‘Father of Mexican Taekwondo’ Moon Dai-won dies at 83

Grand Master Moon Dai-won, widely regarded as the “Father of Mexican Taekwondo,” died Saturday at his home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. He was 83.

According to reports from Mexican media and Korean news outlets, Moon had reportedly lived with chronic lung illness.

A visitor pays tribute at a memorial altar for Grand Master Moon Dai-won set up at World Taekwondo headquarters in Seoul. World Taekwondo said the altar would remain in place from May 18 to 20 to honor Moon’s legacy. (World Taekwondo)

Born in Hongseong, South Chungcheong Province, in 1943, Moon first arrived in Mexico in 1968 and opened the "Moo Duk Kwan" Taekwondo school in Mexico City the following year, becoming the first Korean master to systematically introduce Taekwondo to the country.

In 1976, he founded the Mexican Taekwondo Federation and served as its first president, helping establish the foundation for the sport’s rapid growth in Mexico.

Dr. Manuel Mondragon y Kalb (left) reacts as Moon demonstrates a flying kick in an undated photo from the early years of Taekwondo in Mexico. Mondragon invited Moon to remain in Mexico in 1968 to teach Taekwondo, helping lay the foundation for the sport’s growth in the country. (Moon Dai-won)

Moon (center) with students and associates at a dojang in an undated group photo believed to have been taken around 1975. (Moon Dai-won)

Moon is estimated to have trained around 300,000 students during his decadeslong career. More than 500 Moo Duk Kwan branches currently operate across Mexico, while approximately 3,500 Taekwondo dojangs (martial arts schools) have been established nationwide. Over 1.5 million Mexicans are believed to practice Taekwondo, which is widely considered one of the country’s most popular sports after soccer.

Under Moon’s guidance, Mexico developed into one of Latin America’s leading Taekwondo nations, consistently winning Olympic medals after securing its first Olympic Taekwondo medal at the 2000 Sydney Games.

Victor Manuel Estrada Garibay of Mexico (far right) celebrates with his bronze medal alongside silver medalist Faissal Ebnoutalib of Germany (far left) and gold medalist Angel Matos of Cuba (center) after the men’s 80-kilogram Taekwondo competition at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics at the State Sports Centre in Sydney, Australia, on Sept. 29, 2000. (Billy Stickland/Getty Images)

The 1st Latin American Taekwondo Union Seminar was organized by the Mexican Olympic Committee and held in Mexico City in 2016. (Moon Dai-won)

In recognition of his contributions, Moon received medals and commendations from the Mexican government. He also served as a council member and chair of the technical committee at World Taekwondo.

World Taekwondo said it had set up a memorial altar at its headquarters in Seoul from Monday to Wednesday to honor Moon’s legacy.

A memorial portrait of Moon bearing the words "Padre del Taekwondo en Mexico," or "Father of Taekwondo in Mexico." (Sendero Artes Marciales)