST
Address: 263 Bristol Lane
City: Marietta
Comments: Hey, I love this website! Master Koo is quite a charismatic person, judging from his website. I love his no-holds-barred comments on knocking down everybody that tries to refute him and his ability to back up everything he says. This martial arts style looks really great. That black belt test sounds unbelievably difficult. I train at Ho Shin Do Martial Arts in Marietta. I would love to test some of those power breaks on his black belt test and see if they work, especially with the plastic boards. I can definitely testify to the lies that Grandmaster Choi told us and the stupid politics that go with his bad behavior. It's too bad because his kids seemed so nice when we used to hang out with them when I was younger.
I agree that generating maximum knockout power is critical in street defense situations. Why use more than a few techniques to get rid of the opponent instead of a bunch of pretty fancy ones that don't really serve any purpose? I practice traditional Taekwondo besides the more modern style I do also, but at least I know what probably works and what isn't realistic, which is why we got rid of some of the one-step attack-and-defend drills with the big awkward stances in traditional TKD and are replacing them with some more realistic drills. Hey Koo, keep up the good work!
Email: frankiefuller@hotmail.com
Fax:
Full Name: Frank Fuller
Phone: 770-429-8363
State: GA
Zip1: 30066
Zip2: 5153

Comment from Master Koo: Mr Fuller, thank-you for sending me your email with your frank comment about Koo Self Defense and you past experience in Choi Kwang Do. It takes great courage to write. It is a shame that many people who have been conned by Choi and Pereira have left CKD quietly and lacked the courage to expose Choi Kwang Do thus allowing current and future students/instructors to be suffer financially! Sadly, even to this day, Chief Instructors in Choi Kwang Do still continue to lose huge sums of money in Choi Kwang Do at a recent major event in the United Kingdom Choi Kwang Do England Seminar - Saturday 20 September 2003
Marshall Pereira's boasts so much success at the United Kingdom Choi Kwang Do England Seminar - Saturday 20 September 2003 the TRUTH to the matter will be APPEARING HERE SOON! What is written has so much impact to my exposure of CKD over the years that I had to publish this email so that the general public is aware that the SCAMS and the way the CKD operates are TRUE to this day! Furthermore rumors of "sexual deviants" with underage girls within the UKCKD organization which only a few people knows the TRUTH about?
With regards to Bruce Cairney's comments, I do NOT have his resignation letter. Maybe he can post it on his web site. I met him in England at the pub with my brother Master J.P Kwoo prior to him leaving for Australia after he had resigned from CKD. With the lenghtly discussion that we had, Bruce Cairney knew of the truth about Choi and Pereira back then which he acknowledged.
Mr. Piyush Khengar, UK 2003 was expelled from Choi Kwang Do Martial Art International in 2003 because he discovered many flaws in CKD which I have pointed out back in 1991. Read the following below which is on a public domain web site where frank discussions goes on about Choi Kwang Do.
Copy from Martial Art Planet Forum on CHoi Kwang Do below
It's long. OK, here goes...
Introduction:
I started martial arts around 14 years ago. The first one I studied as a child was Judo, which I only managed to keep up for a year or so. I then moved on to ITF-style Tae Kwon-Do, again only staying for a year and reaching the rank of Green belt (6th Kup).
After that I joined my local Shotokan Karate club, which at the time was under the KUGB. They let me keep my TKD rank, and so after a year I reached Brown/White belt (2nd Kyu). This time round I was serious about my training, and I was really prepping myself for my 1st Dan grading.

It was by chance that I came across the local Choi Kwang-Do school, run by Keith Banfield (now a 4th Dan black belt). I was immediately impressed by his calibre as a martial artist, and by his description of what makes CKD so different to many other traditional martial arts.

The difference in power, fluidity, and practicality amazed me, and made me 'realise' that I had wasted my time doing the other arts that I had dabbled in. I made the decision to switch immediately, and started afresh as a CKD white belt...

But I had a niggling concern at the back of my mind. A concern that would grow with my experience of CKD, and would eventually lead to my departure from it.

My concern was that even though the CKD 'Technical Specification' was great, the people studying it were not. They were all very nice people I'm sure, but I'm talking about the overall technical ability and skill level that CKD exponents possess. From my previous experience, I had noted that in pretty much all the styles and organisations I had studied in, there would be a mix of abilities. VERY simply speaking, there would be a section of the group that would be pretty bad, a section that would be quite good, and a small minority of exponents who were exceptional.

In CKD, the breakdown was a little different: the vast majority were REALLY bad, a tiny minority were pretty good, and there was only one man, in my opinion, who was exceptional. That man is Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi, the founder of CKD, and believe me when I say that he is AWESOME. An incredible martial artist who, at the age of 63 can perform better than most people less than half his age. As for the tiny minority who were pretty good, I can count them on one hand (and you know who you are if you're reading this).

Granted, I haven't had the pleasure of meeting every CKD practitioner in the world, but I have seen MANY (and let's face it, there aren't loads of them).

It was quite easy to identify the cause of the problem - the CKD gradings were far too easy to pass, even though they were actually physically quite demanding. It seems as if it didn't matter how well or poorly one performed in a grading - you were pretty much always guaranteed to pass. This, I feel, was wrong. Slack grading after slack grading, an individual would pass through the ranks until they reached their black belt exam - and by then, it was too late. I believe that this is the reason why the standard of most CKD black belts is so poor. Poor black belts go on to become poor instructors, who go on to produce more poor black belts... and so the cycle continues.

I decided back then, soon after I had started doing CKD, that one day, when I have the power to do so, I would try to change things.

Main body:
And so I thought that time had come, when I opened my own school, a little over four years ago. I guess this is the reason why many others in CKD consider me to be quite a harsh instructor - because I push my students, constructively criticizing their performance so that they may improve, holding them back from gradings if I believe their performance and effort are not at satisfactory levels, explaining to them that a lacklustre performance will certainly result in failure.

Unfortunately my efforts were thwarted, as gradings normally took place with other schools. It quickly became clear to my students that what I was telling them, was simply not the case, as the gradings proved otherwise.

A new development in the CKD grading system made things, in my opinion, worse for the students. In martial arts such as Karate and TKD, there are normally about 9/10 coloured belts towards black belt (I can't speak for other martial arts as I don't know). In CKD there used to be just over 10 belts. Now, as the syllabus stands today, there are 9 coloured belts - white, yellow, gold, orange, green, blue, purple, red, and brown. However, there are also intermediate stages - white senior, yellow senior etc. This takes the total number of coloured belts to 18 (grading every 2 months), before an individual is eligible for 1st Dan (after 3 years).

However, the syllabus content does not change significantly from a solid colour belt to the next senior belt. The additional content is as insignificant as a turn in the current pattern. Nothing else. The dan grades also have intermediate stages. Each grading costs £20 (in the UK), except for the dan grades, which start from over £100 (not the intermediate stages in the dan grades though).

I felt that the number of belts was unnecessary, and as instructors we were not justified in charging our students £20 for a turn.

This year I made a bold decision which led to my departure. I decided to hold my own gradings for my own students, where I could ensure that students were challenged and rewarded more appropriately. I also made a decision to 'scrap' the senior stages, and effectively double grade students from one solid coloured belt to the next. This would have the effect of saving the students money, as well as increasing the grading interval from 2 months to 3 months (which I felt was more appropriate). As far as administration fees paid to CKD HQ were concerned, there would be no change whatsoever.

This however, broke the following rules of CKD Martial Art International:
1. You can't just change the grading system to what you want it to be!
2. To examine students independently, you have to be a Certified Examiner.

My status was as an Assistant Examiner. Even today, I still do not understand what this designation means. I have marked hundreds of grading cards to this day, sitting shoulder to shoulder with other Assistant and Certified Examiners doing exactly the same thing. There does not seem to be any distinction in the roles and responsibilites between the two (apart from the simple matter of a certification fee (but no associated course or exam)).

CKD Martial Art International had no choice whatsoever but to expell me from the organisation.

Conclusion:
After a survey of different organisations, I decided that WTF-style Taekwondo would be a compatible system for me and my school to join. This may surprise many CKD pracitioners out there. Contrary to popular belief (within the CKD community), martial arts such as Karate and Taekwondo do not damage the body from lockout movements etc. If one practices these arts incorrectly then yes, they can lead to injury, as can an incorrect practice of CKD.

One of the things that I have never admired about CKD's marketing is its negative portrayal of other martial arts. One such example is in the instructional video 'CKD Basic Principle and Techniques - Part 2'. Overall this is a FANTASTIC video, with Grandmaster Choi himself performing almost all CKD techniques up to black belt level.

(For all CKD students who are reading this, make sure you get yourself a copy quickly while stocks last, as this is no longer produced)

However, near the beginning of the tape, a comparison is made to so-called 'Traditional' styles. This turns out to be little more than an EXTREMELY (and deliberately) poor execution of ITF-style TKD one-step sparring. Beginner inductions in many schools also start out with such inaccurate comparisons. Wouldn't it be nice, if it was a simple matter of saying, "This is the way we kick and punch in CKD. This is why it's great and why we love it!" rather than putting down other arts to 'try' to prove the point.

It is important for CKD practitioners to understand that many of the comparisions made, are only accurate when talking about an old version of Tae Kwon-Do. Specifically, ITF-style Tae Kwon-Do, as it may have been practiced around 20 years ago. Things have moved on quite a bit now, and these traditional styles have also developed quite considerably in that time, just as CKD has.

Another claim that CKD marketing makes is that traditional techniques lack power and practicality. This is simply not true. I have made many friends during my years in the martial arts - Karate and TKD people specifically. I WOULD NOT LIKE TO FIGHT THEM. CKD is a great art, but so are the others out there. Ultimately it comes down to the individual and the way they train, NOT the art itself.

However, at the same time, I believe it is VERY difficult to be good at what you do, to realise your true potential, IF you're doing Choi Kwang-Do. My reasoning for this, is that poor standards are taken to be the norm in CKD, and so it becomes difficult for students to rise above the pack. It is possible though...

And I believe that this is what it all comes down to - BE THE BEST YOU CAN AT WHAT YOU DO.

I hope I have managed to state my position in a clear manner. At the same time I wish to apologise to any CKD practitioners reading this if I have inadvertently offended any of you by my comments above. I look forward to reading all your comments.

Choi Kwang Do will accept criminal within their organization with regards to one of their Canadian affiliate.

Email from Haase
----- Original Message -----
From: Master Haase's Choi Kwang Do Institute
To: masterkoo@ksdi.net
Cc: Marshall Pereira ; Choi Kwang Do
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 9:29 AM
Subject: Site
Dear Master Koo:
I can see from your site you added a clip saying that Choi Kwang Do is harboring a know criminal, namely me. Are you sure of this? That is to say do you have proof I have been criminally charged in some way? If not this is libel. I have never been convicted of any crime and have a clean criminal record. I suggest you check facts before you place anything in print.

With all due respect sir, and I use that sir quite loosely, you have no idea who I am or what I am about. A true master would not ramble on like a child in this manner, and surely would not talk ill of those he does not even know. You know very well every story has two sides. Maybe you are so narrow minded that you can only see one side of the story? Considering your history with Choi Kwang Do that seems to be the case. Maybe I should add your name and pictures to the new site I am creating for Mr. Nowling, and company. Who is the criminal here? Shortly you shall fine out.

I will give you one chance, and one chance only to remove these items before the storm hits you as well. Make no mistake I pull no punches and your life will get even more complicated. I suggest you work on trying to build your system or your school and leave Choi Kwang Do and myself alone.

Sincerely,
Master Dafyd Haase

Response From Master Koo to Haase
Mr. Haase,

My answer is very simple. If the site about you is libel then sue them.

Mr Nowling and company went into a lot of trouble to published what they have created worldwide! Obviously they must have done their research otherwise they would be LIBEL.

My case against CHOI is similar. I too publish the unethical business dealings of CKD and Kwang Choi TRIED to sue me for libel. Choi dragged it on for many years as you can read his deposition on my web site during which time he tried to do many nasty events to me and my family. Choi eventually dropped his libel suit as his attorney and himself realized that they had no case as all ex Chief Instructors would have been subpoena to court exposing all the nasty dealings and bad things that they did to me etc..

On your own CKD web site you can refute their claims by putting up all of your certificates, credentials, linage etc... If you have any criminal charges dropped or dismissed, then you should put those up too!

I put up all of my martial arts history from early days to present including the episode with CKD on my site..

Marshall, Choi and Kristof created a web site under my name with no evidence. They are just reinterating my history with CKD and nothing new. I have facts on my site about the scams that they do to their studio owners and chief instrcutors. They are the laughing stock of the martial arts world and the general public. They are doing more harm to themselves that they realize.

The world can see what they are trying to do and it is working against them each day. It gives what I write about them even more credibility especially with all the recent event of 2003 that they continue to lie to their members, Assistant/Chief Instructors and to the general public!

Any one on the www can access the site about you and there are probably many links and you are on the discussion board of several forums.

You can publish my name and web site anywhere you want. I explained to Marshall the more they talk about me on the www, the better for my web site. Controversy sells and I am in the right and CKD is in the wrong as my web site proves it.

Incedentally, Marshall was on the telephone with me for over 20 minutes this morning December 19 from about 11:30am. Man, is it upset, he shouts over the telephone. I told him to calm down as his blood pressure must be very high which is not good for his health.

He admits to me over the telephone how Choi and him continue to scam and rip off their chief instructors even to this day. He even boasts about how they take thousands of dollars from their Chief Instrcutors as loans and never repay them back.

He boasted how they came back from England in September with seminars, test and other fees totalling $20,000 and yet left Mr. Parisi with debt of 1,500 pounds sterling from hosting the seminar. What kind of people are they? You call that integrity?

First Email from Mr Doug Nowling, Sunday, December 28, 2002

Master Roger Koo,
Sir, I wanted to send you a correspondence to let you know that the Choi Kwang Do, and Marshall Perriera still use your name in an unhealthy fashion. My contact with Choi Kwang Do and Marshall Perriera spans over a couple of years, as I at one time looked into CKD for my students. After much consideration and of course your website and other input I choose not to align my school. And that was that, I did not contact them, nor did they I. Until recently, I have been dealing with an individual from Canada that has be smearing the name of Taekwon-do and the martial arts in general (please refer to www.dafydhaase.com for more information) and as a professional courtesy I had called upon CKD and Marshall to let him know of the type of person they were bringing into CKDMAI. He asked for the proof of the claims I was making, and I provided it. However, the deal was done before I got a start, and he chose to ignore my advice. This is of course his right, as I do not hold ill will against those that head or do not head others advice.

However, since I did not give up my stance on this person, I received a few emails, and finally a phone call from Marshall Perriera. He stated that he did not care what I thought (his choice) and that he would rather have a person like Dafyd Haase (www.dafydhaase.com) then a person like me. Since I am still with the ITF (and hold good standing with all the ITF's) and since I hold the belief that you, Master Choi, JungWha, Master Raymond Choy, and James Lim are fine martial artist. He felt that I should not be allowed to breathe fresh air, since I felt that way. And after his ranting for about 30 minutes of why everyone one but CKD members are not worthy, he stated that if I did not stop attacking his new members and letting current members know about him, that he would create a website about me! Since he already did one on you, I would assume that it would be www.dougnowling.com. But, since my life is boring, I cannot see what he would write!

TAEKWON
Doug Nowling
A-6-65 ITF
Second Email from Mr Doug Nowling, Tuesday, December 30, 2003

Mr. Marshall Perriera,
Sir, I felt I should follow up on our last phone call, as I have felt sorry for you, since you seem to hold a lot of anger and resentment towards others that are not part of this Choi Kwang Do scheme. Now, it is you are right to have your own opinions about anyone you wish to speak about, there is nothing wrong with that, and in fact, it is one of the first things that the forefathers of the US thought of. The First Amendment which as should know allows for FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION SPEECH & PRESS. Therefore, you are allowed to have your opinions, as am I, as is Dafyd Haase, as is anyone. (Even though Dafyd Haase is not a US citizen, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms - freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication). As I stated to you on the phone, you can believe as you wish. With that said, let me ask you the questions that you stated I should have asked you, and not gone to people outside of Choi Kwang Do.

1. What is your side of the story why Master Roger Koo left the CKD?
2. What is your side of the story why Grandmaster James Lim left the CKD?
3. What is your side of the story why Bob Lowery left the CKD?
4. What is your side of the story why Tommy Cho left the CKD?
5. Where is the scientific study that I keep hearing about? Where and when was this conducted and where can a person obtain a certified copy of it?
6. What is the purpose of the 18 color belt ranks? Is this part of some psychological/scientific reasoning or is it purely for monetary means?
7. Is it true about you leaving the United Kingdom with substantial debt and legal matters?
8. Is it true that the sky is blue?
9. Is it true that Choi, Kwang Jo, borrowed money from people such as Grandmaster James Lim and has never repaid his personal debt?
10. Is it true that Choi Kwang Do has been under an IRS audit, and a Georgia State Audit for matters of income and tax issues?
11. What was the out come and reasoning for such matters?
12. What is the reasoning behind the statement CHOI KWANG DO IS THE FASTEST GROWING MARTIAL ART IN THE WORLD? Does this mean that CKD techniques are growing in number, that the amount of members are growing in number or is it that you use that term in reference to the amount of belts/ranks in Choi Kwang Do?
13. Why did Choi, KwangJo drop his libel suit against Master Roger Koo? Are the documents that Master Koo put on his website false in any manner?
14. Did you really tell Master Raymond Choy that you would kill him, if you saw him again? Moreover, why would you say that?
15. Why are the leaves on trees green?
16. What is the reason that you created a website about a person, whom you are not in business with?
17. Are you creating this because it is a personal matter or a business matter? (I assume it is personal as I would assume you would have it at www.choikwangdo.com if it was not)
18. Why is there a huge Choi Kwang Do turn over with instructors? I have spoken with many from Michigan, to England, and there reasonings were almost all the same.
19. What is the reasoning behind offering contracts?
20. What is the true story behind Master Eun? (well your side of it anyways)
21. Have any of your Choi Kwang Do students or instructors ever competed in mixed martial arts or any other like competition?
22. Is there a reason behind Choi Kwang Do?
23. Is there reasons why you cant control your temper, you are a Choi Kwang Do master you know.
24. Why are you writing emails for Dafyd Haase?
25. Why is it that you living at your martial arts school, or is that just a rumor?
In addition, to end this long questionnaire, that I am sure you will not or cannot respond to, I eagerly await the day we meet, as I would like to see what a Choi Kwang Do 6th Dan Master really is. Because your lack of professional courtesy is sorely lacking, as if you since you screamed and yelled on the phone over what?

Moreover, I heard a saying once, that said Just because you call a tail on a dog a leg, doesn't make it a leg.

Yours truly,
Doug Nowling
You're Senior in Taekwon-do

---

2004

An interesting email from Mr Haase dated January 5, 2004 stating that Mr. Nowling has been placed under arrest. Mr Nowling called me via the telephone on Wednesday, January 7, 2004 at 5:28pm EST from his home and has NOT been placed under arrest by the FBI. Another lie Mr Haase?

More interesting emails from Mr Nowling dated January 8, 2004 onwards forwarded to me with regards to Mr Haase and Thomas Gordon.

Update: February 2004
In a letter to Taekwondo Times magazine, Mark Hanson, the ITU secretary made the following statement about My Haase: "The International Taekwon-do Union, it's members, president and officials currently are in no way connected to, belong to, or take part in anything to do with the International Jidokwan Federation, under Mr. Haase in Canada (an affiliation was reported in the cover article about Master Tom Merritt, September 2003). After a careful investigation into the history of both the Federation and Mr. Haase, the ITU Board of Directors decided to dissolve all ties pertaining to both. He is not a member, nor does his rank come from the ITU. Master Tom Merritt's rank does not come from the federation or from Mr Haase."


UPDATE May 2004
A Copy from the Koo Self Defense's SIGNED GUESTBOOK
Monday 05/17/2004 11:56:32am
Name: david knaggs
E-Mail: dknaggs@excite.com
Homepage Title: Monroe Martial Arts & Fitness
Homepage URL: http://monroemartialarts.com
Referred By: Search Engine
Location:
Comments: Choi Kwang Do sucks. It is a rip off I started in 1996 under Mr Dwight Werner of Monroe, Michigan. We left the Choi Kwang Do organization because of the same thing. I still teach for him he has 250 sudents.
Thank you for letting the world know the truth about Choi Kwang Do.

Dave Knaggs pro m.m.a fighter 5-3 undefeated in king of the cage.

---

2005

Update June 15, 2005. I have been informed that David Knaggs is no longer with Monroe Martial Arts and has moved on. Please do not contact him there. Maybe David can sign this guestbook again to let people know where he is now.

UPDATE January 2005
A copy of an email received from SMITHA VIJAYKAR, GENERAL SECRETARY for Choi Kwang Do in India.
ADDRESS: 210.211.144.3
INVOKER: http://ksdi.net/contact.html
CGI URL: http://ksdi.net/cgi-bin/cgiemail
TIME: Sunday, January 16, 2005 09:26:57 EST
Address: 12 fernandes street
City: vile parle east, mumbai
Comments: Our entire organisation in India Headed by Master Jugnu Nanda has quit the CKDMAI organisation. We were committed to the development of CKD since 1992. After going through your site it is obviously, and highly unfortunate that the old patterns repeat themselves again.

For more info contact on my email:svijaykar@hotmail.com
SMITHA VIJAYKAR
GENERAL SECRETARY
Email: svijaykar@hotmail.com
Fax:
Full Name: smitha vijaykar
Phone:
State: maharashtra
Zip1: 400
Zip2: 057


Like wise Master Nanda and his organization from India has also been given tons of lies from CKD and eventually left this January 2005! Master Nanda has telephoned me at least six times with very long conversations as to why he left CKD with many stories. One of them is that when Marshall was in India, he slept with this young girl and without physically testing her awarded her a 2nd Degree Black Belt! SEX for a 2nd Degree Black Belt! Marshall stated to me recently over the telephone there are more CKD instructors on their way out of the CKD organization from all over the world!
As for all of these new studios in Cartersville, they like all the others� previous ones such as Choi Kwang Do, United Karate Studio, Jeet Kune Do, American Tae Kwon Do Association survived for a few years went out of business. Cade Lee Karate is a joke. Some of his students have joined my studio, they witness that when new students join his studio within a few days, he tells them how great they are and convert them to a 3-year contract. Cade Lee rips people off with his contracts. He claims to teach cardio strength training, what a joke that is, throwing balls at each other are cardio workouts? He claims to be a 10th degree black belt a few years ago and he is only in his early 30's if that? At his old location prior to moving closer to my studio, one of my students saw a display of his certificates, he received a degree for every year from 1st Degree to 10th Degree which is impossible in any martial art organization. He does not display these certificates in his new studio. Now, he states in his new studio on Main Street that he is a 3rd Degree Black Belt and a "Master." The title 'Master' is awarded to 5th Degree Black Belts in most martial arts organization and in others not until 7th Degree Black belt! Where are all of his displayed certifications that he claims to be certified in so that people can check his past credentials? He is selling contracts just like all other martial arts studios and fitness centers!
Moreover, I know one of his ex-employee who left his studio because he was doing unethical business practices! The new Choi Kwang Do studio is a few miles away from me. He too would not last for long as he gives away a free month of training in order for people to sign a contract. One of my black belt, Mr. Welby Archer went there for a free month of training this January 2005 only to find that CKD was all about techniques which lacks power and fitness. The instructor, Michael Wilson personally held focus mitts/shield (which CKD does very little of) for him was amazed by Mr. Archer�s power! Another student of Koo Self Defense went to observe one of CKD class in Cartersville, GA this April 2005. The class lasted for one hour, the entire class spent most of their time sitting down listening to the hype from the instructor, trained barely 15 minutes and most of that students taking turn performing on the floor!

UPDATE May 30, 2005
Resignation letter from Mr. Rod Cook and Ms. Janelle De Boom of Cairns, Australia
29th May 2005
Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi
Choi Kwang-Do Martial Art International
4237 Wade Green Road
KENNESAW GA 30144
Saturday, May 21, 2005

Dear Grandmaster Choi

Please accept this as our official resignation from Choi Kwang-Do Martial Art International organisation.

In terms of our personal growth and that of our students, we believe that your organisation has nothing more to offer. Further to this, we believe that CKDMAI does not exercise the same high level of Integrity or Professionalism as we do in our schools. We will not lower our standards for the sake of remaining in your organisation. We cannot allow in good conscience, our students' progression, to be stifled and misled by your organisation as we were.

There has been a failure on the part of CKDMAI to address issues promptly, professionally and objectively. This shows weak leadership at the top of the CKDMAI organisation. This is not the sort of organisation we wish to endorse with our finances and hard work any longer.

Our training experiences within your Art were enjoyable and for this we thank you. Our experiences a Regional Director, Chief Instructors & Examiners in your Organisation have given us a very clear picture of the nothingness for which it stands, and the level of shallowness and lack of substance from Master Pereira. Given this we would like express the following:

Senior Master Pereira:
Thank you for showing us through your actions and words that people are self-serving and manipulative and that we have a choice and do not have to follow this same path. We have witnessed first hand your unprofessional and arrogant manner and choose to no longer be party to it.

Kwanjangnim Bruce Cairney:
Your arrogance and behaviour towards us has been terrible. You boast that you are 'my instructor' and yet your lack of interest in my personal development over the last few years show your interest has gone from teaching and learning yourself, to focussing on politically positioning yourself. Thank you Bruce for showing us that belt rank progression in this Martial Art is not based on a person's integrity and abilities. You lack the ability to give recognition where it is due and this is apparent by the way you unashamedly take credit for the work we have done to grow this Art in Australia. We have introduced and encouraged other school owners only to hear you take credit for our efforts. Let's hope that one day our efforts pay off and you receive that illusive 5th degree!

Sabumnim Barry Hampton:

A French impressionist once said 'Nothing grows under big trees'. Your lack of personal and professional growth is a clear warning to others who choose to mindlessly follow. For this warning we thank you Barry. We sit back and look at your lack of technical ability, the way you have not successfully grown the school we gave you, the manner in which you allow yourself to be manipulated, and we are saddened. At any stage, should you wish to step out from under the shadows, be more than an impuissant Martial Artist that you have allowed yourself to become, then we invite you to join our school in the hope of becoming much more.

Sabumnim John Vonhoff:
Whilst your technical ability has always remained high, your Martial Arts etiquette has become questionable. The recent error you made in sending to us an email that was obviously meant for Bruce Cairney discussing a fellow Martial Artist disrespectfully, has shown your true colours. Thank you John for reminding us that a true Martial Artist is much more than someone who is good at punching and kicking.

We also refer to previous unsubstantiated correspondence from Master Pereira and my response dated Monday 18th April 2005, that has not been addressed by CKDMAI.

The grounds of our resignation from the CKDMAI organization, are as follows:

1. FAILURE TO ADDRESS AUSTRALASIAN ISSUES BY CKDMAI AS PROMISED
2. FAILURE TO ACT ETHICALLY BY CKDMAI TOWARDS MYSELF & OTHERS
3. FAILURE TO ADDRESS BREACHES OF AFFILIATE AGREEMENT BY BRUCE CAIRNEY
4. FAILURE TO ADDRESS BREACHES OF AFFILIATE AGREEMENT BY BARRY HAMPTON
5. DISTRIBUTION OF UNPROVEN ALLEGATIONS TO SCHOOL OWNERS BY CKDMAI
6. STATEMENTS OF LIES TO SCHOOL OWNERS AND TO STUDENTS BY CKDMAI
7. DISRESPECT BY MASTER PEREIRA TO MYSELF
8. DISRESPECT BY MASTER PEREIRA TO MS. DE BOOM
9. DISRESPECT TO THE TENETS BY MASTER PEREIRA STATING WE SHOULD HAVE LIED
DISRESPECT BY BARRY HAMPTON TO ME & MY STUDENTS
11. DISRESPECT BY BARRY HAMPTON TO JANELLE DE BOOM.
12. DISRESPECT BY BARRY HAMPTON'S STUDENTS TO ME & MY STUDENTS
DISRESPECT BY JOHN VONHOFF TO MYSELF
14. FAILURE BY CKDMAI TO ADDRESS ISSUES HONESTLY TOWARDS MY STUDENTS
15. MISLEADING STATEMENTS BY CKDMAI TO IT'S OWN AFFILIATES (SCHOOL OWNERS)
16. MISLEADING STATEMENTS BY BRUCE CAIRNEY TO CKD AUSTRALIASIAN AFFILIATES
MISLEADING STATEMENTS BY CKD AUSTRALASIAN AFFILIATES TO STUDENTS (CLIENTS)
SUMMARY

Grandmaster Choi, your technical standards for your basic martial art is good, however, your teaching of the technical standards and commitment to the Instructors/School Owners is poor.

It is for these reasons listed above and other minor issues, that we have decided to resign from CKDMAI, to continue our personal growth, and our student's journey in Martial Arts in good conscience, without being stifled, mislead or prohibited by your organization.

Today is a good day for our Martial Art schools. It is with great pleasure we move forward, to regain the vision that you once had, and create "a better image in martial arts."

Rod Cook & Janelle De Boom

PS. Grandmaster Choi, please feel free to contact us at any time on +61-7-4054-4006 should you wish to discuss any of the above in more details. We are more than happy to discuss these issues with you further.

Letter from Rod Cook to Marshall Pereira
Monday 18th April 2005.
Master Marshall Pereira
Choi Kwang-Do Martial Art International
4327 Wade Green Road
KENNESAW GA 30144
Pil Sung Master Pereira

I refer to email correspondence regarding my expulsion from Choi Kwang-Do Martial Art International.

After lengthy professional advice and careful consideration of my position, it has become clear to me that the termination of my status in Choi Kwang-Do Martial Art International is unlawful & without foundation.

I request that you reconsider your position and that you take into consideration the matters set out below.

POINT 1. - MONIES OWED.
I have had a verbal financial agreement with Miss Linda Choi since 2004 in relation to payment of arrears. I had spoken to Miss Choi as recently as Thursday 31st of March 2005, re: changes to the agreement. She agreed, and stated that she would be happy with paying whatever we could afford. It is unethical and unlawful for you to arbitrarily repudiate this agreement and purport to use this excuse to expel me from Choi Kwang-Do Martial Art International. However if you believe that it would help to improve the situation, I would be willing to discuss a more specific & formal schedule for repayment of any arrears.

POINT 2. - BAD ETIQUETTE - DISRESPECT.
I have sent an apology for any breaches of Etiquette. This was suggested by yourself, however, was my intention to send this regardless. On the breaches of Etiquette, it must be noted, I was certainly not alone in this.
There are some matters of contention between Mr Cairney and myself. However I deny your allegations that I am harassing school owners and creating more disharmony among the Australian instructors. I challenge you to provide me with specific details of these allegations and to establish breaches, which are sufficient to justify my expulsion from Choi Kwang-Do Martial Art International. I urge you to take care to apply just and ethical principles in dealing with this matter. I will be pleased to respond to specific written allegations of improper behaviour. I am confident that careful examination of these matters will exonerate me and clearly establish that there is no basis for my expulsion.

I would like to meet with yourself, Grandmaster Choi and Mr Cairney during your forthcoming visit to Townsville in an endeavour to resolve any outstanding matters.

POINT 3. - STOPPING PEOPLE FROM ATTENDING THE CAIRNS SEMINAR.
This is untrue. I had in fact, offered to pay for Mr Calvin King, and Mr Bruce Rutherford to attend the seminar in Cairns. Both stated that they could not afford to attend the seminar with Grandmaster Choi, and I offered to pay for them to attend.

I had booked and paid for Grandmaster Choi and your flights internally within Australia, and had booked Grandmaster Choi and your accommodation. On top of this, I had booked the seminar venue, the stage, the microphone, and TV coverage of the seminar.

I have encouraged all to attend, and this allegation is simply not true, that I was in any way, trying to stop people from attending the seminar(s).

SUMMARY
I have been a member of CKDMAI since 1994. I own & run two (2) full-time commercial schools. I also opened the school at Gordonvale. These schools have promoted Choi Kwang Do since 1999. The strength of the Choi Kwang Do Martial Art in the Cairns region is primarily the result of my hard work and the expenditure of my money.

This is a very serious matter, which could easily lead to expensive litigation for breach of contract and defamation. The lawyers costs and damages in financial terms as well as to the reputation of Choi Kwang Do would be considerable. I believe our time and money can be better used to build the organization. However my business and livelihood are at risk and I will take all necessary action to protect my business and reputation.

I do not accept that the expulsion is lawful, and ask for your reconsideration and reply within 14 days.

I remain optimistic that this matter can be quickly resolved and that any ill feeling will quickly dissipate as we work together for a better future for all involved.

Pil Sung!

Rod Cook

UPDATE June 8, 2005

From Koo Self Defense's web site 'Signed Guestbook.'
Wednesday 06/08/2005 8:43:26am
Name: Rod Cook - Cairns, Australia
E-Mail: info@choikwangdo.com.au
Homepage Title: Advanced CHOI Family Black Belt Academy
Homepage URL: http://www.choikwangdo.com.au
Referred By: Search Engine
Location: Cairns, Australia
Comments: I must apologise to Master Koo. A few years back, I believe I may have sent him an email or two suggesting that his site contained incorrect information about CKD. How wrong was I?

Master Koo's site, and in fact, Master Koo himself, have helped me realise the deception that I was in. I was treated nothing but disgustingly by CKD, Kwang Jo Choi, Pereira, Bruce Cairney, Barry Hampton, John Von Hoff, Lindsay Martin, Kane Van Ekeren... you guys should be absolutely disgusted in yourselves for the way you have treated me and Janelle De Boom.

You guys are such shallow weak people that you can't face standing alone.

Pereira plays one off against the other. When we got wise of it, the "you'll be kicked out" phone calls started. Pereira, with your rude, offensive & derogatory ways that you have spoken to us on the phone, we're surprised that anyone that knows you associates with you. When they see how shallow you really are, they'll be as dissapointed in themselves as we were.

Kwang Jo Choi, your assumed ignorance in this whole matter shows you just don't care. You use the line "you are like my son." Let's hope you at least take calls from your children, and don't completely ignore them like you did me and Ms. De Boom.

Cairney, Hampton, Von Hoff, Martin & Van Ekeren. What can I say. You guys are pathetic. You take what you can, and throw the baby out with the bath water. Your attitudes & examples to others does not show the Martial Arts Spirit, or examples of your own style's TENETS, PROMISE & PLEDGE. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

I pity any poor parents that send their children to your HYPOCRITICAL schools. Think about the Pledge, Promise & Tenets next time you say them. You guys disrespect them, and the Martial Arts.

It's not worth quoting them to Pereira. He's already told me that he doesn't want "any more of those etiquette chats" from me. Why would that be? Maybe because, like in his own words, "it's ok to lie. everyone does it."

As for me & my school, we go forward to become the "BETTER IMAGE IN MARTIAL ARTS."

Pil Sung, or as Grandmaster Barriga put it, Sung Ni !

Rod Cook
ADVANCED CHOI FAMILY BLACK BELT ACADEMY
CAIRNS, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA.
PS. Master Koo, as Kristof & Pereira seem quite willing to share information (however true or made up it may be) about me to all & sundry, what information would you like me to share with you about the ins & outs of the CKD organisation at the present time? Fee structures, curriculum, manuals, correspondence??????

UPDATE September 13, 2005 Another battle has been won by Master Roger Koo! Marshall, Kristoff and Kwang Choi began a web site under my name for about one year in order to discredit me without any substantiated facts. They FAILED again and has now removed all materials from the web site and it's guest book!

UPDATE October 5, 2005

It is interesting to read from members of CKD in 2005 who are good observers that there exist a CULT environment in the entire Choi Kwang Do organization. It is a pity that many of the students of CKD cannot see that they are being brainwashed on a daily basis. There are comments about the poor standards within the CKD organizations and students are being passed too easily. Marshall's business seminar is to OPEN up as many CKD schools as possible. The members in the U.K. can see the multi level marketing (pyramid business model) that is being promoted in the U.K. that would generate huge sums of money for CKD H.Q. Students are being accelerated up the belt ranks so that they can open schools. Does Choi Kwang Do sound like a martial art concern for your health, fitness and self defense? Of course not, Kwang Choi want lots of new schools so more money can come to him. Two quotes from Abraham Lincoln "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time" and "You may deceive all the people part of the time, and part of the people all the time, but not all the people all the time." Is that why 99% of CKD original chief instructors and studio owners have left.

I exposed the FACT that students were being charged a sum of money to have their photo taken with Kwang Jo Choi which was heavily being defended by loyal supporters that this was a lie back in 2004 at the Atlanta seminar. Read for yourself that this has occurred in the U.K's England CKD seminar in 2005 and many students/parents are outraged by the 15 pounds sterling charges for a photo with Kwang Jo Choi. Further reading on this same topic reveals that Kwang Jo Choi continues to lie to his loyal chief instructors and chose who to speak to and who to ignore. Kwang Jo Choi is your best buddy if you sent in lots of dollars to his organization and ignore you if you do not. Talk about the tenets of CKD Courtesy, Integrity etc.. in action by the founder of CKD and his few slaves such as Marshall Pereira, Kristoff and the administrative staff at the CKD H.Q who enforces the lies for him.

UPDATE October 31, 2005
Read Rod Cook's, former Choi Kwang Do instructor from Carins, Australia exposure of the lies, deception, impersonating other people identity and so forth supported by documents coming from Choi Kwang Do Headquarters in Wade Green, Georgia.

Update November 8, 2005, Martial Arts Planet has removed the thread of the split of AUS/CKDHQsplit.

Update November 20, 2005, There has been so many criticisms coming from both CKD students, parents, assistant instructors, chief instructors and ex CKD members on the martial arts planet forum on Choi Kwang Do for the past few months that the forum on CKD has now been removed. It demonstrates that CKD is like a dictatorships eliminates all negative information by whatever means it seems fit. We are supposed to live in a free society where one can voice one's opinion especially when they are truthful and factual but Martial Arts Planet moderators think otherwise. Below is a copy of Rod Cook's exposure of the lies and deception that have come from Marshall Pereira and others within the CKD organization. Enjoy!

The AUS/CKDMAI split started to fester mid 2004, when I opened my mouth to both CKDMAI and a Townsville based Instructor about the technical standards of a local Instructor, being made into a "Full Examiner." If you want the full story from A to Z, please let me know. I have nothing to hide, a few things I got a little hot-headed over, but nothing to be ashamed of, or to be scared of sharing!

It all started when...
The Aust/CKDMAI split started when, a local 1st DAN Instructor asked me to run a Belt Exam for his students at his school. We picked a date & time in the future, and everything was fine. For this instance, we shall call him "Barry."

Three weeks out from the exam, this instructor stated to me that he would "not require my services" because he was going to get a "guest examiner" in from another town, and didn't need me to come there. The guest examiner, we shall call him "Bruce."

As anyone else would do, you would forget about it, and make other plans, which I did. Then about a week out from the exam, guest examiner "Bruce" decided he wasn't coming up. Instructor "Barry" again requested my services. I tried to get staff to cover me for the evening of the exam in my school, but to no avail. I told "Barry" that I could do it, but that it would have to be Friday Night at 8.00pm rather than 7.30pm as he was requesting, as I has to run my school's classes, and would leave immediately to drive there and run the exam.

To instructor "Barry" this was unacceptable. It would not be 8.00pm, as this was too late. I suggested maybe we could do it Saturday lunchtime around 12'ish. This was not acceptable either to instructor "Barry." I offered and explained that it was only 1/2 hour difference, but he said that it was not acceptable. It had to be 7.30pm, the same time my class finished.

Then Mr Pereira is on the phone, yelling about me "refusing to examine his students." I tried to explain that I hadn't refused at all, and that I was trying to work out a time, but that certainly was not "refusal" as he kept putting it. In fact, nowhere near it.

Then I rang Choi to have a chat about it, and he mentions that he's not happy with me because I was refusing to examine students, he had heard off Pereira. I tried to explain it to him, but I don't think he understood.

This petty 1/2 hour, is what started the Aust/CKDMAI split, and as pathetic as that 1/2 was, I was branded a troublemaker by instructor "Barry" to CKDMAI, and they ran with it.

Before I get to the next bit about the Australian Seminar Series 2005, let me first cover one rumour that went about, spread from "Marshall."

I received two phone calls from Australian Instructors, they both in passing, as they were'nt getting straight to the point, making a point that I shouldn't have hung up on "Marshall." I SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE IT.

Why did I hang up on him, I asked: "he didn't say." Of course he didn't say, all he told them was that he had called me, and I had been disrespectful to a 6th DAN who was 2IC, and had hung up on him.

I believe at this stage, I would say "Janelle" wants to talk to you, and woulod pass the phone over, knowing that my blood was starting to boil. The guy was not God, and it was my phone, and I could choose to answer it, hang it up, or ignore it, all to my little heart's content. Despite the fact that he was the CKDMAI 2IC, despite the fact that he had been awarded a 6th Degree Black Belt, didn't give him the right to taunt and tease me, and I told him that if he kept it up, that I would hang up on him, and true to my word, I did.

If he was truthful, he would have filled them in about my talk to "Linda," and his subsequent "apology" phone call.

"Marshall" rang, like we did. Apparently Choi wanted to come to Australia to run an Australian Seminar (oh, and sell some books), and I was to work with "Bruce" & "Barry" to get it organised. This should be easy. I'd already organised the last Australian Seminar in Cairns, and knowing that it was the largest that has been, still to this date, this was to be a piece of cake.

Although, with "Barry" in the picture now, everything started to get harder. We would agree on something, and then "Barry" would talk to "Bruce" who would convince him of something else, like hey, let's hold the seminar in Melbourne. There's 7 students there, and over 400 in North Queensland, makes perfect sense... NOT!

This time was the make-or-break time. From my chats with "Marshall" I'd told him that I wasn't happy, and was considering pulling my schools out of CKDMAI. Amazingly, I was "expelled" about the same time. The chicken or the egg. That's the question. At this stage I couldn't give a damn about CKDMAI. All the bullying phone calls, the lies and gossip, the false documents. Oh, the false documents...

I received my official "you have been expelled" email from CKDMAI. The summary is on ksdi.net site with my lawyer's written response to CKDMAI. they asked me to send it, and wait for a reply. Nothing. I rang and talked to "Marshall," who openly said "I'm not responding to that. You'll sue me." Wow, almost admission that it was incorrect and untruthful.

Not to be left alone, "Bruce" also received a copy of the "expulsion" email, and to make sure that everyone knew, forwarded it to every single school owner in Australia and New Zealand.

The chats started with "Marshall," who refused to comment. He blamed the "Rules & Regulations Commitee." At one point, I rang, and he was going into a meeting with the Rules & Regulations Committee. I had another instructor wait 10 minutes, and then talk to him, what was he doing? He was downstairs watching a Movie. Some meeting. Why lie?

Interesingly enough, of those listed on the rules & regulations committee, and having them quote "you owe" (whatever we owed), it was interesting that this was point number 1 of 3. You'd think that as "Linda" was on this "Rules & Regulations Committee" that she would have informed "Marshall" and "Kristof" that regarding the outstanding debt, we had a verbal agreement that we'd reached two weeks prior. Funny, I asked Linda about the expulsion, and she said that she didn't know about it, and I asked "Marshall" about the verbal agreement we had with "Linda," and he didn't know anything about it. Now, had the Rules & Regulations Committee actually got together and talked openly and honestly, they would have known this.

It was apparent, that the document was made to look real, but was merely a smokescreen... More in the next email, about the smokescreen, and how "Marshall" played "Barry" and "Bruce" against "Janelle" and the little games they played, including the CKD Forum in Cairns!

The message that kept appearing from CKDMAI's IP Address, is located at for anyone interested in the message that was put on my website's guestbook every day for about 4 weeks, until I changed the Guestbook to a "Moderated" one that allowed only acceptable messages through.

The message covered the basics of:
"My Name is Rod Cook." Although I never wrote this email, it was eventually sent to most CKDMAI Instructors around the world, from CKD HQ, as if I actually wrote it. I never even said the stuff in the email.

"a couple of my family members died, by best friend committed suicide." Yes, during the previous 12 months, my father had died suddenly. It was a real shock. In the same vane as Peter Wake's shock death. It was not the easiest thing to cope with, as it was sudden and unexpected. Around the same time, one of my friends did commit suicide.

Also, this was a shock, especially since I was the one left to tell his parents. Despite this, ridiculung it by CKDMAI was really not appreciated or acceptable. I am unsure how "Choi" found this acceptable, or whether he did not know what "Marshall" & "Kristof" were up to. "Choi" always promoted himself as a "Christian," so I couldn't work out how this ridicule & taunting from the CKD HQ was acceptable under Christian Beliefs & Ethics.

I assume that Karen Wake certainly would not have had to endure taunting by CKDMAI after her husband's death if she was stressed out and was not coping well. I found the taunting unacceptable, especially since the IP was the actual IP address from CKDMAI HQ.

My personal life has no relevance of business with CKDMAI. If it does not affect the organization, then it is none of their business, at all.

The rest of the message was just complete garbage, and not worth commenting on, as I did not write it.

CKDMAI has no right, whatsoever, to
a) make up email messages from their clients/ex-clients,
b) distribute false information to School Owners or on the Internet
c) ridicule or taunt people for any reason.
I know that the information they used in this and other correspondence was given by some of my ex-Students and ex-Staff members that have lost the aim of the Martial Arts in terms of becoming better people in society, by following the Pledge, Promise & Tenets.

We live in a small town. The time when we keep on running into each other will be often. I can hold my head up high knowing that I have not made the whole thing personal. I may point the finger for wrongdoings, I certainly admit mine, but never make it personal. I see the people associated with them scurry off in shopping centers, develop tunnel-vision and scamper away. To live with shame and guilt, anger and resentment, must be hard, whilst weekly reciting the Pledge "to promote friendly relationships amongst all people" knowing that is exactly what they're NOT doing. My school's doors are always open for you to drop in for a coffee and a chat. I sleep well at night harbouring no anger, a lot of disappointment, but nothing personal.

But hey, it get's better. This was the first of many digs at me in my Guestbook by CKDMAI. The organization was overstepping boundaries, and had lost the ideas of COURTESY, INTEGRITY.....

The situation was getting sloppy & messy. CKDMAI HQ were leaving all types of derogatory messages on our Guestbook. Our Lawyer was having a heap of fun at our expense.

The games played by CKDMAI were interesting...
"Janelle" took over the school. She officially informed CKDMAI that she was taking over the two schools, Earlville & Smithfield, and that I had stepped aside. This apparently threw the cat amongst the pigeons.

Apparently "Barry," "Lindsay" & "Kane" were working on opening a new Cairns school. "Barry" was furious when "Janelle" informed him of our decision. He said "WELL I HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THAT" and hung up on her.

In the meantime, enter "Kwang Jo Choi" into the picture. Quite a few Instructors, and not just in Australia, were kicking up a stink because of the "expulsion." Most were given a time slot and asked to talk to "Choi" and give their side of the story. It didn't make any difference, as I don't believe that "Choi" has a handle on what's going on, and the political aspirations and power of "Marshall." Anyway they all wasted their money calling CKDMAI HQ. If it weren't for me, there would be no school in Cairns, no school in Melbourne, no school in Tasmania. And through my continual encouragement and support, there probably wouldn't be schools in Perth & in the Northern Territory either.

"Janelle" took over the school, because "Marshall" told us that all we had to do was apologize for the BAD ETIQUETTE, and the "expulsion" would be revoked...."simple" he said. Simple. I sent one. It can be viewed at www.choikwangdo.com.au/information/apology.doc. Nice and simple. Except, "Bruce" was apparently not happy with the apology, and wanted another one specifically naming him. An apology is an apology. Remember back to an earlier message, when I asked for an apology from "Bruce" for his breach of the CKDMAI Affiliate Agreement and the Freedom of Information Act (Australia) for sharing private and confidential information with all the Australian & New Zealand Instructors? Nothing came through. At least I had the strength to swallow pride and do one. Still waiting for "Bruce's" apology.

Then came the CKDMAI "Seminar Series 2005" in Townsville, North Queensland with "Choi" and "Pereira" in town...

What started with a lie was getting bigger and bigger.

Mr King, the guy I introduced to CKD again since Master Lam Sai Thow left the CKDMAI organisation, taking his students on a journey into his own style, named YAU HAWK TAO. Mr King was the "EE CHOONG WAI", or "2nd Master" to Master Lam, pretty much the same way "Marshall" is the 2nd Master of CKD to "Choi."

Mr King had moved from one side of Australia to the other, and wanted to start again, but decided he liked the old CKD way, so he contacted CKDMAI via email. No response. He did it again. No response. Finally, he contacted me, and I took "Janelle" and we lobbed at his house and practiced patterns, speed drills and the like all weekend. Train, train, train. Loved our training and couldn't get enough. I then sent his details to CKDMAI, and he was admitted as a School Owner. CKD Launceston.

Mr King, after the too-ing and fro-ing from CKDMAI and "Bruce" and "Barry," had booked to fly into Cairns to attend the seminar, but because "Marshall" had decided they'd just hold it in Townsville, had to get from Cairns to Townsville. A four hour drive, that I offered to take him on. His idea was to attend the Instructor training session with "Choi," and then return to Cairns the next day, do a quick teaching seminar in our school, and fly home.

Let me just say, that in all my time in CKD, and attending seminars and training sessions in the USA and Australia, and meeting some of the Instructors from around the world, Mr King is the ONLY CKD student that I have ever met that moves EXACTLY like "Choi." Not almost, but EXACTLY. The guy has more talent in his little finger than I possess in my whole body. He's, like one of his students say on our website, JUST AWESOME.

We drove down to Townsville, to drop him at the door of "Bruce's" school for the AI training session. An excellent reception all round. Everyone in the doorway cleared like a bomb had gone off, and the administrative lady there came over and stood in the doorway like, that Mr Cook IS NOT COMING IN HERE!! I had no intention or interest in going in. I'd promised a friend that I'd drop him off, and that I did. I then went down to "the Strand" (beach) and sat on the sand eating an ice cream. Lo & behold, something was brewing... Something sinister was up.

You see, we had passed "Barry" on the way out. We smiled and drove down to the Strand. Barry gathered all the Assistant Instructors and Instructors around and informed them that :

Here I am, eating an ice cream, and still somehow causing trouble!! Just can't win!! Who ever gave this man any power and authority to speak rubbish should be ashamed of themselves. I'm certainly not shy when it comes to making a stand, and if I wanted to, no administrative assistant would have stopped me, but hey, what a waste of my time and energy that would have been. Ice cream is more enjoyable, anyway.

Waited the couple of hours, and returned and parked out the side of the building waiting for Mr King to return. Meanwhile, in the bat cave, I mean, inside, the lights were on, and you could see everything clearly from the outside. Big brave "Marshall" saw us arrive, and went over to the window to peer through to see what we looked like. Big fangs, blood dripping off our teeth. Hardly, we were waiting for our friend.

The session finished. 8001 photos of everyone and everything with "Choi" and "Marshall" later, and Mr King finally arrived at the car. So too, many of my ex-students and people that I had known for years, walked past, tunnel vision, not even looking at us as they went past. So much for courtesy. So much for "promote friendly relations amongst all people." It appears, you only are friendly to those in the fold, not those outside of it. I couldn't have cared, but it seems a little hyprocritical to say you believe in something, recite it in each class, and do the EXACT OPPOSITE.

We drove Mr King back to his brother's house, stayed the night after eating at a lovely South African Restaurant, and returned home the next day.

Guess who dropped of the "Schools" listing on CKDMAI's website?? Yes, you guessed it, Mr King's school had disappeared. Gone. He couldn't log in to the system. He emailed them. A few days, no reply. He emailed them again after another few days, no reply. He rang and left a message. No reply.

He was kicked out of CKDMAI because he chooses his friends first, before his martial arts style. I personally find it disturbing that anyone, believes that they have a right to kick someone out because he chose to spend time with his friends, instead of doing the punches to IL DAN, Kicks to IL DAN, Patterns to IL DAN same every time seminar with "Choi".

I'm really disgusted that they'd do that to someone without any reason or explanation.

I'm really disgusted that Instructors of CKD in Australia turned a blind eye to it, and never took a stand. Friendly relationships my butt.

I'm really disgusted that CKDMAI has this power over it's Instructors that they're scared to say anything, just in case they get kicked out, and have "nothing." Although there's a squillion options for ex-CKD Instructors and Schools out there.

I'm really disgusted that a guy with more talent in his butt than I'd ever have in 8 lifetimes, is so expendable, and doesn't even get a reason, an explanation, he received ZIP!

Remember, all this started because "Barry" and "Bruce" lied to "Marshall" who in turn ran with it, and the problem and the lies just got bigger and bigger.

Rather than face the truth and admit mistake, took it and became nasty and vindictive, I suppose like a fox in a burrow. Rather than come out and take the bone, come out and go at the one holding the bone, not because you could or should, but because you can.

What started with a lie was getting bigger and bigger. Next stop - Cairns and the CKD Forum with "Marshall" "Bruce" "Barry" "Lindsay" "John" and future school owner "Mark" taking a stand...all in the name of "COURTESY" "INTEGRITY" and "promote friendly relations amongst all people."

A "CKD Forum" was advertised in the Cairns local newspaper. Before I get into it, let me go through some of the players in the game.

"Marshall" is the name we have called a player from CKDMAI.

"Bruce" is the guy that we introduce as having "political" interest on the situation, believing that as an ex-Board Member that he has a right to stick his nose into other people's schools' businesses. Being an ex-Instructor of mine, somehow makes it seem like he has some connection or power over me.

"Barry" is the misled pawn in the game, that's being played like an expendable chess piece. Took over my school at "Gordonvale" in North Queensland, and has been trying to shut me down for quite some time. Has forgotten about the principles he apparently teaches, COURTESY, INTEGRITY..."promote friendly relations amongst al people."

"Lindsay" is someone who used to work for me, a nice guy but someone who could not seperate "personal" from "professional" between my school as a business, and me as a person. Unfortunately, he left on a sour note, and didn't discuss his options, just made statements and left. Now runs a school in a south Cairns suburb called "Edmonton" with a few of my ex-Students.

"John" is someone who is a talented martial artist. Obviously loves what he does in CKD, but someone who seems afraid to come to terms with some of his wrongdoings to others, whether intentional or unintentional. Runs a school near "Bruce" in another town.

"Mark" is the future Instructor, living in a small Cane Farming town near Cairns, he and his wife are listed as the school owners for "Christchurch" in New Zealand. When Master K-J dropped off the CKDMAI school's listing for NZ, all of a sudden, "Christchurch" appeared. Their website was created, yet they live in a town south of Cairns, in Australia. "Mark" like the others in Barry's school, have been mislead by the "Marshall" and "Bruce" propaganda machine, to say and do things that in any area of life, people would find offensive and often illegal, yet somehow, it's Kosher to do it in the name of "Internationally Affiliated" CKD.

There's a few more players, but we'll get to them soon. The saga continues, when Marshall and his "lie machine" hit town for the "CKD Forum"...

A CKD Forum, an "Anti-Rod Cook Rally" in the name of CKDMAI. Advertised as a CKD Forum, to be held at a local high school auditorium, by the new "Regional Examiner" and "Marshall."

Remember the humble beginnings of this thread with the strategies by "Marshall" "Barry" "Bruce" & "Lindsay"...

The fabricated correspondence that "Marshall" refused to comment on, because he thought we'd sue him, despite the fact that it was unsubstantiated and incorrect, was distributed by suit-wielding CKD Instructors at the CKD forum to some of my students, and anyone else that went along.

This certainly was not a CKD Forum as such, but an "Anti-Rod Cook Rally" in the name of Choi Kwang-Do. Certainly an organization that promotes the betterment of individuals, and promotes COURTESY, INTEGRITY, PERSEVERANCE, SELF-CONTROL, INDOMITABLE SPIRIT, "TO TELL THE TRUTH AND HONOR MY WORD," "TO ALWAYS BE POLITE," "TO PROMOTE FRIENDLY RELATIONS AMONGST ALL PEOPLE" would not publically bag someone, all in the name of promoting something that's good for people, let alone use FALSE and MISLEADING information about them, without giving them the opportunity to be there and defend themselves, knowing what it was about.

Unfortunately, the Forum did have an affect on a few families, who were mislead into believing the false information. Their children's training foundations now lie in lies and deception, falsity and ignorance. None of the attendees had the courtesy to make a time to talk to me about it, which tells me that they'd rather believe a lie than the truth.

Thinking about their kid's futures and that of what you're promoting to them as life skills, I feel it's quite far out there, but their choice I suppose. "Son, you're going there because despite Mr Cook teaching you for ther last few years, despite him pushing you to do better at school academically, despite him taking an interest in your mental growth as well, despite him encouraging you through a homework program to better yourselves, to read books with the Book Reading Program, to try to further your personal development, we'll have you taught by someone who is providing misleading information around town."

The Forum concluded with a meeting in "Marshall's" hotel room. The aim, to "shut down Rod Cook." Great aim. Shows that after teaching CKD and providing financial benefits as a School Owner with CKDMAI since 1999, that I was now expendable, as they would try to get the financial benefits from someone else, and try to run me down in the meantime.

The goals at the Hotel Meeting with "Bruce" "Marshall" "Barry" "Lindsay" "Kane" and "Ken"...
1. To close down Rod Cook's schools
2. To saturate the market around Rod Cook's schools, open a club every 5 kms or so, to draw students out of his school.
3. To have satellite schools all over Cairns, so that Rod Cook couldn't start up again.
COURTESY?
INTEGRITY?
"PROMOTE FRIENDLY RELATIONS AMONGST ALL PEOPLE"???
The "Forum" promoted nothing but hatred, mistrust and negativity. In all my years as a student of the Martial Arts, and as an Instructor of the Martial Arts, I have never seen an organisation, that talks the talk, but not walk the walk, do anything so devious, illegal and wrong as this.
What's just as bad, CKDMAI Instructors from around Australia, heard what was going on and turned a blind eye to it. Friends, people we've known for years, just walked away, scared for their own futures in the Art, just turned and left us. All in the name of "International" CKD.

It sickens me to think of the years of hard work and dedication that I put into CKDMAI, only to not just be slapped in the face by them, but to be lied about, to be slandered, and to be ridiculed, all over false and misleading information prepared by "Marshall" and emailed out by "Kristof."

What comes next, is the Lawyer's bit. Yes, our Lawyers were pushing for us to have "Marshall" tied up in Court and charged for breach of the Privacy of Information Act and for knowingly distributing False Advertising, whilst he was here, but I declined, as I felt it wasn't in the spirit of the Martial Arts.

Had I known that the "CKD Forum" was to be an "Anti-Rod Cook Rally" I would have pursued it. On an up-side, I hear September 2006 is looking good for it.

All this started from a lie, a lie to CKDMAI, and now a lie from CKDMAI. The lie just keeps getting bigger.

I have just re-read this bit. Appears I had left a school or two out. Sorry.
If it weren't for my direct involvement and promotions over the years, there would be/have been no schools in:

CAIRNS "central": Contains a swag of my ex-students that have been fed lies and deceitful information. Owned by "Barry," it is run a few nights by an ex-Staff member of mine, "Kane" who got his start through my school, before doing the "me" "me" "me" thing and going off the rails, burning bridges as he went.

EDMONTON: Contains a swag of my ex-students also. Run by "Lindsay" who got his start through my school as well. "Lindsay" couldn't separate "personal" from "professional" and left burning bridges as he went.

GORDONVALE: I started Gordonvale school. When "Barry" took it over, it was well established and people were used to it.

MELBOURNE: Just when Mr Toh wanted to chuck it in, I went to Melbourne, trained with him, and encouraged him to keep on going. I had hand painted a CKD Flag, and presented it to him. It spurred him back on, and he's still going in CKD till this day.

TASMANIA: Mentioned in a previous message, I got Mr King back into CKD after his days with Master Lam Sai Thow had ended. In a previous message, you will see that he was "expelled" from CKDMAI, for having friends.

Then there's...
NORTHERN TERRITORY: I first met the Banks in 2001 at the CKD Headquarters. They were encouraged to come and start a school in Australia. I have encouraged them before coming, and whilst they have been here. I am unsure that without the encouragement that they'd still have a full-time school today. Unfortunately as friends, they seem to have turned their backs on us, or are just scared to associate with us.

PERTH: I actually haven't met Mr Doney, but our email chats go back a few years, to me encouraging him to open a school in Australia. I am unsure whether he would be in Australia running a school without my encouragement. Unfortunately, he too has turned his back on us. Not too long ago, I put a message saying hi and hoping things were ok in his school on his guestbook, which he removed. Sad. To be scared to associate with someone, because of your hobby.

When I first started my school, there was "Kirwan" school in Townsville. Mr Maiolo and Mr Taylor had left by that stage, and there was ONE school. I put in a lot of hard work, encouragement, flights, to help build CKD in Australia.

All this, to be branded as ...
Bad children.
Bad children spent tens of thousands of dollars each year promoting the art of CKD in my area.
Bad children have a current membership base that CKDMAI want to tap into, and will do so through lies and deception, by spreading false information.
Bad children have things made up about them, unsubstantiated, and spread about them.
and
Evil People.

Evil people are apparently the ones questioning and stating what CKDMAI has done to people.

Evil people obviously ask questions that CKDMAI does not like.

Evil people obviously fell short of someone's mark at CKDMAI, and have been thrown out with the trash.

and

Spring Cleaning.

Spring cleaning is done when you fall into a lie, and cannot get back out of it.

Spring cleaning is done when you think you can make more money out of some other people.

"Marshall" called "Barry" "the next mover and shaker."

Spring cleaning is done when CKDMAI loses focus and grip on it's core people, forgetting what they had achieved for them.

Spring cleaning is done when you have 2nd generation instructors to get rid of the original dead wood.

The exorcism is complete.

The Lawyers field day, Kill the chicken in front of the monkey...

The Lawyers were having a field day. Every time they'd finish their "Letter to Cease & Desist" and their "Letter of Demands" something else would pop up. The Lawyers suggested having "Marshall" served as he got off the plane and take it to court straight away, but I thought that whilst he was here, we'd talk and sort it out, so I declined.

First there was the website that contained false & misleading statements on the front page, backed up by a public display of "that expulsion email" message with the three points. 1. You owe money, 2. You have bad etiquette, and 3. You are stopping people from attending the seminar), which was apparently a "private" email to me, now publically displayed on "Barry's" website for all to see, provided to all and sundry by "Bruce", despite a challenge for CKDMAI to either prove or withdraw their statements, all we got from "Marshall" was "if I comment on it, you'll sure me."

The website also mentioned that I did not resign, but was expelled. Goes back to that unsubstantiated email with the three points again. Even if it was proven, and I was expelled, this does not alter the fact that my two schools were not expelled, and all the students were still active members, under "Janelle's" leadership. But it wasn't proven, the statement appeared anyway on the new CKD Cairns Central website...

This was the opening page on their website. Promoting Martial Arts COURTESY & INTEGRITY? Certainly pushing false & misleading information.

The statement, the web page, the antics and cry on by "Barry" are covered in the letter sent to him.

The statements, the emails, the allowance of the web page, the breach of Australian Privacy Law, the antics and carry on by "Marshall" are covered in the letter sent to him.

The statements, the emails, the web page, the antics and carry on by "Kristof" are covered in the letter sent to him.

The statements, the phone calls, the distribution of false and misleading statements, the web page, the antics and carry on by "Lindsay" are covered in the letter sent to him.

The subsequent "AI Meeting" held at CKD Gordonvale, where the AIs were told to tell, ring, drop in on, all of my students, spread the news, and have them change over, was disturbing. The information was unsubstantiated, and this type of activity is illegal. It's called SLANDER. This is EXACTLY what the Australian defamation law is about. EXACTLY. No-one has a right to do that. Not in the name of their "hobby." Thanks Mrs W. for letting me know what went on at that meeting.

The Letters went out... You would have thought that this was enough to shut them up. No, they had a website planned...

They then modified and updated website to include me on it. They called me "insignificant" to the organization. No thanks for all the years I put in for them.

Then an email came through from "Marshall" saying "if you leave us alone, we'll leave you alone, otherwise we'll create a website about you, and you know what we'll put in it." It also stated that I cease using the name "Choi Kwang-Do," cease using and hand over the website http://www.choikwangdo.com.au/. This AFTER the letters from the Lawyers went out.

The name "Choi Kwang-Do," according to Australian law, "is a generic system name for a type of martial arts like Karate & Tea kwon do" and "you ["I"] cannot register or hold claim to a generic name such as this. It cannot be Trademarked or Registered" according to IP Australia, the Government authority for Trademarking and Registration of Intellectual property.

The website I have had since about 2002. I offered to sell the domain name to CKDMAI and/or to the Australian Instructors, but they ignored it. Like any business, I have sunk a lot of money into branding over the years, and part of that was the website name. I AM willing to give it up, and as I run a business, it is at a price.

The saga and lies continue. "Barry" and "Lindsay" are still running around making false and misleading statements about me...

"He's not 'international' it's just a local stand-alone school"

He's aligned with the International Alliance of Choi Professionals, with the International Sports Karate Association, and with the EFC. Through these alone, are about 50,000 schools internationally. How many in CKDMAI that aren't owned by the same 5 people?

"He's been kicked out"

We've covered this ground. "Marshall" played us against "Barry" and "Bruce." The "expulsion email" contains fictitious information, and is a lie. "Marshall" knows this, that's why he won't comment on it.

"Your belt is worthless"

Your belt is never worthless. Your achievements are your achievements. One of the greatest martial arts minds of our day, Bruce Lee, did not believe in styles. Is/was his system worthless too?

"Your belt won't be recognized"

A punch is a punch. Defense in Australia is the same as defense in the USA, France, Fiji, Hawaii, New Zealand, Spain, etc. Belts ARE recognized, in fact, how come when the few transferred over, their current belts WERE recognized? Because "Barry" says on thing, and does another, and can't see it.

"You can't travel internationally and have your certificates recognized"

Of course you can. Just a few weeks ago, we were invited to train in Florida with Bill "Superfoot" Wallace. He recognizes our achievements, so too do those in the International Alliance of Choi Professionals, the International Sports Karate Association, etc etc etc.

To say this, is to rubbish everything that someone has learnt, and this is not about me, it's about THEIR achievements. Of course, if you want the CKDMAI LASER PRINTED CERTIFICATES, instead of the IACP LASER PRINTED CERTIFICATES, then that's your choice, but to rubbish it, and stand up each class and recite the PLEDGE, PROMISE AND TENETS/PRINCIPLES, is hypocritical.

CKDMAI needs to get off it's soap box, and come down to reality. For the majority of people in the CKDMAI system, it's a hobby. When you believe you have a right to criticize others, slander and ridicule them, and supply false and misleading information out about them, look and wonder why you're in it in the first place. What's the motivation and intention?

Since leaving CKDMAI and joining the IACP, my schools have aligned with the SAN KYU Taekwondo school in Cairns, the International Self-Defence Association with Greg Gysin in Townsville who teaches KI SEI DO KAI, Graham Healey in Brisbane with teaches Freestyle Taekwondo & Boxing, Paul Coppo who teaches his own style from Ingham, Bernie Korent who teaches his own style from Wooloongong (and is an ex-CKDMAI Instructor) and many many other martial artists proud of their achievements in the martial arts, all working together to better themselves and their students. In fact, we have more "external" influence on our schools now, more people asking questions about techniques, why, how, etc, and more depth of knowledge from more sources. These not recognized? Certainly they are.

CKDMAI needs to stand on it's own merits, not on the demoralizing and ridiculing of their "ex" instructors and schools. Then, and only then, will it grown and succeed. Until that day, outsiders from TKD and the likes will look sceptically at it's claims and stay away.

"Marshall" - Peace

Like I told "Choi" the other day, I have nothing personally against them for doing what they did to us/me. I just hope that they can move on and let me do the same.

We can make a difference... strength through unity...

I'm not quite interested in trying to change CKD, not the art, well, I would add "Self-Defense" to the system (Close Quarters, Ground Defense, Weapons Defense, etc), but only the politics and the way the organization is run.

The power and the antics of the people at the top, and the way they treat others needs to change. This will earn them respect as a martial arts style. The way they carry on now, they're doing themselves a disservice.

I've had people comment on the fact that they'd be embarrassed to convert their school to CKDMAI, all whilst I was trying to promote CKDMAI. It's a small world. News spread fast. I've also had students, and ex-students tell me that they're embarrassed to have CKDMAI certification, because of the way CKDMAI treats people, and the stuff it comes out with.

Through the IACP, we are making a difference. It allows instructors that freedom, the shackles come off. No more calls about "you can't have that on your website" or "you can't use that word" or "that's not Choi."

YES: WE CAN PARTY HARD! WE CAN PARTY LONG!

The rest of the crap that went on behind the scenes builds on what happened, but bears little relation to the facts presented. What happened, was sent, was said, was published, etc, really stumps me that people can band together like some type of KKK group and slander, ridicule, mock and taunt someone else in the name of COURTESY, INTEGRITY, etc. I'm no angel, but I'm not worth wasting that much time and energy on either!

The following message appeared on my web page in July. It contained an Australian IP Address. I did a trace on the IP Address: "CKDMAC Kirwan". Wow! When did "Bruce" suddenly become the official "CKD WEBSITES" spokesperson, and why the anonymous name????

Mr Price was an Assistant Instructor at our school. Mr Price has yet to actually sit for and pass his 1st Degree Black Belt exam. I have my thoughts on a person who hasn't completed their 1st Degree test examining students, and double testing one of them, however, he has to do what he has to do. If he chose to talk with us in the future about re-affiliation, then we're open to that. If not, we're not losing any sleep over it.

We miss training with him, and teaching and interracting with his two boys. They're good value.

At the meeting in June 2005, Mr Price had NO school, and was free to choose which school, schools, club or clubs he wanted to be a part of, if any. He was an Assistant Instructor under 1st Degree Black Belt level.

Would you like to know what he told us after coming back from your meeting in the hotel room?

Mr Price was asked to leave the "Family Black Belt Academy" because he fell short of the acceptable standard in his handling of issues with students and with us. Without going into the details, if he has made the decision to join CKDMAI, then that's a good decision, as he has been independent since he was asked to leave and disassociate with us. We wish him all the best.

There's certainly no ill-feeling from us toward Mr Price. His decisions and his life choices are not mine to comment on and criticize. He as to do what he has to do... or was the message to point score? We're not interested in that, if that's what it's about. My school is doing fine. The organization we're with, the IACP is doing just fine. And if Mr Price is doing fine, then we're happy for him.

Update December 2, 2005, From the KSDI's Guestbook Friday 12/02/2005 7:00:47am
Rod Taylor, Melbourne, Australia left Choi Kwang Do in 1998 with the story of Kwang Choi pulling out his gun at a meeting with CKD instructors and threats being made... There are other comments on CKD on the guestbook too!

Copy Below
Sir.
My name is Rod Taylor. I was an instructor with CKD from 1991 to 1998. I started my association with CKD under Master Lee Seng Hock in Malaysia, he had started due to his association with Master James Lim who had trained with him under Grandmaster Choi in the late 60's. I was lucky enough to meet Master James Lim in Malaysia in late 1990 - 1991. Upon my return to Australia from Malaysia I started teaching and working with the other instructors who came on board, Mr Jim Wellsmore, Mr Bernie Korent, Mr Dominic Maiolo and Mr Bruce Cairney. I actually left the CKD organisation after Mr Wellsmore and Mr Korent had. I went to the CKD 10th anniversary in 1997 and stayed with and taught for Mr Roger Wright during the two weeks I was there.

Some of the things he told me that happened during meetings with Grand Master Choi (GMC) was astounding to say the least, pistols being pulled out, threats being made. I could see the distress building up in him. It was a relief for us both when the anniversary seminar was over.

Mr Maiolo left CKD late 1997, and I left 1998, after GMC's visit to Australia that year. That was organised between Mr Cairney and myself. What annoyed me most about that was that we had to pay for GMC's wife to come to Australia or he was going to charge us fees for the seminar. For the good of the students, I went ahead with it.

While he was there, he introduced me to the latest revision in syllabus. Remembering there had been a change in syllabus in 1997 at the seminar. Neither of these changes were told to instructors until they either went to Atlanta or had GMC to their area. After I had seen the changes and all the dealings with HQ's, different rates payable to HQ for different schools, deals being made behind backs and such, I left and went with Mr Maiolo in his style.

A lot of what you have said in your letter is indeed very believable and I had spoken with a good deal of CKD instructors as to their why for leaving. Apart from Mr Bob Lowrey, the rest were relieved to have left due to the bullying and badgering from GMC and other instructors.

Regards and best wishes
Mr Rod Taylor
Melbourne, Australia

---

2006

Update May 26, 2006, Copy of email from Glenn Clark, Norfolk, England

Friday 05/26/2006 12:20:06am Name: Glenn Clark
E-Mail: jillclark769@btinternet.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL:
Referred By: Yahoo
Location: Norfolk, England
Comments: Intresting site. I to left CKD for various reasons, similar to reasons expressed on your website. Trained with GEOFF THOMPSON ENOUGH SAID

Master Koo's Comments:
Please give us more details as to why you have left Choi kwang Do. Who was your Instructor in CKD, where you trained, your rank when you left etc..
Let the world know that my exposure of Choi Kwang Do as an organization that SCAM its students and instructors since 1991 still continue to this day all over the world as detailed on the resign page on this site!

This is a copy of an email that I received from Glenn Clark with regards to why he left Choi Kwang Do.

Master Koo. Thank you for the reply. I left CKD in 1996 as regional instructor/chief instructor for Norwich and Norfolk. Having gained my 2nd degree in London in 1992. My instructors in London from 1989 were Mr Perera, Royston Maynard etc. I left for a number of reasons namely being bled dry of finances,but my main concern was after training so hard for my 2nd Dan and also training at the same time with Geoff Thompson in Coventry and with various quality martial artists within the British Combat Association every one it seemed whilst I was taking my 2nd Dan in CKD was albiet with my limited experience the standard compared to the equivalant grades in the BCA was to say the least very poor and of course everyone passed so I lost interest and left. I now just train my son in all range combat, again thank you for taking the time to reply.....Respectfully Glenn

Update June 27, 2006,
Sahil Chawa also submitted his story on the KSD Guestbook.

From: "Sahil Chawla"
To: kooselfdefense@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Choi kwang do
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2006 11:07:54 +0000

Hi Master Koo,
I started Choi Kwang Do in 1993 when Master Jugnu Nanda approached me in Delhi, India. I use to do Tae Kwon Do.(WTF)
As Master Nanda said it's a modern martial art, I'm always like to learn new things and more I learn increase my knowledge. So I planned to do this modern martial art.

Master Nanda Invited me for their training camp in Mumbai. After 3 years of doing & teaching Choi Kwang Do in Delhi. I got a chance to go to Atlanta for Advance training in 1996. That was an exiting movement for me. I went to Atlanta for 1 month, in whole one month I only got one chance to see Grandmaster Choi, this was disappointing. After spending so much time and money I got nothing much out of it. But still I thought it's OK. Went back to India after a month.

I was the 2nd person from India to travel Atlanta for advance training before Master Jugnu Nanda (Regional Director of India). After coming back to India I had Introduce so many new people to Choi Kwang Do.

In 1999 when I was in Mumbai for my test of 3rd degree black belt Master Nanda said International HQ. in atlanta need some Instructors to start up new branches in atlanta and he asked to me? I had no problems with it. But at last movement master nanda said we have to go to Atlanta for this. Said me to pay for his and His Girl friends airfare and staying expenses in Atlanta. That was a very hard situation for me some how I have to sell my car and some of my wife's valuable jewelry to cover all these expenses for travel to US. I had to leave my wife and 2 month old son at my in-laws place hoping for best in future.

Finally we reach to Atlanta. We stayed in motel across the road from International HQ. We met with Grand Master Choi he was very upset because he lost so many of his Instructors. At same time he said "I want Instructors from India to open more branches in Atlanta and all over US " In front of me in his office. As Grand Master Choi said he won't charge for training because he want a strong team as his instructor's.

Then we had training with Grand Master Choi him self for 10 continuous days for 2 to 3 hrs. a day. On other side I don't know what was the plan. Master Nanda asked me to pay for the training, what ever money I had, I had to pay all to Master Nanda for his and my training.

While those 10 days training Grand Master Choi said to me him self, "I need you to work with me in International HQ". I was very happy. I forgot every thing had happen to me before. Then I was been told by Master Nanda "We have to go back to India. Because Immigration will take about 2 months for this matter it's expensive for you to stay here that long". As Grand Master Choi said to me the same so I trusted them. I came back to India.

But 1 month after came back to India I called to Master Nanda about progress about my matter.That was time land slipped out of my feet when he said I have to pay 600,000 Rs. to him about (18000$ US) that time. If i want to go to US as Instructor. I could't believe that. I called straight back to Grand Master Choi about this. I spoke to Grand Master Choi and he said he can't do any thing without Master Nanda's reference. That was shocking to me. I was staying with my in-law's just spending 2 or 3 months longest immigration matter was on process. Now what should I tell every one what has happen to me. I was no where.

I Strugle for another 2 years to organise for Australia. Then I had to take a decision for my family so I came to Australia.

Now I a'm in Australia. Still I did't got my certificate of my 3rd degree black belt. But still not recovered from those thing I had to face in past. Really like your web site people will come to know about the fact behind the picture.

If i could do some thing I'll be really happy to do for you.
Regards
Sahil Chawla

Yet another loyal CKD Chief Instructor being misled. Many current loyal CKD members/instrcutors still belive that these events never goes on. If only they know the REAL TRUTH instead of believing all the LIES coming from Kwang Jo Choi, Marshall Pereira and Kristoff and others in the top hierarchy of CKDMAI!

Update July 11, 2006,Copy from the KSDI Guestbook
Friday 07/07/2006 5:57:03am
Name: Realist
E-Mail:
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL:
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Location: UK
Comments: Mr Chawla - what a shocking story, but sadly so familiar. I hope that you and your family get back on your feet soon. Let's hope the CKD people enjoy their Karma.

It's all about the money....CKDMAI are now charging anywhere between £7,000 and £10,000 sterling for instructors to do an "Advanced Diploma" - a "qualification" built on second hand research that means absolutely zip outside of CKD. And the CKD brainwashing is working - people are actually giving up their money for this - the unquestioning "cult" loyalty of some CKD instructors is disturbing.

Master Koo's response:
You prefer to remain anonymous and know so much about the operations of UK CKD. Are you a discontent UK Chief Instructor who now see the scams of what is really going on within the Choi Kwang Do organization! Are you still with CKD or have you left quietly like some others. Why do you reveal yourself and speak up!

Monday 07/10/2006 7:09:15am
Copy from the KSDI Guestbook
Name: Realist
E-Mail:
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL:
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Location: UK
Comments: "Master Koo's response:
You prefer to remain anonymous and know so much about the operations of UK CKD. Are you a discontent UK Chief Instructor who now see the scams of what is really going on within the Choi Kwang Do organization! Are you still with CKD or have you left quietly like some others. Why do you reveal yourself and speak up!"

Correct, I am a CI within UK CKD and I am looking to leave - the time is not right to do so, or to risk dragging some genuinely good friends into views which are mine alone (although shared by many!)

When the time is right, I will stand up and be counted. Until then, I wish you well and hope that people will come to know the truth about CKD.

Update July 24, 2006, Copy from the KSDI Guestbook
Sunday 07/23/2006 6:22:04pm
Name: Friend
E-Mail: webmaster@kwangjochoi.net
Homepage Title: Kwang Jo Choi
Homepage URL: http://kwangjochoi.net
Referred By: Search Engine
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Comments: Pleased we be to present fine information to friends in need

www.kwangjochoi.net THE FULL STORY ABOUT KWANG JO CHOI, THE GUN INCIDENT, THE CAR ACCIDENT, THE SHONKY DEALS, THE LIES, THE DECEPTION, THE SELF-PROMOTION, THE MONEY MAKING SCAM CALLED CHOI KWANG DO MARTIAL ART INTERNATIONAL

Pil Sung friends.

Please note, I do not know who has created the web site on Kwang Jo Choi. Whoever has created it, I look forward in reading other exposures on Kwang Jo Choi and Choi Kwang Do Martial Art!

Update September 1, 2006,Copy from the KSDI Guestbook
Friday 09/01/2006 7:55:03am
Name: Adrian Blayney
E-Mail: a.blayney@ntlworld.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL:
Referred By: Search Engine
Location: IACP Wales ( UK )
Comments: Hi Master Koo
Did you know that CKDMAI are using a Mpeg of you on they website its on the opening page.
To all that are thinking of leaving CKDMAI just do it I have left and its the best thing I have done I took a bit of flack in the begining, but now everythings ok
Pil Sung

Master Roger Koo's response:

Thanks for letting the world know that another Chief Instructor has left CKD. Please share your reasons for leaving choi kwang do and the year you left. If you know of others who have left and not listed on my site, please let us know.

Choi Kwang Do is so stupid to have my testimonial which I did for them in 1991. I was too involved with the "HYPE" from Kwang Jo Choi and believed every word he said. Over the period of time when I was his vice president and personal secretary, I found him to lack integrity and would used people and discard them when he has no further use of them. Kwang Choi is a very good at manipulating people, I give him credit for that. Thus my exposure of kwang jo choi on my web site along with some others who had the courage to do the same.

I was a very successful International Instructor/Examiner under the International Tae Kwon Do Federation (I.T.F) prior to bringing choi kwang do into the U.K. (see my achievements and history on my web site) The FACT is choi kwang do would have been an unknown martial art if it was not for my expertise in promoting it in numerous martial arts magazines. The rest is history. Marshall is going around saying that choi kwang do made me successful. The fact is the other way around, I made Marshall successful up to a point in the U.K and the same for choi kwang do.

I have left CKD and created Koo Self Defense which is unlike Choi Kwang Do in every manner. Koo Self Defense produces very fit, more powerful students for street self defense than any other martial arts. In the past 14 years, we have had many visitors from all type of martial arts trained at my studio and can not even compared to my lower ranks in terms of fitness and power!

---

2007

Update January 27, 2007,Copy from the KSDI Guestbook
Saturday 01/27/2007 2:07:26pm
Name: anonymous
E-Mail:
Homepage Title: From a disgusted CKD Chief Instructor
Homepage URL:
Referred By: Search Engine
Location: Somewhere in the world of CKD
Comments: This is what Choi Kwang Do is currently doing. Happy Reading, LOL!

Dear Instructors:
Attached to this email are samples of some of the sponsors for the CKD 20th Anniversary Seminar which will be featured in the over 50 page program guide. The program guide will feature the seminar schedule, CKD articles, letters from government & vip officials about the validity of CKD, historical pictures of Sahjonim and Choi Kwang Do (these historical pictures are what has made CKD today), advertisements from our sponsors, etc...

If you or your students would like to place an ad or congratulations to Sahjonim (see attached for examples), a quarter page is $250, half page is $500 and full page is $1000. To be included, you must send your ad and check no later than January 30th, 2007.

We will be able to purchase copies of this historic booklet after the seminar which can be used as a marketing tool as it will give your school credibility for years to come.

One more note on seminar events: Sahjonim will be available to take pictures on Friday March 2 from 4pm to 5.30pm with a professional photographer. This is the only time that you will be able to take pictures with Sahjonim. If you wish to do so, you must register online. Please stay tuned to the international website as links will be posted within the next couple of days.

For all of the Instructors who have not yet registered to attend, we urge you to reconsider and not miss out on our 20th year anniversary seminar and celebrations as this is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. Your attendance at this event is earnestly requested.

See you at the seminar!
Pil Sung
Choi Kwang Do Martial Art International

Master Koo's Response:
Here we go again, you people in Choi Kwang Do are fools!

Marshall Pereira invited me and paid my Lunch in November 2006 to brag about the great success of CKD how much Kwang Choi made in excess of $500,000 at an Advanced Chief Instructor Program. If Kwang Choi is making so much money out of his Chief Instructors why then is he charging so much to advertise in the program guide for the 20th CKD anniversy to his instructors? Moreover, they hired a professional photographer to charge more money to have photo take with Choi, deja vu! The saga continues....

---

2008

Update April 9, 2008,Copy of email from Dwight Werner, Ex- CKD Instructor, Michigan, USA
To: kooselfdefense@yahoo.com
Subject: ckd
Date: Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:00:45 -0400
From: shuaijanarmy@aol.com Add Mobile Alert
Dear Master Koo,

The following is a brief summary of my experiences with the organization CKDMAI.

We originally joined CKD back in 1988 and were impressed with the fluid techniques and patterns that the founder Kwang Choi demonstrated to us. After about 9 years we were fed up with the restrictions and demands financially that were placed upon us with very little value received for the monies paid so we resigned. We built up a strong school afterwards and were doing very well financially but missed belonging to an international organization so we contacted CKD again in 2005 to see if things had evolved. Kwang Choi invited us to Atlanta to discuss the possibility of rejoining the organization.

Upon arriving with my son we were treated to a two day private training with Choi where he complimented us on our techniques, promoted us to 4th dan and invited us to rejoin. We expressed our concerns regarding testing fees etc. Choi told us that the organization was in a much better place financially and did not depend on testing fees any longer and to just make a contribution when we could. He also informed us of a retirement plan that he had put in place for the instructors which he called a rebate plan. Choi also told me that he would come to Michigan and personally teach my son, my daughter and myself and that he considered us like his brother, son and daughter.

We left Atlanta excited and committed to rejoin. Once back in Michigan we made a conversion at our school. Many of my students were very skeptical though and we ended up losing around 30 students because of this. Nevertheless we continued with the plan and had a certification for instructors and ended up certifying 4 Chief Instructors. At our school we have a non-competition agreement we ask all people we certify to sign. This has nothing to do with CKD but is something that MATA and the other organizations we belong to recommend.

After we certified these people Marshall Periera ended up talking to them and convinced three of them to leave our school and open up schools of their own. When two of them started to violate terms of the non-competition agreement they had signed by recruiting some of my top black belts to come to their school to teach/train for free and ignoring the territorial rights spelled out in the contract they had signed, I contacted headquarters and my attorney to complain. I was informed that Periera had told them they did not have to deal with me any longer and could go through headquarters and that CKD did not have non-competition agreements. My attorney disagreed with this and sent a threat letter to these people ordering them to comply with what they had signed.

They retained an attorney and started threatening me saying I had lied to them and violated minimum wage laws by having them assist at classes without paying them, that they didn't realize they had signed a contract etc. Periera then said he could solve this problem. He signed three of them up on the Faculty program for tens of thousands of dollars and told me I would get a commission. We both dropped our legal actions.

No commissions were ever paid to me.

Choi repeatedly then contacted me and tried to convince me to join the faculty myself telling me that the international needed me to be a leader in the organization. I had mixed feelings about this. At first it sounded good but I was getting a bad feeling about my decision to rejoin this organization. I was told that only the top people were to be invited but I noticed people with only a year or two in the martial arts were also invited so I declined. I then traveled to Malaysia and Korea with some other instructors to help with a seminar. While there Choi convinced me to join the faculty and I ended up paying $4000 towards the $10,000 fee. At the seminar in Malaysia after paying for our hotels, flights etc. We were still required to pay $50 for the privilege of assisting at the seminar. I really started to have second thoughts now. Since that time many of the people who had attended this trip have seen the light and resigned.

When we resigned the first time we started exploring other martial arts and trained with many top Grapplers and weapons experts and had incorporated this into our program. Now Periera and the international started putting pressure on us to stop doing these things and exclusively stick with the CKD curriculum. We cut back on these things but still continued one or two classes per week. They also wanted us to stop using the legal name of our business Monroe Martial Arts and wanted us to rename our school Choi Kwang Do Monroe.

This was the final straw.

We had built up quite an amount due to us in the rebate/retirement fund that was in some kind of account some where. We were told that whenever the amount reached $500 that it would be distributed. We only received one check for $700 and nothing ever again. In my opinion CKD tricks people into certifying instructors with the promised rebates and then tries to force them out with unreasonable demands so they do not have to pay them. At least that is what happened to me.

Just recently Periera has been in contact with some of my students inducing them to leave me. Now it has come to my attention that he is telling other instructors that I have closed my doors and am not in business any longer. In fact we have just moved our location to a much better facility and are stronger than ever.

They lied to us regarding the testing fee reduction. They lied to us about the faculty program. For the $4000 I received one book entitled smart moves and a grading of a book critique assignment by Choi (attached). They lied to us regarding the rebate program, (outstanding monies owed attached). They lied to us regarding the personal training we would receive.

They appear to have induced my students to violate non-competition agreements and actively tried to steal my students and instructors.

In my opinion CKD was a good idea initially but the lust for money has destroyed the integrity of the art. One of my former students with about three years in the martial arts is now at the top levelof the organization and is in fact testing for his 3rd dan this month.

I was just going to leave quietly once again but since Periera is still at it, the truth must be told.

If any good has come out of my experience the second time around I think it must be that after leaving the first time I thought I might have made a mistake.

This time I know I am doing the right thing.

Dwight Werner
Rebate Due to Dwight Werner from Choi Kwang Do Martial Art International

Update July 1, 2008,

Old thread on Choi Kwang do on the Bullshido web site started July 2007. Choi Kwang Do, the delusion continues
"So, what you see is the instructor who went from purple belt assistant instructor to blackbelt & chief instructor in one week (he trained for over 50 hours, says periera) and then took over the Hamilton Mill school because he bought it from choi's daughter. Guy was a major duffus when he worked at Arby's next door to the Wade Green school. None of us EVER saw him work as an AI to get any experience in teaching. The hamilton mill school is closed down now, I hear. Anyway, the funny part is that he was also teaching the kid the first black belt pattern and teaching it incorrectly. Also funny is how choi's daughter, who had opened that school originally tried to sell it to a few other people for thousands less than she finally sold it to the guy in the video. Now, that's an example of paying for a black belt!"

A new thread that is only Bullshido web site started May 2008. Someone is trying to investigate all the SCAMS in Choi Kwang Do. Comments are continuously being added since May 2008.

Kwang Jo Choi, founder of Choi Kwang Do
Here is a samplefrom an ex-CKD Instructor:
Sounds like a great idea... As a ex-CKD instructor I can certainly testify to all of the shady dealings that this cult like organization employs. Non existant or incomplete courses like the so called "Faculty program" where people with little martial art experience are promoted to the upper levels, then there is the "Advanced Chief Instructor program, The Chief Instructor program, the assistant instructor program, the program director program and lets not forget the Professional school owner program. All of these cost thousands of dollars and are huge rip-offs. Oh yeah I almost forgot about the "rebate program" I know of one guy in Georgia who was promoted from green belt to black belt in 2 weeks because he bought Choi's daughters school. Another guy from Michigan went from white belt to third degree black belt in less then three years because he paid his money and kissed the right butts. In Choi's book he claims that doing his art can cure almost every disease. Hmmm.... One of the main men who is a seventh degree cannot kick above his knee. Hmmm....There is no strategy for groundfighting except to bite your opponent. There are no patterns or forms past fourth degree. There are no weapons defenses taught to the students. They constanly ridicule and downgrade other styles like Tae Kwon Do and Karate and Jujitsu. Yet they have yet to back up any of their claims in the ring or mat. Most of the Instructors are over weight and out of shape. Most of the schools are part time and most of the money the international organization takes in is from exorbitant fees charged for testing. Of course no one ever fails as long as they pay.
The higher you go in the organization the more they take advantage of you.....

In the USA you could contact the Attorney General with letters from all of the people who have gotten burned. I certainly would be willing to help with that. I know that in 2007 about 35 schools have left and joined an organization called Kinect.

---

2009

Email to Master Koo

Koo Self Defense: A unique Martial Art - Contact Us
--------------------------------------------
Name: Joshua Swope
--------------------------------------------
Email: swope7896@hotmail.com
--------------------------------------------
Comments: I have read most of your resignation letter and I can tell you from personal experience that nothing has changed in the organization. Master P is still "chit-chatting" away all the while trying to pressure instructors to open more schools and give HQ more money. I train with the now Master Brandon Lockman and we left the organization not for financial reasons that some of them have claimed, but because of there one sided view on martial arts. We believe there is no one perfect art and the more you know the better you will be able to defend yourself. Their view is, this is all you need to know and that just doesn't sit right with me. They have actually changed a lot for the first degree patterns to better convert Tae Kwong Do people from Korea. This and their whole philosophy on testing as you have stated never failing anyone in order to get their money, this I find distasteful and believe it goes against the whole principale of martial atrs. Thank you for listening and informing the masses about the truth behind the so-called twentith centry martial art. The next time I'm in Georgia I would consider it an honor to visit your school and train with your students.
Truly, Joshua P. Swope (head instructor at Master Lockman's Black Belt Academy in Saline)

Update July 5, 2009,

Someone started this Antichoikwangdo's Channel on Youtube

Update October 28, 2009,

Copy from the KSDI Guestbook
Wednesday 10/28/2009 1:02:47am Name: anonymous
E-Mail:
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL:
Referred By: Search Engine
Location: USA
Comments: This might interest you. Pereira is now in smyrna and has been banished from the HQ. Yes, he still lives in the HQ but he is no longer allowed to be involved in the international CKD organization as far as dealing with school owners or as promotion director.

Choi's new son in law is now in charge. On another note, it seems that kwang choi has gone senile in his old age. He told the people during a Korean church dinner that he is connected to the Korean Mafia and he could have anyone killed and get away with it. senile or drunk?

Let's just say there was silence in the room.

Wednesday 10/28/2009 11:43:33am
Name: Former CKD Chief-Instructor
E-Mail:
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL:
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Location:
Comments: I was truly intrigued to learn of Master Koo. I do reside out side of GA but not too far. I became interested in Mr. Koo's philosophy to Martial Arts.

I was fully involved in the delusion of CKD when I came to my present school. I received my first degree black belt in 13 months. Yes, you read it correctly! 13 months. I had some doubt on the validity of CKD as it was so narrow minded and incorporated nothing but borrowed TKD techniques.

I am a scientist professionally and I've read their book. All of their clams provide no references for anything they state. I got burned so to speak because I would not worship my instructor who clearly knew nothing. I was given a speech by GM Woo for behaving badly when in fact it was my instructor causing all the problems and trying to get me in trouble because I was gaining more credibility form our junior students simply by being realistic with them. (I did not bash CKD but tried to demonstrate practicality and was not afraid to admit when I did not know something) I can go on but perhaps I will tell my story elsewhere rather than take up Mr. Koo's guest page space.

I ultimately wanted to say to Mr. Koo, thanks for posting your resignation letter and from what I have experienced I believe every word you state. I wish I was able to become your student but the distance does not allow this to be practical. You have been an inspiration to me to move on and do my best while looking out for frauds.

Thursday 07/02/2009 11:20:53pm
Name: Zim chiang
E-Mail:
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL:
Referred By: Google
Location: Atlanta, GA
Comments: Well, indeed CKD fails at everything when I started it Mr. Ruffin Booth told us that this was the best martial arts in the world so, I believed him and yet he left the second year which lead me into the horrors to the Stone Mountain CKD Instructors, I was tortured there until 2006. I quit because I have better values and more commitment to people like you Master Koo.

This shows that CKD only truly cares about cash there was one student who was an il dan black belt within a year and a half, she lied saying that she did it in 3 full years, her name was Katie M. Yet she is fooled as her sister Megan as well.

I'm an anti-CKD expert and yet some of my buddies still tell me to re-join CKD, To me it's bullshit, okay it's like winning for nothing. I joined another karate place 5 months after my disappearance.

In the future I will open a dojo and make an organization that is better than CKD. I'm not an Ex-Instructor but as a Former Ex-Student I was so :(

---

2010

May 27, 2010, Pat Colter, West Coast, USA: Copy from KSDI's Guestbook
Shameful behavior of Marshall Pereira in Choi Kwang Do

We had our trust betrayed by Master Pereira In 2007 my family were exposed to lewd and perverted behavior at the Choi Kwang Do convention and picnic after taking our children out of Choi Kwang Do, I thought it was over now last week I have found these porn pictures on my childs computer.

We were there feeling very uncomfortable when the pictures were taken and quickly left. When we saw them running across the grass with nothing on we were shocked.

I thought that was over once we stopped our children from training and since moving to the West Coast

It is shameful that they go around announcing that "I'm a good person (smart, moral, ethical, well-connected, well-informed, savvy, successful- whatever you may trust) as a parent I put faith in the teacher.

There are a lot of these pictures on my child's computer one even says 'Skinny dip King and Queen Master Pereira and Carrie Preite' I dont know if the girl is an instructor too.

All I know is this naked girl Carrie Preite was from Texas and Master Pereira and her are holding their hands up high and in the picture everyone you can see is cheering.

As you can imagine this has been a subject of concern in our home and I was on the phone with a friend back home in Atlanta who said she was at the cookout and saw this too.

You know she told me there was a big crowd around them and that Master Pereira was challenging this girl Carrie Preite to strip off out of her clothes and then to go jump in the water.

I am disappointed this was all displayed so publicly and just a kick of a ball from the beach where there were children playing the noise was enough to attract attention but then jumping in the lake certainly made sure everyone could see them.

It has upset our family to witness this from some one we trusted.

We are embarrassed and ashamed to have trusted people like this!

Attached are four photographs which your can published if you chooses to.

November 2010: 4 International Faculty Members of Choi Kwang Do International, Gary Collins & Valerie Collins (Trenton, Michigan, USA), Andrew Pappas (Temperance, Michigan, USA), Tony Dicarlo (Woodhaven, Michigan, USA) have left CKD. They are CKD elite members, the decision making body of Choi Kwang Do. It would be very interesting to know their reasons!!!

The following were posted on my original Koo Self Defense, Tae Kwon Do & Choi Kwang Do Facebook before I had to recreate a new one

Master Roger Koo: Koo Self Defense, Tae Kwon-Do, Choi Kwang Do
I wish to remain anonymous if you decide to publish this, but I am a yellow belt in Choi Kwang Do. Recently my family and I have grown suspicous with my training and the money I have put into it. My uncle has been a black belt for 40 years in different styles and he noticed that my progress was slow and laggy for a yellow belt. He put me up against my fiancee who has no formal training. He was able to grab my arms and put me in a headlock which I managed to get out of on my own. Since then I wondered what is going on with my training. I came across your site and noticed several things that you say are things that I was wondering about and things I find true. Such as the fact that I was a white belt for two weeks and then was a white belt senior. Now that I am a yellow belt why is it that I am still doing white belt stuff and slowly learning one punch and one new kick? Please help me. What do I do? I live thirty miles from the nearest Dojang and Choi Kwang Do is five miles from my house. What should I do? Master Koo's comment: I have honored your wish not to publish your name only your comments!

Master Roger Koo: Koo Self Defense, Tae Kwon-Do, Choi Kwang Do
Copy of email: I just ran across your site and I sympathize with your story. I was a 1st Dan with Choi also, but left in the early 90's. I was burned out as an assistant instructor and quite disenchanted with a few issues (I won't mention them here). Anyway, I hope that life is better for you now-I may come visit your school sometime. Right now I am about to enter Graduate school at GSU plus you are a little too far from me. Keep up the good work and good luck in all that you do.

Master Roger Koo: Koo Self Defense, Tae Kwon-Do, Choi Kwang Do
From KSD website signed guestbook: Yes, indeed! Lock up your wallets, UK martial artists because Periera is, indeed, very experienced in doing the wallet biopsy! I had to smile (wanted to laugh, but it would have been inappropriate) when a mom (whose child started at CKD but she read this site and took him out of CKD and moved to a real martial arts school, our TKD school) told me how excited her child was about having learned the first 10 moves of their first pattern. She commented that, as soon as she saw the ckd first form she became skeptical of ckd and began her research. She also said that it was evident that a student didn't have to do much to get promoted in ckd (except pay their testing fee) - oooh - don't we call that a "belt mill" in the industry?? But, it is, in so many ways, a sad commentary on how Kwang Choi has misled (and I mean that in both the leadership as well as lack of integrity terms) so that what (probably) started out to be a good idea, with integrity etc. has been watered down so much that it requires specialized hype to convince students to start, stay and pay.

Master Roger Koo: Koo Self Defense, Tae Kwon-Do, Choi Kwang Do
From KSD website signed guestbook: I was truly intrigued to learn of Master Koo. I do reside out side of GA but not too far. I became interested in Mr. Koo's philosophy to Martial Arts.

I was fully involved in the delusion of CKD when I came to my present school. I received my first degree black belt in 13 months. Yes, you read it correctly! 13 months. I had some doubt on the validity of CKD as it was so narrow minded and incorporated nothing but borrowed TKD techniques.

I am a scientist professionally and I've read their book. All of their clams provide no references for anything they state. I got burned so to speak because I would not worship my instructor who clearly knew nothing. I was given a speech by GM Woo for behaving badly when in fact it was my instructor causing all the problems and trying to get me in trouble because I was gaining more credibility form our junior students simply by being realistic with them. (I did not bash CKD but tried to demonstrate practicality and was not afraid to admit when I did not know something) I can go on but perhaps I will tell my story elsewhere rather than take up Mr. Koo's guest page space.

I ultimately wanted to say to Mr. Koo, thanks for posting your resignation letter and from what I have experienced I believe every word you state. I wish I was able to become your student but the distance does not allow this to be practical. You have been an inspiration to me to move on and do my best while looking out for frauds.

Master Roger Koo: Koo Self Defense, Tae Kwon-Do, Choi Kwang Do
From KSD website signed guestbook: Well, indeed CKD fails at everything when I started it Mr. Ruffin Booth told us that this was the best martial arts in the world so, I believed him and yet he left the second year which lead me into the horrors to the Stone Mountain CKD Instructors, I was tortured there until 2006. I quit because I have better values and more commitment to people like you Master Koo. This shows that CKD only truly cares about cash there was one student who was an il dan black belt within a year and a half, she lied saying that she did it in 3 full years, her name was Katie M. Yet she is fooled as her sister Megan as well. I'm an anti-CKD expert and yet some of my buddies still tell me to re-join CKD, To me it's bullshit, okay it's like winning for nothing. I joined another karate place 5 months after my disappearance.

Master Roger Koo: Koo Self Defense, Tae Kwon-Do, Choi Kwang Do
From KSD website signed guestbook: i agree strongly with your views on CKD!! they are a disgrace to martial arts!! all they are concerned about is money money money!! i personally do not rate their self defence techniques because they are literally a waste of time learning. i have seen all the ckd instructor and am not impressed one bit by them they call themselves masters and so on but a are unfit fat slobs. to be an instructor in my view you have got to look the part and also be able to jump over your students heads when it comes to fitness and physical fighting. to me they are just a brain washing cult that should be banned from martial arts or something done about them!!

i have the greatest respect for you Master Koo!!

Master Roger Koo: Koo Self Defense, Tae Kwon-Do, Choi Kwang Do
From KSD website signed guestbook: Here is a samplefrom an ex-CKD Instructor: Sounds like a great idea... As a ex-CKD instructor I can certainly testify to all of the shady dealings that this cult like organization employs. Non existant or incomplete courses like the so called "Faculty program" where people with little martial art experience are promoted to the upper levels, then there is the "Advanced Chief Instructor program, The Chief Instructor program, the assistant instructor program, the program director program and lets not forget the Professional school owner program. All of these cost thousands of dollars and are huge rip-offs. Oh yeah I almost forgot about the "rebate program" I know of one guy in Georgia who was promoted from green belt to black belt in 2 weeks because he bought Choi's daughters school. Another guy from Michigan went from white belt to third degree black belt in less then three years because he paid his money and kissed the right butts. In Choi's book he claims that doing his art can cure almost every disease. Hmmm.... One of the main men who is a seventh degree cannot kick above his knee. Hmmm....There is no strategy for groundfighting except to bite your opponent. There are no patterns or forms past fourth degree. There are no weapons defenses taught to the students. They constanly ridicule and downgrade other styles like Tae Kwon Do and Karate and Jujitsu. Yet they have yet to back up any of their claims in the ring or mat. Most of the Instructors are over weight and out of shape. Most of the schools are part time and most of the money the international organization takes in is from exorbitant fees charged for testing. Of course no one ever fails as long as they pay. The higher you go in the organization the more they take advantage of you.....

In the USA you could contact the Attorney General with letters from all of the people who have gotten burned. I certainly would be willing to help with that. I know that in 2007 about 35 schools have left and joined an organization called Kinect.

Master Roger Koo: Koo Self Defense, Tae Kwon-Do, Choi Kwang Do
Copy for a site that exposes scams on Choi Kwang Do"Choi Kwang Do, the delusion continues" http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=57810&page=28 titled dated 03/10/2010 well, numbers = $ in ckd. all school owners have to pay ckdmai for "international membership" for each of their students every year as well as pay (most of the time) 50% or more of the testing fees they charge their students every month. The have this sort of pyramid thing going on with the rebate system (that seems to give back some $ to some but not others) so they make it appear lucritive to a school owner. But, in truth even a small school pays hundreds of $ to ckdmai every month and larger schools pay thousands. Since it's a belt mill system, testing fees are a serious revenue stream for both school owners and ckdmai. But in the end, the school owner pays more and, I have been told by current school owners that they recently raised the %age of the split on black belt testing so the school owner/chief instructor makes only about 30 or 40% of this very large fee and choi demands the rest of it. Also, consider the rest of the continued financial screwing of blackbelts - there are 8 tests to get to the 2nd degree test, then 6 more from 2nd to 3rd and more from 3rd to 4th as well as the years of tuition/semnar fees, book buying, uniform buying (and all ci's have to get uniforms through ckdmai, school opening, "certified instructor" fees etc. - it exhausts me to think of it all! They (ckdmai) have a database system that is (supposedly) designed to help one run one's school (names, addresses, phone numbers, email address etc.) but in truth it is to keep track of a ci's student data so, if they leave, quit etc. they immediatly can mass email or mail disparaging letters about the instructor etc. They make every effort to keep that student as their own. choi and periera are so self-absorbed that they don't realize that the average martial arts student or parent couldn't care less about the style; they train/stay because of how their instructors validate them or the positive character traits that instructor embodies or teaches the children. choi thinks they stay because of the the style, ckd. By the time a student reaches purple or red or brown belt, they are either thoroughly indoctrinated in the ckd hype (mostly because they "need" that cult-like organisation) or they realize they have learned a pile of crap and paid a lot of money to do it and they just quit. ckd, more than any tkd school, has SO many drop outs at red and brown belt that it is astonishing. THEY say that the student drops out because they are "afraid" of the black belt test. Horseshit. The ones who quit have just figured out the truth. So, now you know. (maybe more than you wanted to know)

October 2011:

This is a copy of a thread by jonnie11 at bottom of page on this website. Kwang Jo Choi, founder of Choi Kwang Do

Wow I can't believe this thread is still alive. Here's an update on CKD. From what I hear, Kwang Jo Choi and his minions are at it again for the last few months trying to destroy the reputations and livelihood of Michigan instructors who left the organisation. But these heroes are fighting back against the Choi/Pereira menace. A case was filed by the former Michigan school owners and is currently underway in federal court. The motion to dismiss the case by Kwang Jo Choi was denied and this is now officially a federal case.

In their latest response to the judge, Kwang Jo Choi actually admits to NOT having a federal trademark for 'Choi Kwang Do' although they have been propagating this lie for close to 25 years. Yes, Kwang Jo Choi has a service mark for their logo with the words 'Choi Kwang Do Martial Art International' but that doesn't mean that people can't teach or use 'Choi Kwang Do' in advertisements and at their schools as an art.

So, all you who are too scared to leave CKD because you still want to teach 'Choi Kwang Do' as an art or use 'Choi Kwang Do' in your own unique logos (not sure why you would want to but...), go for it. There's now a legal precedent & CKD International's admission that there is no federal trademark.

Leave now! This will benefit your students as well as your pocket book. Plus,as a bonus, you will never have to listen to insulting propaganda speeches from Pereira again. If CKD sends you trademark letters, simply ignore them. There is NO trademark. If CKD tries to destroy your reputation, you have a case! Yes, there is a better life and happier students after leaving the money pit & slavery called Kwang Jo Choi & Pereira! Trust me, you will be happier...

Gary Collins, Jeff D. Bully, Richard Bole, Anthony Dicarlo, and andrew v. Choi Kwang Do Martial Arts International UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN SOUTHERN DIVISION

CONCLUSION FROM MASTER ROGER KOO:

So many ex-CKD Chief Instructors from all over the world continue to contact me to this day as to why they have left Choi Kwang Do. NEW SCAMS being created by Kwang Jo Choi from 2006 onwards which involves thousands of dollars under their new DIPLOMA program of Advanced Chief Instructor & Diploma Training Program. You have to pass their interview and to qualify you must have thousands of dollars in the bank to do so! They have a new scheme for FAST TRACK Black Belt/Chief Instructors program to open new schools/studios that literally cost $10,000 to $30,000 or more! How many more people will loose thousands of dollars in the process and have their lives ruined by Choi Kwang Do?

I had two of CKD Black belts (Assistant Instructors) one from Gwinnett and one from Wade Green, the CKDMAI H.Q itself who telephoned me this March 2006 and was offered such a FAST track program to open up a CKD studio BUT they are required to spend at least $30,000 in order to do so. They were wise to research into the background of Kwang Jo Choi and came across my site and after reading what has occurred to so many others, they decided to leave Choi Kwang Do! By ripping other people off, Kwang Jo Choi is generating the money for the heavily advertising campaign on television that has been going on for months.

You have read many accounts from many former CKD Chief instructors how they have been scammed and yet ironically the CKDMAI web site has an Standards & Ethics page which states "CKDMAI Instructors are expected to act with an ethical and moral code of professional conduct in day-to-day decision making" How come Kwang Jo Choi, Marshall Pereira and a few other in the top hierarchy of CKD do not adhere to its own Standards & Ethics?

The scanned documents on this page are just a fraction of all of the documents as PROOF what has been written on this site to be TRUE and FACTUAL! It shows that Marshall is a slave for Kwang Jo Choi (living at the Choi Kwang Do International's Headqurters), an idiot and jump to all kind of wrong conclusions. Marshall Pereira lacks integrity and cannot see right from wrong anymore!

Moreover, with all the events that are STILL OCCURRING TO THIS DAY, it proves that Kwang Jo Choi, Marshall Pereira, Kristoff and a few others in the top hierarchy of the Choi Kwang Do martial art organization are STILL LYING to their students, assistant instructors, chief instructors and studio/school owners! The business ethics of Choi Kwang Do has NOT changed since 1991! Marshall and Kristof are still being brainwashed by Kwang Choi, the cult leader of choi kwang do just as all of the loyal disciples Chief/Assistant Chief Instructors and students who are all refereed to as the choi kwang do family. Ironically, the Sicilian Mafia is also known as the family.

Choi Kwang Do students lack fitness and power, and they like other martial arts focus on perfect techniques just to look pretty and ineffective on the streets. Over the years, we have had some of CKD black belts tried Koo Self Defense workouts and they cannot even match the fitness level and the devastating power of our beginners (white and yellow belts)!