Natasha Tu
DECEMBER 13, 2018
Kukkiwon President, Grandmaster Oh Hyun Deuk, has been arrested on corruption charges just right after his trial at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul.
The court convicted the Resigned Kukkiwon President guilty in obstruction of business including illegal recruitment, irregularities in the hiring process and violations in the Political Fund Act.
Taking into consideration the criminal charges and the status of the suspect, the judge issued the arrest warrant to make sure that the case evidence would not be destroyed.
Few months before the arrest….
SEPTEMBER 13, 2018
Grand Master Oh Hyun-Deuk, the acting President of Kukkiwon, coming out to the reporters and deeply apologizing to the Taekwondo family members for “any reason related to the investigation of the judicial authorities and reporting of MBC ‘PD Notebook”, and confirming rumors about his resignation:
I will resign from the position after the appointment process for new Kukkiwon chief is finalized under the revised Kukkiwon code from the task force
In 2017 the police have launched a criminal investigation into Oh Hyun-Deuk. He was accused of embezzlement and irregularities in the employee recruitment process and corruption.
There were rumors about sexual harassment and instigation of murder, although there hasn’t been enough evidence to justify that.
The news shocked many people interested in Taekwondo, however, the employees and members of Kukkiwon had concerns about Oh since the very beginning of his presidency.
That is to say, martial artists have been accusing Hyun-Deuk of corruption in ranks, selling Dans for USD 2-3K and delivering illegal political donations to members of the National Assembly’s Education, Culture, and Sports and Tourism Committee.
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