Taekwondo, like many other activities and organizations, has an oath – a declaration which includes certain promises. The traditional Taekwondo Oath, historically a part of the Taekwondo training, may be recited during practices or testing as the master instructor requires.
Your Taekwondo Oath may be different for different dojangs. Please follow your dojang's standards.
Now let’s look at each line:
I shall observe the tenets of Taekwondo.
I shall respect the instructor and seniors.
Respecting instructors in Taekwondo, teachers in school, and other people in authority is an important part of the Taekwondo oath. Seniors can refer to higher belts in the dojang and also those elderly individuals outside of the dojang.
I shall never misuse Taekwondo.
Taekwondo is a self-defense martial art, and should be used in self-defense situations only. The misuse of Taekwondo by a student or instructor for personal gain or in vengeance is not permitted. This is especially true because the kicks and strikes in Taekwondo can cause permanent injury to another person if executed at full speed and power from a properly trained student.
I shall be a champion of freedom and justice.
The Taekwondo student should embrace the ideals of freedom which go back to the suffering on Koreans during the Japanese occupation. The student should learn how to champion freedom causes that work with the previous tenant, “Respect the instructors and seniors”. This can pose challenges if you practice Taekwondo in a country that may not be “free”.
The student should also embrace justice, working within the law to handle situations legally and fairly, as well as to determine the facts of a situation before passing judgment.
I shall build a more peaceful world.
This kind of peace does not mean not defending oneself or helping someone else who is weaker. As one of my instructors put it, “Building a peaceful world begins with you, being at peace in your own life, showing others every day how to live a peaceful existence.”
The Taekwondo Oath is often recited with the Tenets of Taekwondo during ceremonies or testings.