SOO, PARK JONG (1941-2021) Korean-born tae kwon do instructor, a pioneer of Canadian tae kwon do, Soo was secretary general of the ITF. He began his training in tae kwon do at age 14. He was instructor of the Police Training Center of Chun Bok -Korea, the famed Tiger Division. After 1964 he met Gen. Choi Hong Hi and began to study under him. Soo accompanied General Choi on a 1965 goodwill mission, touring Europe, Africa and Asia and became coach of the German Taekwon-do Association.

During his time in Germany he became influential to Georg F. Brückner (father of European kickboxing) who invited him to teach in his dojo in Berlin. He founded the Netherland’s Tae Kwon do Association in 1966. In 1968 he left for Canada, settling in Toronto, and opened the first ITF tae kwon do school in the country.