A resolution has been introduced in the US House of Representatives to designate Sept. 4 — already recognized as Taekwondo Day — as "Taekwondo Grandmaster Appreciation Day." Pictured is a match at the Australia Open and World Taekwondo President's Cup held at the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre in Australia in June. [Getty Images]
A resolution has been introduced in the US House of Representatives to designate Sept. 4 — already recognized as Taekwondo Day — as "Taekwondo Grandmaster Appreciation Day." Pictured is a match at the Australia Open and World Taekwondo President's Cup held at the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre in Australia in June. [Getty Images]

A discussion has emerged in the US House of Representatives over designating a commemorative day honoring taekwondo grandmasters.

Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick and Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean, both representing Pennsylvania, jointly introduced a resolution Thursday to designate a "Taekwondo Grandmaster Appreciation Day," according to the US Congress's legislative information system Monday (local time).

The resolution proposes designating Sept. 4 of this year as the occasion, honoring grandmasters — the most experienced and respected practitioners of high-level taekwondo — on the grounds that they "provide physical and mental benefits to countless people across the United States."

Sept. 4 is already recognized as Taekwondo Day. World Taekwondo established the observance in 2006 to mark the sport's acceptance as an official Olympic discipline at the 103rd International Olympic Committee session, held in Paris in 1994. South Korea designated Taekwondo Day as an official national commemorative day in 2008 under legislation on the promotion of taekwondo and the development of taekwondo parks.

The resolution describes taekwondo as "a Korean martial art developed throughout thousands of years of Korean history," tracing its origins to defensive fighting techniques known as "subak" or "taekkyon" in the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo.

The resolution also spells out the meaning of each syllable — "tae," "kwon" and "do" — and notes that while taekwondo uses both hands and feet, it is distinguished by "its unique combination of kicking techniques."

The resolution further states that taekwondo "is beneficial not only as a sport and means of self-defense, but also for health, including flexibility, endurance, strength and proper posture," adding that it "emphasizes mental discipline and character development through the tenets of taekwondo: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit."


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