8th Degree Black Belt - Taekwondo
6th Degree Black Belt - Judo
8th Degree Black Belt - Hapkido
Grandmaster Pak is a member of the faculty of Health and Human Performance at Iowa State University and has been teaching the Martial Arts Program at Iowa State since 1975. Grandmaster Pak has received much recognition for his contributions including a 1983 outstanding teachers award and a 1993 faculty citation from the Iowa State Alumni Association.
Biography
Grandmaster Yong Chin Pak has devoted his entire life to the mastery and teaching
of the Korean martial arts. After being elected student government president, receiving
high grades, graduating with a 4-year diploma from the Yong In University (former
Korean Judo college), and serving as a Korean secret service self-defense instructor,
Grandmaster Pak left Korean to come to the United States.
In 1973, he began instructing Taekwondo, Judo, and Hapkido at Iowa State University,
where he quickly established himself as a major figure in this country's martial
arts community. He has been a self-defense instructor for the Iowa Law Enforcement,
Ames Police Department, and ISU Campus Security.
Grandmaster Pak has taught upwards to 24,000 students the benefits of self-defense
while at Iowa State University. His dedication to self-defense reflects great credit
upon himself, the martial arts, and to Iowa State University. The collegiate Taekwondo
team from Iowa State has regularly placed first, second and third in the national
tournament held each year. Since coming to the United States, Grandmaster Pak has
received the NCTA (National Collegiate Taekwondo Association) Coach of the Year
Award three times, 1993 Faculty Citation from Iowa State University and numerous
other awards for his dedication and service. In 1983, he received the Amoco Outstanding
Teachers Award (Iowa State University) and internationally coached the United States
team in the Pan-American Championships and the Goodwill Games with Mexico and the
Ukraine. In 1986, Grandmaster Pak was elected president of the National Collegiate
Taekwondo Association and still holds this position.
Grandmaster Pak currently instructs the collegiate martial arts program at Iowa
State University. Two options are provided for students: 1) daytime physical education
courses may be taken for college credit, and 2) evening extra-curricular clubs offering
social outlets. A number of his black blets upon graduating from ISU and finding
a job have established their own community Taekwondo programs. Over 28 branch schools
in 6 states are now operating under Grandmaster Pak's guidance and direction.