I have known Master Nae Ham Lee for over twenty years. He has always been a quiet man. Even as a small child I knew that he was special. Nobody talked or acted like him. He is one of the greatest martial artists in the world today. His recent promotion to 9th dan bears testimony to his ability. He is not widely known to the general martial arts community, for like many achievers he is modest about his accomplishments. Like a rice plant, he bows his head as he matures and bears fruit. Master Lee however heads one of the biggest Taekwondo schools in the country with thousands of members. He finds it difficult to talk about himself but he has allowed a rare interview in celebration of his recent promotion to the highest rank in Taekwondo.

KH: Congratulations on your 9th dan Master Lee. How long have you been training in the martial arts?

ML: Thank you Kevin. I have been involved in the martial arts for more than 40 years.

KH: Forty years is certainly a lot of experience. How did you get involved with Oh Do Kwan?

ML: When I was a child, I took up boxing and Judo to grow stronger. But all the people in my neighbourhood said that Tang Soo Do was better and more powerful so I joined Tang Soo Do. At that time there was no Taekwondo - it wasn't formed yet and my parents were against me learning the martial arts because they thought I would be associating with gangsters and thugs. Oh Do Kwan was formed by General Choi in 1946. It was a school based in the Korean Army and was originally teaching Tang Soo Do. At first civilians were not allowed to join Oh Do Kwan, but after a few years this changed. I learnt Tang Soo Do in Oh Do Kwan. In 1953, after the Korean war, Oh Do Kwan introduced Taekwondo to Korea - that is South Korea. I remember how all the other Tang Soo Do and Kong Soo Do schools had to change to the new Taekwondo techniques. By 1959 all the other schools were teaching Taekwondo (Oh Do Kwan) techniques and by 1965 they were practising our patterns. All of Korea was taught Oh Do Kwan techniques and patterns. Many masters had to learn as white belts and we in Oh Do Kwan were involved in teaching the art to the rest of the country. That's how I became associated with Oh Do Kwan.

KH: Was General Choi actively teaching at the time?

ML: Oh Do Kwan was and still is the only Taekwondo school formed by General Choi. He promoted Taekwondo widely in the early years. I still remember the lessons and the specific techniques that he corrected in my do jang. He was a serving General at the time and he would visit even the smallest schools to teach Taekwondo. Being a two star General he brought respectability to Taekwondo. He was very admired. I still have our original Oh Do Kwan manual. It is falling apart but I still read it from time to time.

KH: When did you first start teaching Taekwondo?

ML: I had my first do jang when I was 18. The instructor retired and handed his do jang to me. I have taught Taekwondo ever since.

KH: In know you have had many tournament successes in Korea but you keep this information mostly to yourself. Would you like to talk about some of your tournament experiences?

ML: Okay...In 1961 I was the national Oh Do Kwan champion for both sparring and patterns. In 1963, when tournaments were combined with other schools, I was the Korean national champion. Kelvin, you have won national championships yourself and you know that it doesn't really matter if you win or lose. It is more important that you train, achieve your personal best and spiritual fulfillment through training not just through competition. In 1973 the first World Taekwondo championships were held in Seoul but I was a master instructor and over qualified to enter. I regret that I did not experience the first Taekwondo world championships.

KH: You have taught in Vietnam as well haven't you?

ML: Yes, I went to Vietnam with the South Korean Army in July 1966. I was involved in training the Vietnamese army officers in Taekwondo. I was an instructor at an elite school. The students were hand picked and trained eight hours a day. They slept together, ate together and worked together. Training was very different in Vietnam, we used to teach our students how to kill people with their hands, knives, bayonets or whatever. It was life and death training. I was also asked by the US Green Berets, Airforce and Navy, to instruct their officers. I spent a lot of time with the Americans.

KH: I know you hate talking about this but you were the Korean Demonstration Team leader and are currently the Vice President of the Australian Taekwondo Association?

ML: Yes, I was given the leadership of the Korean Demonstration Team in 1967 and became the Vice President of the KTA in 1992. While I was the team leader, we originated many moves that you see in demonstrations today. It is funny now but Taekwondo was advertised in the movie cinemas in Korea. They showed my demonstrations for many years and my face was well known all around the country but I was in Vietnam.

KH: When did you start teaching in Australia?

ML: I started teaching in Australia in 1974. I have graded my Australian students to 5^th dan. My highest ranking student is currently 7th dan and he teaches in Spain.

KH: You have stuck by the name of your school and on a recent visit by General Choi he forwarded a personal invitation. I believe that he was pleased and that he commended you for "keeping the root of Taekwondo alive".

ML: Yes, General Choi asked to see me and we had a pleasant conversation. I don't know how he found me but he did. Oh Do Kwan is not part of the ITF as you know, we are affiliated with the WTF actually. But General Choi is the founder and I respect him as the founder. As you know Oh Do Kwan is no ordinary school, Taekwondo started in Oh Do Kwan. We have the responsibility and the duty to keep the spirit and the traditions of Taekwondo alive. I have resisted calling our school by my personal name like many other schools because I believe that Oh Do Kwan is more important than the Master or the Instructor. The name of Oh Do Kwan will -live on even when I am no longer here. My students even if they are from different parts of the country, are united under the brotherhood of Oh Do Kwan. Everywhere in Australia our students wear the same uniform and learn the same techniques, traditions and philosophies. I have been fortunate enough to be appointed by the Korean Oh Do Kwan to head Oh Do Kwan in Australia but Oh Do Kwan is not about me. Oh Do Kwan is about all our members from the beginner to the black belt who trains. They train to be better human beings. By their training they keep the original spirit of Oh Do Kwan going. I am only here to guide them in the right direction.

KH: Australia is a huge country. How do you manage all your schools?

ML: Our Oh Do Kwan instructors are very special people. They teach Taekwondo selflessly for Oh Do Kwan. They share the same spirit of Taekwondo that I was taught in Korea. They all get along well and help each other in times of need. Our instructors are a unified group. We have our monthly newsletters and seminars. I regularly travel around the country teaching and talking. In my 40 years of training, I have spent almost every thing there is to see in the world of martial arts but, in the end it is all about helping each other and bringing peace to the world.